Butterflies Alive! Exhibit at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Open May 27 to September 4, 2023

Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History opens its popular summer exhibit Butterflies Alive! on Saturday, May 27th.

Guests are invited to walk through a serene garden while nearly 1,000 live butterflies flutter freely around them. Various butterfly species cycle through the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion during the summer, so no two visits are the same.

The exhibit is included in admission and open Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Last entry into the pavilion is at 4:00 PM. Reservations are recommended at sbnature.org/tickets.

The Museum is also offering volunteer opportunities to guide guests through the unique experience. Adults who are able to commit to one 2.5-hour shift per week are encouraged to apply at sbnature.org/volunteer. Bilingual English/Spanish speakers and those available to volunteer on weekends are especially helpful in sharing this community favorite with the public.

About the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Powered by Science. Inspired by Nature. Founded in 1916, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is a private, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world. The Museum seeks to connect people to nature for the betterment of both, and prides itself on being naturally different. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

"We Are Porsche" Exhibit Opens at the Petersen Automotive Museum on April 16th

Porsche will mark its 75th anniversary with a once-in-a-lifetime collection of vehicles at the Petersen Automotive Museum. In collaboration with Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) “We Are Porsche” opens to the public on April 16 and focuses on how influential figures in the U.S. helped transform Porsche from a builder of niche sports cars to a cultural phenomenon over the past 75 years.

In all, the exhibit will comprise more than 40 exceptional vehicles on the museum’s first and second floor, including:

• The 1953 550 Spyder raced by Betty Shutes and Ken Miles

• The 1958 Carrera GT Speedster raced by Bruce Jennings, which became the winningest Carrera GT Speedster in history

• The original "Outlaw Porsche," Dean Jeffries’ custom 1957 356 Carrera

• Porsche's first and only Formula 1 racer, Dan Gurney’s 1962 Porsche 804, which claimed Porsche's only two Formula 1 victories

• The Herbert Brundage/Brumos 1973 911 2.8 RSR driven by Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood, which won both the IMSA and Trans Am championships

• The 1973 917/30 Can-Am Spyder driven by Mark Donohue, one of the most powerful and successful race cars of its era

• Steve McQueen’s 1976 911 Turbo

• Porsches showcased in Hollywood blockbusters “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” and beginning in October, “Cars”

The exhibit will also highlight the stories of people who have contributed to Porsche’s pervasive popularity, including the likes of Patrick Dempsey, Steve McQueen, Dan Gurney, Hurley Haywood, Ken Miles, "The Spyder Women" (Betty Shutes, Ruth Levy and Denise McCluggage), Patrick Long, Rod Emory and Daniel Arsham.

“We Are Porsche,” which runs through April 2024, will feature a rotation of vehicles during its tenure and a variety of events and activations at the Petersen.

For more information about “We Are Porsche,” visit petersen.org/porsche. For more information on the Petersen Automotive Museum, visit petersen.org.

About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $19.95 for general admission adults, $17.95 for seniors, $12.95 for children ages 12 to 17 and $10.95 for children ages 4 to 11. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.

Arsham Auto Motive Exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum Opens February 25th

The automotive and art scenes will converge with the Petersen Automotive Museum’s new exhibition “Arsham Auto Motive”, a collection of vehicle sculptures and posters created by renowned interdisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham.

Opening to the public on February 25 in the Armand Hammer Foundation Gallery, this contemporary showcase will provide a time capsule of automotive history. Arsham’s personal passion for cars and fascination with archeology takes form through the presentation of four full-scale vehicles in his signature “eroded” fictional archeological technique.

Daniel Arsham crafts objects which investigate ideas of history, symbology and pop culture through the selection of vehicles featured in notable Hollywood films. Presented in geological materials, these familiar objects act as remnants of the present through the eyes of future audiences, providing an alternative lens to some of the world’s most prominent OEMs.

On display in “Arsham Auto Motive” are the Eroded 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback, 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster, 2018 Eroded Ferrari and 2022 Blue Calcite Eroded Porsche 911. Unlike their namesakes, these sculptures consist of elements like selenite, quartz, pyrite and volcanic ash to manifest an unearthed effect. Additional exhibit highlights are the never-before-seen Selenite Eroded BMW Poster, Amethyst Eroded Porsche 911 Poster, and Ash and Pyrite Eroded Mustang Poster.

