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February 3, 2023
MoAW
presents
The Museum of Ancient Wonders
is proud to share visitor ratings
and commentary from
Google, Yelp, & Trip Advisor
5-Stars, Sterlina Cerritos, Google, January 27, 2023 - THIS MUSEUM IS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH of Cathedral City! The curators have created a one-of-a-kind museum experience where historical artifacts are meticulously organized in alphabetical and chronological order, from early life forms on Earth crescendoing up to 20th-century artifacts, allowing you to experience history in the order it all happened. The curator has an encyclopedic knowledge about each item on display and his passion for history and curating is remarkable. I was so glad to have come across this awesome museum, just what I needed to satiate my craving for something interesting in the desert -- where I won't get bitten by a rattlesnake, but safely marvel at their ancestral fossils!
The front exhibit showcases prehistoric dinosaur fossils from the pre-Cambrian era up to the remains of early Stone Age human civilization. The latter part of the exhibit on ancient East Asian culture began with artifacts such as primitive ritual items, agricultural tools, ancient decor, and even a massive Buddha flanked by two massive temple statues. The attention to detail in the presentation will amaze you. This spot is great for if you are alone, on a date, with friends, or with family. This place is just so rich in history and I would love to come back to experience it again; this museum has my full support. Highly recommend!
5-Stars, T. Hawley, Google, January 3, 2022 - THE MUSEUM OF ANCIENT WONDERS EXHIBITS NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY IN A PHENOMENAL WAY. Visitors can learn about distant times and embark on a fascinating trip to the past. We were mesmerized by the artifacts’ outstanding life-size replicas. This truly is a welcoming addition to an area that does not possess ancient history museums and can be an exceptional tool to educate future generations about our natural and human past. We would highly recommend visiting this gorgeous museum.
5-Stars, Lisa D., Austin, Texas, Yelp, January 14, 2023 - THIS MUSEUM IS SET UP IN A REALLY UNIQUE WAY that really lets you visualize the progression of life over the eons. Most exhibits I've seen before focused on one period in time, whereas this one has them chronologically ordered for an overall presentation of information. The artifacts and exhibits are top-notch, and the collections really impressive for a start-up growing museum. I was a bit disappointed that the Ancient Egypt exhibit wasn't on display, but I will be revisiting this gem of a museum any time I return to the area. The curators are vastly knowledgeable and ready to provide fascinating historical information both about the history of the time and the origin of the individual pieces. The Lucy skeleton is also on display here, which was a pleasant, unexpected plus.
5-Stars, D.W., San Francisco, California, Yelp, June 6, 2022 - WHAT A GREAT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM right here in the desert! Tucked inside an unassuming storefront next to Big Lots, this museum has an amazing display of rare life-size dinosaurs, skulls, eggs, claws, and more. I especially liked that the artifacts were displayed in chronological order and that you can get up close to view them. We took our 3-year-old grandson who is crazy about dinosaurs to this museum and he was thrilled. We also saw old items from Asia which I found very interesting. The museum has an abundance of ancient artifacts which they rotate through so there is always something new on display. The docent working there was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about each item on display. It's a great place to go with the family on a hot afternoon here in the desert.
5-Stars, Random Tourist, Family, Trip Advisor, January 2023 - DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. This is one of the most underrated tourist spots in all of North America. The outside of the building was very different from the inside. We almost didn’t go because of the outside. When you enter, you will be kindly greeted by Alberto who will guide you throughout the museum. He gave us a little introduction about the history and stories that the artifacts tell. My favorite part was the artifacts from early Asia. There were lots of statues and pottery from the Song Dynasty, and a skeleton of a Homosapian. Very educational. I would highly recommend bringing your kids especially if they are curious and love to learn. Just make sure they don’t leave your sight. The workers told us that they are planning to move into a bigger building. I hope that happens because this place needs to have more people visiting with a 2-hour wait line surrounding the building.
