Links To Other Historical Locations

Committed to serve the needs of all of California's museums, regardless of size and discipline, CAM provides a variety of programs that address issues pertinent to all and serves as an advocate for museum interests with federal, state and local governments as well as with other institutions and the general public. In addition, CAM encourages the improvement of professional practices and standards within museums, and works to increase the public's understanding of and support for museums.

Founded in 1906, the American Association of Museums (AAM) is dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum community. Through advocacy, professional education, information exchange, accreditation, and guidance on current professional standards of performance, AAM assists museum staff, boards and volunteers across the country to better serve the public.

For more than 50 years, the Catalina Island Museum has collected, preserved and presented the rich cultural heritage of Santa Catalina Island for visitors from all over the world to enjoy.  Situated on the ground floor of Avalon’s historic Casino Building, the Catalina Island Museum invites you to discover more than 7,000 years of history through dozens of engaging and visually exciting exhibits.

715 South A Street, Oxnard, (805) 483-7960. Eleven restored turn-of-the-century mansions and farmhouses; summer concerts, weddings, and live theater. Tours every Saturday from 10-2. Call for information.

4200 Olivas Park Drive, Ventura, 644-4346. Built by Don Raymundo Olivas as the main house of Rancho San Miguel in 1849, this is a fine example of a two-story adobe of the California rancho period. Grounds open daily 10-4; house open Saturday and Sunday 10-4. Free.

220 N. Market St., Port Hueneme, (805) 488-2023. Artifacts and exhibits related to the early history of Port Hueneme.

40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley,  1-800-410-8354. “The doors of this library are open now and all are welcome. The judgment of history is left to you, the people.” —Ronald Reagan, Remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Dedication
(November 4, 1991)
Artifacts from President Reagan’s childhood and professional career provide physical evidence of his extraordinary life.  Step through a model of the Dixon Arch in Illinois to experience Reagan’s youth, while his Eureka College letter sweater recalls his student years. A recreated studio booth highlights his early radio broadcasting career, which led to an acting contract with Warner Bros. Film clips.  Original costumes and movie posters trace his days in the movies, the Screen Actors Guild, and on television, as host of GE Theater and Death Valley Days.  Glimpse into Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s devoted marriage, a love story straight out of a Hollywood script.  Learn about Reagan’s growing involvement in politics.  Witness his presidency, from reviving the economy, reducing the size of the federal government, and ending the threat of nuclear war.  See a piece of the Berlin Wall, immerse yourself in Camp David and Rancho del Cielo. And, in 2005, walk through the Air Force One that President Reagan used throughout his eight years in office.

Upon leaving office, President Reagan stated that one day he hoped he would be able to share Air Force One with the American people by placing it at his Presidential Library. That dream to have this magnificent aircraft here at his Library has finally come true. We are privileged to have this national treasure and honored by the trust the United States Air Force has placed in us to share it with the American people. The new Air Force One Pavilion, which opened on October 24, 2005, celebrates President Reagan’s vision and tells the story of his staggering achievements. Visitors to the Reagan Library will be able to board the Air Force One that served as the “Flying White House,” for President Reagan and six other U.S. presidents from 1973-2001. The new Air Force One Pavilion celebrates President Reagan’s vision of face-to-face diplomacy and tells the story of his achievements in promoting peace and democracy around the globe. In addition to Air Force One, the Pavilion includes a Johnson-era Marine One and a Presidential motorcade featuring President Reagan’s 1984 parade limousine.

The Chumash Indian homeland lies along the coast of California, between Malibu and Paso Robles, as well as on the Northern Channel Islands. Before the Mission Period, the Chumash lived in 150 independent villages with a total population of about 18,000 people. In different parts of the region, people spoke different but related languages.
The area was first settled about 13,000 years ago. Over time, the population increased and the people adapted their lifeways to the local environment. Villages along the coastline, on the islands and in the interior had access to different resources, which they traded with one another.
This trade was made possible in part by the seagoing plank canoe, or tomol, which was invented about 2,000 years ago. In addition to the plank canoe, the Chumash are known for their fine basketry, their mysterious cave paintings and their money made from shells.
Today, there are still many people who can trace their ancestry back to these historic Chumash communities. Now you can learn more about how the Chumash people once lived, what customs they practiced, how they made money and what kinds of food they ate.

6503 Katherine Road, Simi Valley (805) 581-3462. Built in 1903 by the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Santa Susanna Depot served passengers and farmers in the Simi Valley for more than 60 years. With a classic passenger waiting room featuring a pot-belly stove, the depot was also headquarters for local freight shipments. It was also the home of the station agent. Some of the agents duties were selling passenger tickets, routing freight, and passing orders to train crews. Telegraphed messages to operators or agents at each station along the line controlled train movement.
Before it was moved to its current park site, the depot stood for more than 75 years at what is now the intersection of Los Angeles Avenue and Tapo Streets in Simi Valley. The depot is a standard SP model #22. The SP built dozens of them along their various routes. There were more than 40 in California alone, but they are rapidly disappearing or being altered by vandalism, modification, and time. The SP destroyed many of them, such as the neighboring Chatsworth depot when they were no longer needed. The depot has been restored to its original turn of the century authenticity. It is now a museum that is open on weekends from 1 PM to 4 PM. Children are welcome. Group tours are available by calling (805) 581-3462. Come and see both the depot and the beautiful, large model railroad built by the Santa Susanna Railroad Historical Society.

4226 Valley Fair St., Simi Valley, (805) 578-0040. The world's only skateboarding museum. over 2,000 items on display showing the complete history of California's sport. Call for current information.

2731 South Victoria Avenue, Oxnard, (805) 984-6260. An internationally renowned collection of maritime art and ship models dating from 1540 to the present and guest artist exhibits illustrate maritime history. The museum is open daily from 11 a.m. To 5 p.m.  General admission is free, but a donation is appreciated. Group tours and special programs incur a reasonable fee.
The Museum houses one of the two largest collections of antique sailing ship models in the United States, including seven rare bone models made by French prisoners of war in the 18th century. Ship models trace more than 3000 years of maritime history, from reed boats used by Peruvian fisherman and tomols made by the local Chumash natives to modem-day car carriers, including the entire life's work and workshop of Ed Marple, one of America's foremost ship model builders. The Museum also has an extensive and world-class marine art collection, featuring works by the Dutch and Flemish masters, marine artists Willem van de Velde and Bonaventura Peeters, and noted modern day artists John Stobart, Montague Dawson, David Thimgan, Roy Cross, and others. Exhibits on whaling, sailor's arts, navigation instruments, and the history of Channel Islands Harbor and Port Hueneme, the only deep-water port between Los Angeles and San Francisco, round out the permanent collection. Special topical and featured guest artist exhibitions are presented on an ongoing basis.