“I’m excited to share my work with the city of Los Angeles and its vast community of car enthusiasts,” said Arsham. “Automotive design is in a constant state of evolution and this exhibition strives to reflect both its origins and future.”

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and a recipient of the Gelman Trust Fellowship Award in 2003, Arsham’s fictional archeology aesthetic combines the influence of multiple eras and spans sculpture, architecture, interior design, drawing, film, stage and fashion. In addition to his work exhibited throughout the U.S., France, UK and Greece, Arsham co-founded the architecture practice Snarkitecture with Alex Mustonen and recently launched his fashion brand, Objects IV Life, following high-profile collaborations with Dior, Adidas, Tiffany, UNIQLO and RIMOWA.

“Having previously exhibited Keith Haring and Andy Warhol’s work, it is evident that pop culture and the automotive sector make for an exciting, crowd-pleasing combination,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “Daniel Arsham’s talent makes a strong case that cars can inspire artistic creations while also serving as art pieces themselves.”

Arsham and the museum will also release an exclusive line of merchandise available for purchase at the Petersen and via their online store. "Arsham Auto Motive" is supported by Perrotin and the Library Street Collective.

To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit www.Petersen.org/arsham.

The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves Photographs by Dan Merkel at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Opens January 26th

Continuing its celebration of coastal living, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) presents The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves, an exhibit featuring more than 35 photographs of lighthouses and waves by the renowned and Emmy Award-winning surfing photographer and videographer Dan Merkel. The lighthouse photographs include images of lighthouses from near and far—from Cape Elizabeth and Cape Hatteras on the East Coast and Point Loma and Point Pinos on the West to Portugal and Australia. The images are accompanied by Dan’s breath-taking photos capturing waves throughout the world. Beginning on Thursday, January 26, the exhibit will be on view in SBMM’s Gallery and Munger Theater through August 27, 2023.

Legendary water and surfing photographer and videographer Dan Merkel has recently returned to still photography, often shooting panoramic landscape images, mostly travel shots and often taken near the ocean. Speaking of his work and how this exhibit came to be, SBMM curator Emily Falke said, “I first met Dan Merkel when he joined Shaun Tomson for an event at the museum and provided a few of his remarkable photos for sale. I was particularly interested in seeing his U.S. lighthouse photos as SBMM is the home of the Pt. Conception Lighthouse lens and has a comprehensive exhibit about the lens, lighthouses, and lighthouse keepers. I looked at panoramic images of Dan’s lighthouses and was mesmerized by how mood provoking the images are. Dan waits for the exact moment to shoot the photo. The lighting is spot on, and he is looking to evoke emotion of a ‘place’ in the world of lighthouses. He waits for just the right light, formation of clouds during predawn or sunset.”

About Dan Merkel
Dan Merkel began his career just taking pictures of his friends. When he was hired to work for various surfing magazines in the early 70s, surfing was just being recognized as a sport with international competitions and professional surfers, such as Shaun Tomson. Being an experienced surfer himself, Merkel was able to get in the middle of the action with his cameras, which gave his images more immediacy and energy. In order to do this, Merkel designed much of his own waterproof housing that protected his equipment and allowed him to follow focus. Beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the 1990s, Merkel switched his focus to commercial cinematography and became an Emmy-winning filmmaker working on classic surfing films including Free Ride, Big Wednesday, Endless Summer II, and many others.

According to 1977 World Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson, whose recent book The Surfer and the Sage featured Dan’s images, “Dan Merkel is one of the surfing world’s most acclaimed and courageous action photographers. Combining a unique eye for composition in exceptionally dangerous situations, Dan captured some of the most intense moments of his subjects’ lives, artistically freezing and sharing each in the maelstrom of one thousandth of a second increments. Dan reveled in capturing beauty in the impact zone, the most violent area in the ocean. Whether he is doing still photography, music videos, commercials or commercial films, Merkel brings the same level of perfectionism and ambition that has propelled him throughout his long career.”

