Museum of Riverside

12/01/2023

Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!
Everyone has been working hard to deck the halls. Heritage House is fully decorated and we are ready to welcome you to a very Victorian Christmas! Make your reservation for a full tour this weekend here: https://linktr.ee/museumofriverside

We're also excited to have you join us for Christmas Open House on Sunday, December 10, 2023, noon to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free! Reservations are not required to enjoy the many holiday activities and decorations.

11/30/2023

There's so much to do in December with the Museum of Riverside! Check out what’s happening for Nights with the Museum, First Sundays, and Artswalk! Be sure to look out for what’s happening the rest of the month- you won’t want to miss it!

Nights with the Museum on Friday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m.
Riverside Main Library Community Room, 3900 Mission Inn Ave.
Join us for our final talk of the year! UC Riverside’s Dr. Cathy Gudis will chronicle Riverside’s history from being the citrus capital of the world to our present place as a leader in logistics. Nights with the Museum talks are always free and fun (best for ages 16+)!

First Sundays on Sunday, December 3, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
In front of the Museum of Riverside, 3580 Mission Inn Ave.
We’re all about citrus! Come learn about the navel orange and what makes it unique before making a dried orange ornament! This event is free and family-friendly!

Artswalk on Thursday, December 7, from 6:00-9:00 p.m.
In front of the Museum of Riverside 3580 Mission Inn Ave.
Did you know a lot of our feathered friends are getting name changes? We’ll tell you why this Artswalk! Join us to hear about the latest in birding news, tips on how to identify a bird by its shape, and information on how you can partner with scientists to help out our local birds! Don’t forget to make a bird-themed holiday card while you’re here! This event is free and family-friendly!

11/28/2023

We eagerly await our chance to offer you all the 100th anniversary programs we've scheduled in 2024, but couldn't wait to start the party!

Join us on Tuesday, December 12, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in front of the main museum (3580 Mission Inn Avenue) to celebrate the Museum of Riverside's 99th birthday! Have a cupcake and pick up a 100th anniversary program calendar...both available while supplies last!

11/20/2023

The Museum of Riverside celebrates Native American Heritage Month year-round through programming, stewardship, and collaboration with local culture bearers. We're excited to announce that four culture bearers have been commissioned to create new work to honor the Native American cultural continuum in this region.

The Museum of Riverside stands on the traditional and ancestral lands of the Cahuilla Nation; Gabrielino-Tongva People; Payomkawichum/the Luiseño Indians; and Yuhaaviatam, clan of Maara’yam/the Serrano. These Native American peoples share a common environment and are linked through cultural practices such as basketry, bird singing, storytelling, and hunting and gathering. The bird songs of Southern California Native Americans chronicle the history of the creation and migration of the people in search of their homelands. The songs are an oral tradition that transmit the past to present and future generations.

1. A member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians, contemporary basket maker Rose Ann Hamilton will create a basket hat in honor of her great-grandmother Antonia Casero.

2. Anthony Vallez of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians will create a gourd rattle and record a bird song using the rattle.

3. Cahuilla-Serrano elder Ernest Siva has made major contributions to Serrano culture throughout his life. He will tell a Serrano big horn sheep story in association with a big horn sheep song.

4. Tongva artist and activist River Garza of the Tongva People will create a work of art incorporating aspects of his heritage and important issues that the Tongva people face.

Read more about this exciting project: linktr.ee/museumofriverside

11/17/2023

Jukichi and Ken Harada ran the Washington Restaurant from 1910 until their health failed in the 1930s. Sumi, their daughter, took official ownership of the family business in February 1939. This picture of the interior was taken in 1912 or 1913.

The Museum of Riverside is a grateful steward of the Harada Family Collection, which includes the National Historic Landmark Harada House, located in Riverside, California. This site and the story of the Harada Family embody local, state, national, and international issues of civil and individual rights, democracy, immigration, assimilation, and citizenship.

11/15/2023

Community, cupcakes, and commemorative calendars! The 3 c’s necessary to celebrate the Museum of Riverside's 99th birthday! The party is December 12, 2023, from 4-6 p.m. at the Main Museum. This event is FREE and open to all ages, but supplies are limited.

11/08/2023

These are some behind-the-scenes photos of the Museum's recent installation. As you can see, the Museum's Exhibition Designer is quite the whiz! The Museum's new mini-exhibition, "Fred Stebler: Machinery Whiz," is now on view at the Arlington Library. Visit to learn more about Fred Stebler (1870-1957), whose creative solutions are still important today!

