CHICO — Warm weather and sunshine greeted early arrivers to the fifth annual Butte County Museum Weekend on Saturday.
The event, put on by Explore Butte County, features 16 museums open to the public at no charge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“Sometimes an art museum can be intimidating,” said Pat Macias, Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA). “This (free museum weekend) gives people the chance to just walk in and, hopefully, fall in love.”
Most of the museums offer an activity or craft directed at children. The Chico History Museum, Gateway Science Museum and MONCA each offered a scavenger hunt. The Chico Children’s Museum emphasized its weekly craft activity with super soft playdough.
Along with the scavenger hunt, Chico History Museum hosted a free lecture by Chico historian Dave Nopel. The main focus of his lecture discussed the history of the lumber industry in Butte County, and he also touched on the history of the Chico History Museum, which was originally a Carnegie library, and the history of Chico State. The current exhibit details the history of Chico State.
Before his lecture, Nopel encouraged patrons to consider buying a membership and said the Chico History Museum struggles financially but continues to make ends meet. This weekend, the museum is offering discounts on gift shop purchases.
Third-generation Chicoan Sharron Mathans said Nopel’s lecture was “wonderful” and confirmed a lot of stories she heard growing up.
“He’s the best Chico historian,” said Mathans, who museum-hopped with her partner, Edward Ames, from the Janet Turner Print Museum to the Chico History Museum. Outside of the history museum, Mathans said they “really enjoyed” the Turner museum, which offered print-making and a live etching.
‘Passport’
Museum-goers had the opportunity to pick up a “Museum Weekend Passport,” available at all participating museums, and collect five stamps from five different museums to get local discounts.
Martha Mayr and daughters Millie and Ella made feather spy glasses at MONCA. Millie was especially excited about the Museum Weekend Passport because filling it out meant, “We get free ice cream. We love ice cream,” she said.
By 1:30 p.m., over 225 people visited the Chico Children’s Museum, which features multiple interactive exhibits for kids including a play barn, dentist’s office, rocket ship, grocery store and a veterinary office.
“It’s just like playing all day,” said Savannah Tritz about her job as creative captain at the museum.
Leslie Keller brought her two grandchildren to the Chico Children’s Museum. Keller had never been before, and she said it was nice that they could show her around.
“This is actually pretty amazing to me,” Keller said as she looked around the museum.
Earlier they went to the Chico History Museum. Keller said there she got to share some of her history with the kids, so they spent the weekend learning from each other.