Merkel licenses his images through AFrame Media and markets his prints online at https://www.photoprintingpros.com/collections/dan-merkel-photography. Many of his images also appear on his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/danmerkelmedia/about.
The Lure of Lighthouses and Dancing Waves exhibit is made possible thanks to the generous support of Frederic and Nancy Golden, George H. and Olive J. Griffiths Charitable Foundation, Mimi Michaelis, The June G. Outhwaite Charitable Trust, Thomas and Charmaine Rogers, Shaun and Carla Tomson, and Wood-Claeyssens Foundation. Following this exhibition, The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves, will become part of SBMM's permanent collection and available on loan to other museums.

About SBMM
Founded in 2000 inside the harbor’s historic Waterfront Center Building (formerly the Naval Reserve Building), the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum creates exhibits and hands-on, educational experiences that celebrate more than 13,000 years of maritime history in our region—from Chumash culture to today’s surfing scenes and environmental movements. Nearly 8,000 square feet of gallery space showcase special presentations and changing displays culled from the museum’s artifact collection, all dedicated to instilling love and respect for our Santa Barbara Channel, for the people who make their living on its waters, and for the abundant marine life that calls these waters home.

SBMM is located at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara. Visit sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 for details.

sbmm.org/santa-barbara-event/dan-merkel-at-sbmm

Petersen Automotive Museum to Host In-Depth Tesla Exhibition Opens November 20th

2019 Tesla Cybertruck Prototype

The Petersen’s Automotive Museum’s newest exhibit offers an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of Tesla. “Inside Tesla: Supercharging the Electric Revolution” explores the company’s history, from early inspiration and humble beginnings, to its rise as a world leader in electric vehicles and clean energy technology.

Gathering the most comprehensive collection of Tesla products to date, the exhibit features everything from early concept vehicles to rarely seen prototypes and world-record-breaking production vehicles.

Beyond vehicles, attendees will enjoy a wealth of information and displays that tell the story of Tesla’s energy ecosystem, manufacturing automation, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving expertise, among others, plus one-off projects with SpaceX, The Boring Company and Hyperloop.

“Tesla has revolutionized the automotive, EV, technology, and manufacturing spaces within a relatively short time span, begetting the question, ‘How did they do that?’” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “This exhibit strives to be a holistic walk-through of how the brand became a global phenomenon and further details what lies ahead.”

The exhibit will open to the public on November 20 in the Mullin Family Grand Salon and Phillip Sarofim Porte Cochere on the museum’s first floor.

To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit Petersen.org/tesla.

About Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles. Admission prices are $19 for general admission adults, $17 for seniors and $12 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age four are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.

Whales are Superheroes! Permanent Exhibit at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Opens April 14th

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM)’s newest permanent exhibit, opening to the public on Thursday, April 14, 2022, shows visitors how whales help maintain the stability and health of the ocean and help minimize the impact of climate change. The Whales Are Superheroes! exhibit focuses on whale diversity in the Santa Barbara Channel, climate connections and the role whales play in climate change. Taking its aesthetic inspiration from comics and graphic novels, the exhibit incorporates text panels and drone footage to illustrate how whales are helping to save the environment. Whales Are Superheroes! is also part of a countywide alliance of museums, the Santa Barbara Zoo, and the Botanic Gardens to present programming addressing climate change www.sbmuseumsalliance.org

According to the World Economic Forum, the failure to mitigate and adapt to climate change is among the biggest global risks for our planet, with significant environmental, economic, and health impacts. While international agreements, including both the 1997 Kyoto Protocol2 and the 2015 Paris Agreement3 address global reductions in CO2 emissions, no global efforts have yet considered the importance of the oceans as a carbon sink and the significant ecological role whales play in mitigating climate change.

Whales make a difference by being an important part of the cycle of marine life. First, as they dive down to feed and then surface to breathe, they serve as nutrient pumps moving nutrient rich waters from the sea floor to the surface where they stimulate and fertilize the growth of phytoplankton. Through photosynthesis the phytoplankton convert large amounts of CO2 to oxygen, helping to sustain life all over the planet. Second, whales also migrate every year from nutrient-rich cold water to nutrient-poor warmer waters for breeding and calving, further stimulating nutrient cycling both vertically and horizontally throughout the world’s oceans.