11/01/2023

Join the Museum as we welcome Rosy Aranda to the Museum’s front steps for First Sundays! She’ll be leading activities about native plants and how they are used by the first people of Riverside with a special focus on the plants gathered in the fall.

Rosy is a Cahuilla/Serrano descent of the Yuhaaviatam Clan and a 5th generation Riversider. She lives in Ward 3 with her husband, three children, and two dogs. When she isn't working as an Instructor at Riverside City College, she's basket making in her traditional Native ways.

10/31/2023

Happy Halloween!
Join Nights with the Museum and Jen Mermilliod for the thrilling history of Evergreen Cemetery. Learn about the evolution of American cemetery design, funerary architecture, and death and burial practices embodied in Riverside’s oldest cemetery and the extraordinary citizens its grounds embrace. Friday, November 3rd, 6:30 p.m., in the Main Library Community Room (3900 Mission Inn Avenue).
This is a FREE event!

10/30/2023

We're doing it again! It's another Open Lobby event, when we invite you to step inside the main Museum's historic lobby and peruse the almost-finished architectural design drawings for the renovated and expanded Museum of Riverside. Stop by the main museum at 3580 Mission Inn Avenue, Thursday, November, 2, 2023, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. (it's also Artswalk night!) to chat with staff and the architects about progress on the plans. Light refreshments.

10/28/2023

SAVE THE DATE! The correct date, that is. Our apologies for publishing Christmas Open House on the wrong date. We look forward to seeing you on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2023, noon to 4:00 p.m., for this much-loved event. Admission is free! Reservations are not required to enjoy the many holiday activities and decorations.

10/27/2023

Tours will resume at Heritage House on Friday, November 3rd, after a much-needed improvement to the pathways! Staff will spend the next week spiffing up the place to make sure the old girl is in tip-top shape for visitors. Tours are offered every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 12:00 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m. Book your tour here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/727637201457?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/21/2023

From the 1870s, Riverside was home to two Chinatown locations. The first was destroyed by a fire and relocated in 1885, only to be ruined by another fire in 1893 but rebuilt in the same location. Other cultural districts also existed throughout Riverside. Following passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred new Chinese workers from migrating to the United States, and the establishment of anti-Chinese committees in many towns across the country, Riverside’s Chinatown began to decline by the 1930s.

Many Chinese immigrants made their home in Riverside at the turn-of-the-century, including George Wong, born Wong Ho Leun. He was considered the last resident of Riverside’s Chinatown when he died in 1974. His home and property were located near the intersection of Tequesquite and Brockton. In 1984 an excavation of this site resulted in the recovery of hundreds of objects that reflect everyday life for the residents of Riverside’s Chinatown.

This “brown stoneware” vessel is just one example.

The Museum of Riverside is excited to announce Heritage House’s spring 2024 exhibition, “Chinatown: A Home Shared by All.” The exhibition will highlight the vital contributions of Chinese immigrants in Riverside during the Victorian period. Follow along for updates and sneak peeks!

10/19/2023

While Mine Harada’s costume is probably related to her role in a local theatrical production, don’t let that stop you from taking some inspiration from her. It’s less than two weeks to Halloween! Do you know what you’ll be?

The Museum of Riverside is a grateful steward of the Harada Family Collection, which includes the National Historic Landmark Harada House, located in Riverside, California. This site and the story of the Harada Family embody local, state, national, and international issues of civil and individual rights, democracy, immigration, assimilation, and citizenship.

10/16/2023

We hope you saw the annular eclipse this weekend! Especially because the next one visible in the United States won't be until 2039!! This composited image shows the progression of the moon's path over the sun on October 14th.

10/11/2023

This male Colonus hesperus is just leaping to wish you a happy International Jumping Spider Day!
📷: Ian M. Wright

10/09/2023

Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrates and honors Indigenous North American peoples, histories, and cultures. It is an opportunity to learn and reflect. Last year, the Museum of Riverside was honored to work with the Sherman Indian Museum to produce a documentary funded by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums, The Costo Endowment of American Indian Affairs, University of California, Riverside, and the City of Riverside.

“These Are Not ‘Stories’: American Indian Boarding Schools in Southern California” is a documentary dedicated to American Indian boarding school students--past and present--and to all the Indigenous families who understand the complex meaning of those school years. The documentary features the voices of seven former students and family members primarily from the Sherman Institute, today known as the Sherman Indian High School.

