The Museum of Sonoma County remains closed to support the local efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to monitor the situation and post updates and resources to our website . For our valued members, we will extend the expiration date of all existing memberships by one month, in appreciation of your loyal support.
We are passionately committed to continuing to serve our community. Being closed has a significant financial impact on our organization. We know that there are many economic challenges affecting everyone. But if at all possible, please consider  becoming a member  or making a donation  to help the Museum at this time. Thank you!

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Standing United Against Racism


Dear Members and Friends,

As we confront the most serious health and economic crisis in a century, we are reminded that racism, a disease more deadly, insidious, and destructive than COVID-19, is ever present. The senseless murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and so many others, is heartbreaking. The violence that has erupted surrounding peaceful protests is also deeply upsetting. We cannot and must not stay silent. We who care about peace, justice, and our community search for answers.

The Museum of Sonoma County has an important mission to preserve history, promote creativity, celebrate humanity, and provide a platform for compassion and understanding. We believe that history and art can play a vital role in healing the divisions in our communities by reminding us of the mistakes of our past and by creating a vision of hope and inspiration for a better future. We stand with those who oppose racism and social injustice. We hope that our efforts to promote equity and inclusion can inspire our community to confront hate with love, find solace in creative works, and direct our frustration toward constructive acts that improve society. 

In sadness and hope,
Nancy Glaze
Chair, Board of Directors
Jeff Nathanson
Executive Director
How to Get Involved  

  • Learn About Race and How to Talk About It
  • The National Museum of African American History and Culture launched its Talking About Race portal to help us identify types of bias, what it means to be antiracist, the historical foundations of race, and more (click here to visit website).

  • Engage with Local Politics
  • Local ballot measures and officials directly impact our communities. Familiarize yourself with your elected officials and speak up if you are unsatisfied with the way they are handling issues of racial justice. Learn how to contact your federal, state, and local elected leaders by clicking here. 

  • Take Action
  • Whether it’s marching in solidarity, calling out injustices (click here for the 5 Ds of Bystander Intervention), or donating your time or money to an organization whose mission aligns with your views, be a part of the change.

Christo (1935-2020)

Artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, known as Christo, passed away of natural causes on May 31, 2020, at his home in New York City. He was 84 years old.

Many will remember Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, 1972-76," an 18-foot-high stretch of white, billowing nylon curtains that extended 24.5 miles across farmlands, ending in the Pacific Ocean at Bodega Bay. The project took three and a half years to prepare and was up for two weeks.

In 2001, Tom Golden, art collector and friend of the couple, donated his collection of Christo and Jeanne-Claude works to our museum, which has been exhibited in our galleries throughout the years and shared with museums across the country as a traveling exhibition. Christo's work from this collection is currently on view in " Landscape: Awe to Activism ."

Christo and Jeanne-Claude's artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories.
Pre-registration for this free virtual program is required

This Thursday, June 4, 2020
5:30-7:00pm (PT)

Join us on Zoom for an evening with renowned artist and environmental activist Diane Burko. Burko will present a lecture on her work and her journey into activism. Her presentation will be followed by a Q&A where we will discuss her art, career, and the role artists can play in environmental activism.

This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Landscape: Awe to Activism and is made possible with support from Marc and Jeanie Kahn.

In April, we caught up with Diane Burko to see how she was spending her time during the quarantine and she gave our viewers a peek inside her studio. Learn what inspired her works on view in the Landscape: Awe to Activism exhibition and preview some of her paintings in progress.
Katherine Ott, curator and historian in the division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Pre-registration for this free virtual program is required

Thursday, June 11, 2020
4:00-6:00pm (PT)

As a proud Smithsonian Affiliate Museum, we are excited to share this special opportunity to attend an online lecture by Katherine Ott, curator and historian at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, in celebration of Pride Month. Ott will discuss her work curating Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall, an exhibition currently on view at the National Museum of American History that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and other pivotal moments in the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.
Pre-registration for this free virtual class is required

Saturday, June 13, 2020
11:00am-12:30pm (PT)

Join Museum of Sonoma County Teaching Artist Martín Zúñiga for a beginner-friendly landscape painting class right from your own home or backyard! In this 90-minute lesson, Martín will cover perspective, gesture, and contour, among other topics, while leading students through the steps of creating a landscape painting of their own. This free class is open to all, but is best suited for teens and adults with beginning to intermediate level painting experience.

This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Landscape: Awe to Activism.

This Saturday, June 6, 2020
1:00-4:00pm (PT)

This Saturday, artists in select cities across the U.S, Canada and Mexico are encouraged to display, perform and showcase their creativity from driveways, balconies, windows, stoops, front lawns, or participating local small businesses (where applicable and safe) during a three-hour period. 

Community supporters are invited to drive their city blocks and suburban streets to see, hear, and support the artists, performers, musicians, and designers living in their community from a safe distance.

As we navigate through these challenging and unprecedented times, we are interested in hearing from you! Please take a few moments to let us know how we're doing and what you'd like to see from MSC. Thank you for your time and feedback.
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From the MSC Team

While our galleries may be closed to the public, our dedicated team is still committed to carrying out our mission to “engage and inspire" our community. We are continuing to care for our collection, prepare for upcoming exhibitions, and are eager to plan public programs for when we reopen. 
"Our mission is to “engage and inspire” our community and we can continue to do that even if our doors are closed. The stories and artworks currently being exhibited in the galleries can be shared online and our “visitors” can #MuseumFromHome."

-Katie Azanza, Marketing & Visitor Experience Manager

Thank You to our Local Business Members!