But the story does not stop during the life cycle of a whale. It continues after they die. Whale carcasses are some of the largest forms of organic matter to fall from the ocean’s surface and sink to the deeper depths of the ocean, including here in the Santa Barbara Channel. These are known as whale falls, providing a feast for some 400 odd species. As these whale carcasses sink to the ocean floor, they take with them about 190,000 tons of carbon in their bodies, which is the equivalent of the carbon produced by 80,000 cars per year! These deep oceans are what we call "carbon sinks," because they trap and hold excess carbon from the atmosphere, and therefore help to counteract global warming.

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum invites the community to learn more about our aquatic neighbors and how Whales Are Superheroes! by visiting this new exhibit, along with two new art exhibits, an immersive audio and visual “undersea” experience, and a free Zoom lecture by marine biologist Holly Lohuis.

Whales Are Superheroes! is made possible thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors: Chevron, Dreier Family, Emmett Foundation, Nancy and Frederic Golden, George H. and Olive J. Griffiths Charitable Foundation, Hank and Mari Mitchel, June G. Outhwaite Foundation, Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation, Donna Weinstein, and the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation.

www.sbmm.org

Whale-Focused Exhibits and Programs at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum April 14 to July 31

Did you know that whales are superheroes? Whales help maintain the stability and health of the ocean and minimize some of the worst impacts of climate change. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) presents a multi-faceted collection of events and programs to inform the community about the many wonders of whales. Kicking off with an unusual immersive experience that allows audiences to see the underwater environment through the eyes of a child, these events and programs range from in-school art and science lessons, children’s and professional’s art exhibits, a new permanent exhibit, and a lecture — all of which are designed to provide something for every member of the community! These related exhibits and programs open at SBMM on April 14, 2022!

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, four exhibits will open to the public beginning April 14, and a free Zoom lecture will take place on April 21. Although their subjects are often similar, each event, artist, and exhibit brings a unique perspective, technique, style, information, and medium to a better understanding of whales and the role they play in mitigating climate change. The various components include:

• “A Whale of a Tale,” a unique multi-sensory immersive experience that highlights the undersea world with life-size reproductions of artwork submitted by local children in grades K-6. This work, combined with the sounds of whales as they sing to each other and dramatic, vivid lighting, recreates the feeling of seeing it all through the eyes of a child. April 14-May 15, 2022.

• Whales Are Superheroes! Saving the Planet One CO2 Molecule at a Time, an exhibit of children’s whale and ocean-related artwork produced in SBMM-led school art and science classes. On display from April 14-July 31, 2022.

• The Wonder of Whales: Two Artists’ Perspectives by John Baran and Kelly Clause, showcases the work of two local artists depicting whales and other marine life in a variety of media. On display from April 14-July 31, 2022.

• Whales Are Superheroes! is a new permanent exhibit that uses creative graphics and incorporates text, images, and drone footage to illustrate how whales help maintain the stability and health of the ocean. Opens April 14.

• “Santa Barbara Channel’s Whales and Their Climate Connection” is a free Zoom webinar presentation by renowned marine biologist Holly Lohuis about whales, their influence on the ecology of the ocean and the Santa Barbara Channel, and the status of the application to have the Channel designated an International Whale Heritage Site. April 21, 2022.

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Since 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has featured many artifacts and stories to share the history of the Santa Barbara Channel with more than 40,000 visitors annually and provides year-round experiential maritime history and marine science education for local youth. Featuring the impressive First-Order Fresnel Lighthouse Lens from Point Conception, SBMM's current exhibits explore the History of Oil in Santa Barbara Channel & Chumash Use of Asphaltum, the Honda Disaster, and Wives and Daughters: Keepers of the Light.

SBMM is located at the historic Santa Barbara Harbor at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara. Visit sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 for details.

Petersen Automotive Museum's Hypercars Exhibit Now Open to the Public

The Petersen Automotive Museum’s new exhibit, Hypercars: The Allure of the Extreme, a showcase of the fastest, most expensive and exclusive cars in the world, opened to the public on December 4. Over the next 18 months, Hypercars will rotate up to 30 vehicles that highlight what hypercars stand for and why they have taken the automotive world by storm.