Available here:

"These Are Not 'Stories': American Indian Boarding Schools in Southern California" is a documentary produced by the Museum of Riverside and dedicated to Amer...

10/06/2023

Join us Saturday, October 14th, at the Arlington Library from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. as we celebrate the opening of our new mini-exhibition, “Fred Stebler: Machinery Whiz.” Come speak with the Museum's curator and learn more about a prolific local inventor!

The Museum of Riverside is a center for learning and a community museum that collects, exhibits, and

10/04/2023

Spooky season is upon us!

Don’t forget to stop by the Museum of Riverside during Artswalk this Thursday, October 5, from 6-9 p.m. Touch and learn about insects at our Crawling Circus of Creepers and take a chance to build your own monstrous bug in a fun paper craft activity! From jewelry to hats discover how the Victorians loved the natural world to death.

10/03/2023

Are you scared of spiders? Or are you fascinated by them?

Or do you just want to get the facts about these 8-legged creatures?

Join our curator of Natural History, Ian Wright, as he demystifies the myths surrounding spiders, explains their fascinating biology, and (hopefully) convinces you that spiders are worth saving!

What: Nights with the Museum
Where: Community Room, Riverside Main Library, 3900 Mission Inn Ave., parking directly behind the library on University Avenue.
Seating is first-come only, and is FREE!
When: Friday, October 6th from 6:30-8 p.m.

Always Different, Never Boring

10/01/2023

Touch-a-Bug today! Meet us in front of the museum on October 1st, from 1-4 p.m. to hold real, live bugs! Curators will be on hand to answer questions and share neat bug facts. Free and family-friendly for all ages!

09/29/2023

Touch-a-Bug zoo! Join us in front of the museum on October 1st, from 1-4 p.m., to ask your burning bug questions, learn interesting bug facts, and even touch live bugs! Free and family-friendly for all ages!

Details: https://www.riversideca.gov/museum/programsandevents.asp

09/26/2023

Join us on October 1st, from 1-4 p.m., for a Touch-a-Bug zoo! Learn cool insect facts and touch real live bugs! Meet us on the front steps of the museum for this free and family-friendly event!

📷: Ian M. Wright

09/23/2023

Join us on October 1st, from 1-4 p.m., for the kickoff to another season of First Sundays! Always free and family-friendly, First Sunday programs provide fun and educational activities geared towards children ages 3-12. Though the Museum is closed for renovations, we’ll be hosting First Sundays in front of the building from October through April. Every month is a different topic or guest!

09/21/2023

School is back in session! This class photo from 1913 at Riverside’s Lincoln School features a young Mine Harada (front row, holding the “1913” sign). Two years later, she, along with her siblings, would be the proud owner of a house on Lemon Street that would spark a lawsuit because of their Japanese heritage. One hundred ten years later, her family is honored with the renaming of a local school: Highland Elementary is now Harada Elementary.

The Museum of Riverside is a grateful steward of the Harada Family Collection, which includes the National Historic Landmark Harada House, located in Riverside, California. This site and the story of the Harada family embody local, state, national, and international issues of civil and individual rights, democracy, immigration, assimilation, and citizenship.

09/18/2023

It's torn up now, but in a few weeks, Heritage House will throw open its gates to welcome you to beautiful new paths and easy access to all public entrances! This project to smooth the way for our visitors is also setting the stage for future site lighting and additional improvements. Keep an eye out for the announcement of reopening day!

09/08/2023

Doors Open is back! It will be "gates open" at the National Historic Landmark Harada House, stewarded by the Museum of Riverside, on Saturday, September 9, 2023, from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. Walk around this important house and learn where plans currently stand on the path to opening the house to the public. During Doors Open, you can tour many local sites. This statewide event highlights historic preservation and provides free access to both public and private buildings.

www.doorsopenriverside.com

09/07/2023

TONIGHT! Don’t miss the “mini-moon festival." Listen to stories by Barbara Wong on the front steps of the museum from 6:30-7:15 p.m. Make your own moon phase garland and learn about Riverside’s Chinatown from 6-9 p.m. at this special Artswalk event.

09/07/2023

TOMORROW NIGHT! Don’t miss the captivating stories of Barbara Wong as we celebrate our “mini-moon festival." She’ll join us on the front steps of the museum from 6:30-7:15 p.m. to share folktales, legends, and other stories about the moon and the Moon Festival. Make your own moon phase garland and learn about Riverside’s Chinatown from 6-9 p.m. at this special Artswalk event.

