MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY a 501(c)(3) non-profit independent organization

Mission Statement

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 collections, exhibitions, events, education programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community.

Our History

The Museum of Ventura County first opened in 1913 in the newly built Ventura County Courthouse (now Ventura City Hall). Soon known as the Pioneer Museum, its collections of artifacts and curios were the legacy of Dr. Cephas Bard, a Pennsylvania doctor who came to Ventura after the Civil War. A compassionate man with wide-ranging interests, Dr. Bard accepted historical objects in lieu of cash payment for his services. Priceless Chumash, Spanish and Mexican-American objects from his collection are on display in the galleries today.

In 1977, the Museum moved to its 15,000 square foot building on Ventura’s Main Street, near historic Mission San Buenaventura. In 1978, it became an independent nonprofit,no longer receiving operating support from the County of Ventura.

Recent and Future Expansion

In  2010, our Phase One expansion opened with a New Plaza facing onto Main Street, the state-of-the- art Martin V and Martha K. Smith Event Pavilion,  a renovated lobby, parking lot, and new landscaping. A planned Phase Two will complete the project, adding galleries, the Education Center with a Children’s Garden, a Great Hall and Lobby, a new Research Library, and space for storage and maintenance of the collections on site.

Our Agriculture Museum

In September of 2011, our new Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum will open to the public in nearby Santa Paula. This long planned Museum will celebrate the long and innovative agricultural history of our region.

How the Museum Fulfills Its Mission

Over 50,000 individuals per year enjoy the Museum’s exhibitions, tours, special programs, and events.

• Members: Over 1,700 Businesses and Individuals support the Museum and receive our newsletter, the Ventura County Historical Society Journal of Ventura County History, and other publications.



• Exhibitions: Our changing and permanent exhibitions receive extensive media coverage, and have been recognized with national awards. The George Stuart Historical Figures®, on display in the Smith Gallery, are world famous for their lifelike and detailed portrayals of famous individuals throughout history.



• Children's Programs: 5,400 children are served each year thorough hands-on field trips to the museum, school outreach visits, and our unique Museum To Go program for teachers. The Museum also offers “Third Sunday” family art activities, and the Chumash Youth and ArtStart summer programs.



• Adult Programs: Speakers Bureau, community presentations, and adult tours to the museum serve more than 600 adults each year.



• Special Events such as receptions, lectures, and Museum-sponsored motor coach tours provide additional opportunities for travel and education.



• Collections: The Museum’s artifact collections include over 30,000 objects, from Chumash baskets and Mission-era objects to lima bean threshers and other farm implements. The art collection of over 700 pieces features priceless works by artists active in this area, including Beatrice Wood, Horace Bristol, Jessie Arms Botke and John Nava.



• The Research Library and Archive, a non-lending research center affiliated with the County Library, holds over 170,000 items relating to county history, including maps, photographs, newspapers, books, periodicals, manuscripts, oral histories and video tapes, many of them rare and one-of-a-kind.



• The Annual Budget of approximately $900,000 comes from memberships, admission fees, donations, endowment income, earned income from the Museum Store and special events, and grants from corporations, foundations and from the City of Ventura and Ventura County.



• Endowment Funds provide operating income for Museum activities. These include a general operating endowment, the Farm Implement Building Fund, and the Bonita McFarland Trust for art exhibitions, purchases and education. Endowment funds are professionally managed and are overseen by a committee of the Board.



• The Board of Directors, which meets monthly, is comprised of up to twenty-five members elected for three-year terms.



• Staff and Volunteers: The Museum is operated by six full-time and 13 part time professional staff members, assisted by docents and volunteers who contribute over 15,000 hours of service annually.