5-Stars, ShelleyB17, Los Angeles, California, Trip Advisor - April 2022 - UNEXPECTED SURPRISE. When we approached this museum at an unassuming strip mall, we hesitated to go in. Do not hesitate! They are at this temporary location until the actual museum building can be constructed. The exhibits are filled with fascinating information and artifacts. Some of the artifacts are reproduced such as the prehistoric bones and fossils, but they are expertly reproduced and displayed in chronological order. Some fascinating fossilized creatures and unusual dinosaur bones are in the front area. In the back were actual artifacts from private collections of ancient Chinese sculptures and objects. A wonderful knowledgeable staff introduced the museum. Highly recommended to visit!
Atlas Obscura User - LOCATED IN A SMALL SHOPPING CENTER, the Museum of Ancient Wonders is an unexpected surprise sandwiched between Big Lots and Bambino’s Pizza. When visitors enter this museum, they are instantly transported to epochs from centuries past. The space is larger than it appears, large enough to house 375 artifacts and fossils. Exhibits explore a wide range of subjects, from the life of King Tutankhamun—to the creatures of the Mesozoic period. The King Tut exhibit features reproductions of the king’s treasure, his state chariot, golden shrines, beds, thrones, jewelry, and a funerary mask to name a few. The exhibit vividly highlights what life may have looked like during the 18th Dynasty. There are also dozens of authentic artifacts from this period of Egyptian history. Throughout the museum, guests are also treated to African tribal masks, four full-size dinosaur casts, plus numerous fossils. These exhibits were created with the aid of a multitude of museums from around the world. It’s the only museum of its kind within miles.
For more reviews and ratings visit the links under the heading: Visitor Reviews.
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CURRENT EXHIBTIONS ON DISPLAY | |
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ALL UNDER HEAVEN
Earth, Heaven,
and the Afterlife
A Very Special Gift From
Marlene and Bruce Kanter,
Heather James Fine Art
Tim Walsh
Michael H. Healy
Tianxia (天下) or, All Under Heaven, is the ideal of a perfect and harmonious empire in the eyes of the people.
50 original antiquities spanning millennia (3,600 B.C.E. to 1920s C.E.) of ancient Asian cultures, from mysterious funerary objects and life-size protective temple guardians to delicate terracotta sculptures created for the tombs of the deceased. A tapestry of silk and gold thread, a rare lacquered cosmetic box, earthen vessels, and bronze statues, these ancient treasures from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, celebrate everlasting happiness, remembrance, and eternal life.
This grand collection of 50 Asian antiquities is divided into three sections: Earthly possessions, objects used by the living, the temple icons of Buddha and Shiva (Heaven), and funerary goods, objects found in the tombs of the elite (the Afterlife). MoAW premieres these dazzling artifacts for the first time together in one exhibition All Under Heaven: Earth, Heaven, and the Afterlife.
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PALEO: The Story of Life
4.6 billion years of fossil history
Drawn from the world’s foremost fossil collections, the unprecedented treasury of fossil casts known as PALEO: The Story of Life brings together in one exhibition some of the most exciting finds in the history of paleontology from over a century of worldwide excavations, exhibited in geological, chronological order.
From 2.5 billion-year-old single cellular cyanobacteria responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere to the first multicellular life of 700 million years ago, PALEO: The Story of Life spans 4.6 billion years in scope. From the Precambrian to the Paleozoic Era, from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods of the Mesozoic Era to mammals and prehistoric humans of the Cenozoic Era (including the famous Lucy skeleton), this internationally acclaimed, comprehensive collection dramatically illustrates the awesome story of prehistoric life on Earth.
Displaying casts of rare fossils from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, this prestigious collection includes skeletons, skulls, claws, and eggs gathered from such revered museums as the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, The Royal Ontario Museum, the Carnegie Museum, and the National Museums of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, as well as many others.
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THE CRAB NEBULA (M1) IN TAURUS.
Photographed with the 26-inch Crossley Reflector at Lick Observatory. Copyright Regents, University of California. Lick Observatory photograph.
STARSCAPE:
A Journey To The
Beginning of Time
This spectacular collection of 33 space photographs combines breathtaking digitalized images from the historic Mariner, Viking, and Voyager probes with stunning photographs from the Apollo lunar missions, the Hubble Space Telescope, and ground-based observatories. Gathered from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology, the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the Hansen Planetarium, this awesome display of cosmic spectacles is a journey to the early days of the cosmos.
