Free Tour of Bowers Museum and International Cultural Festival

Title Free Tour of Bowers Museum and International Cultural Festival When Sunday, December 7, 2008 11:00 AM Details **Updated 11/23 One of our members suggested we get something to eat afterwards, I will look around for some spanish restaurants nearby and we can decide on where to go when we all meet-up for the event. Can't wait to see you all Ciao, Gina ***** Join us on Sunday, December 7th for a free tour of the Bowers Museum at 11 am then followed by the International Cultural Festival starting at Noon. Celebrate family traditions around the globe with music and art! Listen to the musical rhythms of Europe, South America and the Pacific Rim. Make your own holiday card and window ornament, even a crazy hat! There will be face painters who will decorate your face with symbols from your traditional culture. Enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies. Below are the collections that are in exhibition at this time at Bowers Museum: Native American Art The Bowers Museum's Native American collection is the largest department in the museum and is comprised of more than 24,000 objects. The collection is strongest in the cultures of the west and southwest but does represent native cultures from across the US. Objects in the collection include basketry, pottery, beadwork, stone and shell tools weapons and jewelry. These objects range in age from pre-historic to contemporary. Art of the Pacific This collection includes art and artifacts from many of the Pacific Islands. Objects from Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya make up largest part of this collection though other areas of Melanesia, Polynesia and Australia are also represented. There are more than 2,400 objects ranging in age from pre-historic to contemporary. Objects in the art of the Pacific collection are varied including basketry, pottery, feather work, weapons, wooden sculpture, food bowls and utensils, jewelry and costume. Art of Africa African art is one of the Bowers' smaller collections, numbering just over 2,100 objects. This collection is strongest in art from the cultures of West Africa. The majority of the artwork represented in this collection is wood sculpture and masks but also includes weapons, jewelry and currency. Pre-Columbian Art The Bowers holds nearly 4,000 objects of Pre-Columbian art. Almost entirely pottery, with some textile, stone and metal pieces, this collection is strongest in sculpture from the ancient cultures of West Mexico. Bowers also holds collections of Mayan artwork as well as objects from pre-Columbian Peru. South American Ethnographic Collection This collection consists of nearly 1400 objects: feather works, tools, hunting implements, baskets, textiles and other three dimensional objects. Most of the objects in this collection date from the 20th century. Art of Asia Art from China and Japan make up the majority of this collection, numbering more than 6,000 objects. Recently, Bowers has been actively collecting jewelry, ornamentation and textiles from the native cultures of China. Objects from the Asian collection range in date from Neolithic to 20th Century. Paintings The Bowers Museum holds a collection of nearly 2,000 paintings, almost all of which were painted between the late 19th century through the 20th century. Highlights of this collection are a group of 40 paintings by William and Alberta McCloskey and a California plein air collection. Decorative Arts The objects from this collection were among the first to be collected by the museum. This varied collection includes more than 12,000 objects including historic costumes, military uniforms and textiles, furniture, dolls and toys, tools and house wares. Many of these objects were collected from the founding families of Orange County by the museum's first curator, Mrs. Coulter. Orange County History Also among the original collection of the Bowers is the Orange County history collection. Largely archival, this collection of nearly 30,000 objects contains historic newspapers, magazines and other publications, photographs and art and objects relating to the early days of Orange County. Highlights of this collection include more than 300 objects relating to Madame Helena Modjeska and memorabilia and objects from the first police and fire departments of Santa Ana. And the best thing is that all this plus parking is free (parking across the street from the museum or on the streets). **I am co-advertising this with the Long Beach Spanish Meetup, please only rsvp with one group so you do not take up the space for someone else who wants to attend, thanks** http://www.bowers.org... Ciao, Gina