Aside from marking the unofficial start of summer, this weekend also marks the start of our annual Sunday Picnic series, which aims to remind us that no matter how young or old you are, this is the season for relaxation, reflection, and fun!
It’s not often that you find the gates to the museum wide open, but on Sundays May 28, June 25, July 30, August 27, and September 24, you can walk in any time between 12 and 4 p.m. to enjoy tours, crafts, games and more. Pack a picnic lunch, get take-out from your favorite restaurant (In-N-Out is a mere 1.6 miles away…just saying), or swing by the local Starbucks (.7 miles away) and bring your treats to the museum. You’ll find shady spots around every corner, and you can even bring your favorite lawn chair—the one with the cup holder!
Over the next few months we’ll explore a variety of themes including Victorian fitness, native gardens, ice cream, film, and handicrafts. As individual picnic details are finalized, we’ll share more information right here on the blog.
Inspired by the Memorial Day holiday and our current Gallery exhibit and lecture series about America’s involvement in World War I, activities on May 28 will focus on the impact that WWI had, and still has, on popular culture.
While the U.S. was only involved in the conflict between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, 110,000 U.S. military personnel were lost. No one was prepared for the direct impact that WWI would have on so many American lives. If you didn’t lose a family member or friend, you were rationing food or investing in war bonds. It’s no surprise that mention of the war made its way into music, film, literature, crafts, and games.
Among other offerings on Sunday, you’ll be able to explore a playlist of songs including memorable tunes like Let’s Bury the Hatchet (In the Kaiser’s Head); make red paper poppies, a craft inspired by a famous WWI poem, In Flanders Fields; and play a game of Battleships on paper, as it was originally conceived before WWI and adapted for play by soldiers during the conflict.
We hope to see many of you this Sunday, and all summer long!