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photo: Steven Salisbury
LUCY:
(Australopithecus afarensis)
The Story of Human Origins
(Courtesy of the Institute of Human Origins and
the National Museum of Ethiopia,
Addis Ababa)
On view exclusively at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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The Cathedral City Woman's Club, 1946
Cathedral City
Historical Society
presents
Then and Now
A 40th-year anniversary exhibition of the history of Cathedral City
A comprehensive photographic timeline of the history of Cathedral City greets you upon entering the lobby of the Museum of Ancient Wonders. This is an exhibition of recollections of the people and places that created Cathedral City's early history and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its burgeoning progress, from the past to the present, THEN AND NOW is a loving tribute to the City of Cathedral City on view through March 31, 2023.
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Metal Sculptures created by Ricardo Breceda
JURASSIC WONDERS
11 Lifesize Metal Dinosaurs
Public Art Display
created by
Ricardo Breceda
MoAW presents JURASSIC WONDERS, a public art installation in collaboration with Cathedral City's Mayor and City Council, displaying 11 lifesize Dinosaurs created by renowned artist Ricardo Breceda. Divided into 4 stunning dioramas on the corner of Buddy Rogers Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive across the street from City Hall, this magnificent exhibition will be on view through January 2023.
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TUTANKHAMUN
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon. To share in the commemoration, MoAW's "Wonderful Things" exhibition is on a nationwide tour. Click on the link below to see the installation on the banks of the Sacramento River at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding CA.
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Become A Member of MoAW
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ALL SEASONS
The newest perk of membership: Free admission to more than 1,200 museums nationwide through the North American Reciprocal Museum Program (NARM) Plus, discounts at their museum shops and restaurants (if given to their members). Local museums include the Palm Springs Art Museum and Cabot's Pueblo Museum, several museums in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, throughout California, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, including Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is available to all members at the Donor Level ($125.00) or higher. Members who qualify will be receiving new membership cards with the NARM logo to be used at participating museums.
Current members who would like to upgrade their membership to take advantage of this new benefit please give us a call at (442) 268-5004.
Click below for more information and to join.
THANK YOU
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MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods; to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts, colleges, and universities, establishing museum diversity for the Coachella Valley.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
The last admission is taken one hour before closing.
Admission:
$15.00 Adults
$12.00 Students, Seniors, & Military
$ 3.00 Discount available for Coachella Valley Residents
$10.00 Group Rate for 10 or more individuals.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MoAW is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, the American Alliance of Museums, and the California Association of Museums. Contributions are tax-deductible and gratefully accepted.
MoAW IS SPONSORED WITH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
BY THE FOLLOWING:
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Alberto Acosta, Executive Director & Chief Curator
Joseph McCabe, CFO & Director of Development
DEW FOUNDATION
By contributing financial support, DEW Foundation joins hands with effective charitable organizations to meet human needs and promote the common good worldwide, encouraging and empowering our family’s personal involvement.
Art Laboe Foundation, Inc.
A beloved resident of Palm Springs, Art Laboe was an American disc jockey, songwriter, record producer, and radio station owner. He was generally credited with coining the term "Oldies but Goodies".
Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
The mission of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
is to support Arts & Culture, Youth, Educational, Medical and,
Social Servies, and Community activities that enhance the quality of life.
Municipalities & Societies
Cathedral City Historical Society
Council Members Raymond Gregory &
Nancy Ross, Cathedral City
City of Rancho Mirage
Members and Patrons
Zachary Weingart
Mark Walsh
Karen Speros
Nancy Dobrozdravic
Mary Madison
CSM Traducciones
Margie St. Anthony
Tarek & Mohamed Ragab, of the Egyptian Art Center
Marty Martin, CEO of Origins Institute, Inc.
Scott Robertson & Staff, New Leaf Caterers, Cathedral City
Willie Rhine & Albert Gonzales, 849 Restaurant, Palm Springs
Jack and Sandra Rivers, Canyon Printing, Cathedral City
THANK YOU
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