Vehicles on display include the Aria FXE concept, Bugatti Veyron 16.4, Caparo T1, Devel Sixteen, Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, Hennessey Venom F5 (Design Model), Koenigsegg Agera RS Final Edition, McLaren Speedtail, NIO EP9, Delage D12, Pagani Huayra Hermes Edition, RAESR Tachyon Speed and Rimac Concept One. It will also include two motorcycles that fit the description, including the Lotus C-01 and Aston Martin AMB 001. The Czinger 21C will make occasional, brief appearances, and will be on display for the last two weeks of this year.

The Petersen Museum defines a “hypercar” as a vehicle that exists at the highest echelon of performance, technological advancement, price and rarity. The exhibit will showcase projects from both well-known marques and smaller startups that have fascinated audiences with their unparalleled performance, their cutting-edge technological breakthroughs or simply their beauty.

Hypercars: The Allure of the Extreme is located in the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery and the museum lobby. The exhibit is split into two successive parts, the first of which is on display until September 22, 2022. The second wave of vehicles will arrive on September 17, 2022, and leave on May 14, 2023.

For more information about current and future exhibits at the Petersen Museum, please visit www.petersen.org.

Christmas Around the World Display at Reagan Library in Simi Valley Nov 13, 2021 to Jan 9, 2022

After being closed last year and not being able to showcase our annual holiday exhibit, the Reagan Library is pleased to announce that Christmas Around the World is back. Christmas Around the World includes 26 exquisitely decorated trees representing the 26 countries that President Reagan visited while in office, as well as a White House Tree. Decorations encompass the bright and festive colors of the Caribbean, the crystals of the Nordic countries and the traditional decorations of England and Europe. Of particular note is the Vatican tree decorated entirely with white ornaments featuring a life-size white peacock that adorns the tree’s branches. The featured tree is an elegant reproduction of President and Mrs. Reagan’s White House tree complete with “Reagan Red” decorations and dozens of hand-blown glass ornaments.

Christmas Around the World will be open to the public from November 13, 2021 through January 9, 2022. Admission to the Christmas Around the World exhibit includes admission into the entire Reagan Museum, the Air Force One Pavilion, and FBI: From Al Capone to Al Qaeda

www.reaganfoundation.org

John Nava's Tapestry "Big Platter" on Permanent Display at Museum of Ventura County

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The Museum of Ventura County is pleased to announce and unveil its newest acquisition, John Nava’s Big Platter. A gift of Laura and William Peck, the 27-foot-long tapestry spans the north wall inside the Martha K. and Martin V. Pavilion, where numerous events, pop-up exhibits, and activities occur year-round. Big Platter will remain in the Pavilion as a permanent display.

John Nava, who lives in Ojai, studied art at UC Santa Barbara under Howard Warshaw and completed his graduate work in Florence, Italy. His work is found in numerous private, corporate, and public collections throughout the United States, Europe and Japan, including his creation of the Communion of the Saints tapestries for the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

“There is a long tradition in art of the Arcadian image — Arcadia as the setting of a harmonious image of people within nature,” explains local artist, John Nava. “For me Seuratʼs famous La Grande Jatte is a modern (19th century) version of this image: a quiet, sunlit shore with the bourgeoisie of Paris taking the place of the idealized shepherds who populate the Arcadian paintings of Poussin.” Nava added, “Big Platter (la grande jatte translates as big platter or bowl) makes the Ventura Promenade the setting for my version of this image. The Promenade near Surfers Point is, in fact, a magnetic gathering place for our community — a place where all sorts come to stroll, to surf, to rest in the sun. We find ourselves immersed in this beautiful nexus of shore, sea and sky completing the composition. I wanted to make Ventura’s own Arcadian image.”

The Museum of Ventura County unveiled and celebrated the acquisition during a private ceremony this summer and is honored that Big Platter is being displayed with its visitors.

About the Museum — The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. The Museum has two locations – the main museum is located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura (805-653-0323). The Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula (805-525-3100). Both museums are open Thursdays through Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – venturamuseum.org.