08/31/2023

CANCELLED! We regret that our Friday evening talk (this Friday, September 1) in the Nights with the Museum series must be postponed. Join us on October 6, 2023, for a talk by Jennifer Mermilliod about the distinguished people at rest in Evergreen Cemetery. Phillip Stearnes will return on June 7, 2024 to share his knowledge on the biggest shark to ever live: the Megalodon!

08/30/2023

**Pardon our dust! The Heritage House grounds are having a fantastic (and much needed) makeover. Sadly, we will not open until late October or early November. Stay tuned for the announcement of our opening weekend!**

Unfortunately, we will not celebrate Moon Festival at Heritage House this year. ☹

To make up for it, we’re hosting a “mini-moon” festival on September 7th, from 6-9 p.m. at our downtown location, 3580 Mission Inn Avenue.
Don’t miss the blue supermoon tonight!

🌕Tonight, the moon will be 17,000 miles closer to earth, making it the biggest and brightest of this year and since it’s the second full moon of the month, it’s also a blue moon. The best time to see it in Riverside will be at 7:36 P.M. 🌕

08/17/2023

Take your cue from the Harada family (L-R: Ken, Jukichi, Masa Atsu and unknown) and hit the beach before summer is over!

The Museum of Riverside is a grateful steward of the Harada Family Collection, which includes the National Historic Landmark Harada House, located in Riverside, California. This site and the story of the Harada Family embody local, state, national, and international issues of civil and individual rights, democracy, immigration, assimilation, and citizenship.

08/09/2023

Our documentary is on YouTube! “These Are Not ‘Stories’: American Indian Boarding Schools in Southern California” features the voices of former Indian boarding school students and their family members. The accounts are not stories, but the true experiences of students at American Indian boarding schools in the 20th century. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/G-QpwmshQbo

It was produced by the Museum of Riverside in association with the Sherman Indian Museum. Funding was provided by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums, The Costo Endowment of American Indian Affairs (University of California, Riverside), and the City of Riverside. Images courtesy Sherman Museum and the Calisphere.

08/02/2023

Don't let August slip away without visiting the Museum at Artswalk tomorrow night, 6-9 p.m.! We'll be making friendship bracelets and keychains for old and new friends for back-to-school and other important events that may be happening soon.

08/01/2023

Hear Dr. Douglas J. Long share "Riverside's Deadly Elephant Rampage: The Full Story" on Friday, August 4, at 6:30 p.m. in the Main Library's Community Room. A traveling circus and an oil depot explosion set off one of the strangest days in Riverside's history. This talk will explain the events of that day in 1908 and unravel the fascinating back-stories of the characters involved, including the complex histories of the elephants themselves.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/riversides-deadly-elephant-rampage-the-full-story-tickets-536176667847

07/25/2023

Summers are for road trips! Take an example from the Harada family and hop in your Model-T (or the modern equivalent) and hit the road! Do you recognize their "not so far from home" location?

The Museum of Riverside is a grateful steward of the Harada Family Collection, which includes the National Historic Landmark Harada House, located in Riverside, California. This site and the story of the Harada Family embody local, state, national, and international issues of civil and individual rights, democracy, immigration, assimilation, and citizenship.

07/14/2023

Thinking about staying cool? The first “ice box” was patented in 1802 by Thomas Moore. It was made of a tin box inside a wooden tub with a door. Ice was placed around the tin box and food stored within it. The contraption didn’t work particularly well but paved the way for later advancements like the Alaska Refrigerator company icebox on exhibit in Heritage House.

07/14/2023

Celebrate the Museum of Riverside's new "mini-museum" in the SSgt. Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanca Library, 2985 Madison Street. Stop by for a reception on Saturday, July 15, from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. "Stick Together and Make Noise: Struggles and Victories in Casa Blanca" was coordinated by the Museum with the help of historian Carlos Cruz, who will share some of his experiences doing research in the Casa Blanca neighborhood.

07/14/2023

On June 29, the Riverside Unified Board of Education unanimously approved the renaming of Highland Elementary School to Harada Elementary School. This is the first school that is named after an Asian American family in Riverside. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3JQcwyQ

El 29 de junio, la Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Riverside unánimemente aprobó el cambio de nombre de la Escuela Primaria Highland a la Escuela Primaria Harada. Esta es la primera escuela que llevará el nombre de una familia asiática estadounidense en Riverside. Lea el artículo completo aquí: https://bit.ly/3JQcwyQ

07/04/2023