Bowers Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bowers Museum

The Belltower Entrance to the museum
Established	1936
Location	2002 N. Main St, Santa Ana, California
Type	Art museum, cultural art

The Bowers Museum is an art museum in Santa Ana, California. It has a huge collection of over 100,000 objects. The museum is known for its art from ancient Mesoamerica, Native American art, and art from Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It also features beautiful California plein-air paintings, which are paintings created outdoors.

The Bowers Museum often hosts special exhibits from museums all over the world. It also sends its own exhibits to other places. The museum has a second location just for kids called Kidseum. It focuses on art and archaeology in a fun, hands-on way. The museum is located about four miles south of Disneyland.

History of the Museum

The land for the museum was a gift from Ada and Charles W. Bowers. Mr. Bowers was a citrus farmer and land developer in Orange County in the late 1800s. They also gave $100,000 to build the museum. The building was finished in 1932, but because of the Great Depression, it didn't fully open until 1936.

At first, the museum focused on the history of Orange County. Over the years, it grew much larger. In the 1970s, a new wing was added. In 1986, the museum became its own nonprofit organization, separate from the city government. This allowed it to raise more money and expand.

The Main Street Entrance to the Bowers Museum.

The museum closed in 1989 for a major renovation. It reopened in 1992 as the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art. Its new goal was to show art from many different cultures, especially from the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific Rim. This change reflected the diverse communities of Southern California.

In 2007, the museum expanded again with the Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing. This new wing added more galleries for special exhibits, a 300-seat auditorium, and space for events. Today, the museum is more than ten times its original size. It welcomes thousands of visitors and students every year.

Amazing Art Collections

The Bowers Museum has several permanent galleries that showcase art from around the world. Each collection tells a unique story about different cultures and their history.

The Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing added more space for art and events.

Art of the Pacific Islands

The "Spirits and Headhunters" exhibit features amazing art from Oceania, which includes Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Many pieces come from New Guinea. You can see large masks, decorated bowls, and objects used in special ceremonies. The collection also includes shell money, magic figures, and weapons.

Ancient Arts of China

This collection, called "Ancient Arts of China: A 5000 Year Legacy," shows the history of Chinese art and technology. It has objects from the ancient Neolithic period all the way to the Qing dynasty, which ended in 1911. You can see beautiful bronze containers, pottery, sculptures, and even royal robes.

Early California History

The "California Legacies: Missions and Ranchos" gallery explores the history of Alta California. It shows what life was like during the time of the Spanish California Missions and the large Mexican ranchos. You can see objects from the first families who lived in the area.

A beautiful basket made by the Cahuilla people around 1900.

Ceramics of Western Mexico

This exhibit displays Pre-Columbian art from the Mexican states of Colima, Nayarit, and Jalisco. It focuses on ceramic figures that were buried in tombs to accompany people in the afterlife. Many of these figures show scenes from daily life, like the famous plump dogs from Colima.

First Californians

This gallery is dedicated to the art and culture of the indigenous peoples of California. It shows how Native Americans in the region used their environment to create food, clothing, and tools. The collection includes beautiful basketry, pottery, beadwork, and jewelry.

World-Famous Special Exhibitions

The Bowers Museum is famous for bringing incredible temporary exhibitions from all over the globe. It has worked with famous museums like the British Museum and the Shanghai Museum.

Treasures from China

The museum has hosted many amazing exhibits about Chinese history.

• Terra Cotta Warriors: In 2008, the museum displayed some of the famous life-size clay soldiers from the tomb of China's First Emperor. It was one of the largest loans of these figures to ever come to the United States.
• China's Lost Civilization: This 2015 exhibit showed mysterious 3,500-year-old bronze, jade, and gold objects from a village called Sanxingdui.

Mummies from Egypt

In 2005, the museum worked with the British Museum to show "Mummies: Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt." The exhibit featured 14 mummies and coffins, along with many other objects used in ancient Egyptian burial rituals.

Lucy's Legacy

In 2013, the museum hosted an exhibit about "Lucy," one of the oldest and most complete fossils of a human ancestor ever found. The real fossil was on display, giving visitors a rare chance to see this important piece of human history. After the exhibit, Lucy was returned to Ethiopia.

Kidseum: A Museum for Kids

Opened in 1994, Kidseum is the Bowers Museum's special place for children. It is an 11,000-square-foot interactive museum where kids can learn about art and archaeology through hands-on activities. The name "Kidseum" was even chosen by a child in a local contest. In 2014, it was updated with new high-tech exhibits to make learning even more fun.

Selected collection highlights

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  Ceremonial Ladle, 19th Century, Austral Islands, French Polynesia, Polynesia

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  Wedding Vase, c. 1970, Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001), Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico

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  Raven Rattle, late 19th Century Tlingit culture; Fort Wrangell, Alaska

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  Untitled (Oranges in Tissue with Vase), 1889 by Alberta Binford McCloskey (American, 1855–1911)

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  Marguerite, 1909 by Guy Rose (American, 1867–1925)

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  Idyll, 1885 by Józef Chełmoński (Polish, 1849-1914)