National Steinbeck Center facts for kids
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| Established | 1998 |
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| Location | One Main Street Salinas, California |
| Type | Biographical museum |
| Collections | Manuscripts, correspondences, family library, foreign editions, works, historical interviews and oral histories, critical analysis, ephemera, artifacts |
| Nearest parking | Monterey Street parking garage |
The National Steinbeck Center is a special museum in Salinas, California. It celebrates the life and works of John Steinbeck, a famous American writer who grew up in Salinas. The museum is located at One Main Street, inside the California State University, Monterey Bay at Salinas City Center building.
The idea for the center started in 1983, and it officially opened its doors on June 27, 1998. This center holds the biggest collection of Steinbeck's writings and personal items in the United States. It has many exhibits that show his stories and ideas. Recently, a small part of the main exhibit hall was updated for new, changing displays.
The Steinbeck Center is a key place for learning about books, people, history, farming, and the arts. It offers many educational programs for everyone, including students and teachers. These programs use different types of media to reach people from all over the country.
You can also find the John Steinbeck House, where Steinbeck lived as a child, very close to the museum.
Contents
What the Steinbeck Center Does
The National Steinbeck Center has a clear goal: "Drawing from the works of John Steinbeck, the National Steinbeck Center is dedicated to Steinbeck’s creative legacy: to participate, to inspire, to educate, and to understand one another." This means the center uses John Steinbeck's stories to help people learn, get inspired, and understand each other better.
Exploring the Museum Building
The museum building at 1 Main Street in Salinas, California, has several interesting areas. When you visit, you can first go to an orientation theater. There's also a large exhibit, about 2,000 square feet, that focuses on John Steinbeck's life and his famous books. You can also find a Museum Store where you can buy souvenirs.
The building was planned and built between 1996 and June 1998. Many different groups helped design and construct it. In 2016, the California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) bought the building. It is now known as CSUMB @ Salinas City Center. The National Steinbeck Center still runs the museum and its programs as a non-profit organization.
Discovering Steinbeck's Archives
The National Steinbeck Center Archives is like a huge treasure chest of information. It contains over 45,000 historical documents, family papers, original writings, letters, photos, films, interviews, and other items. All of these are connected to John Steinbeck and the history of his hometown, Salinas. The Archives department takes care of and protects all these important items. The center is currently working to put its collection online so more people can explore it.
If you are a student, historian, or researcher, you can make an appointment to study these collections with the archivist.
Exciting Events at the Center
The National Steinbeck Center spends a lot of its time and effort on planning and running events. The center hosts more than 40 events every year! Some of their most well-known events include the yearly Steinbeck Festival, John Steinbeck's Birthday Celebration, the Steinbeck Young Authors Program, and the Salinas Valley Comic Con.
Many other smaller events happen throughout the year. All these activities connect to Steinbeck's ideas and the center's goal. They encourage people to enjoy literature, the arts, and other subjects that help us understand humanity.
Working with Partners
After CSUMB bought the building in 2016, the National Steinbeck Center changed how it works. It now focuses on being a main partner with other local non-profit groups and cultural organizations. This helps them work together to achieve their goals.
Gallery
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John Steinbeck statue
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The Pearl exhibit
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Old Ford car
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John Steinbeck's camper truck
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9 February 2017 Poetry Slam at the museum
