Bowers Museum
Ada Elvira and Charles W. Bowers, a late 19th-century Orange County citrus grower and land developer, donated the land on which the Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum stands to the city of Santa Ana as well as $100,000 to build the museum. The museum first opened its doors on February 13, 1936, as a city-run museum devoted primarily to the history of Orange County. In 1987, the City of Santa Ana closed the museum shortly after the museum celebrated its 50th anniversary, reopening it in October, 1992. From a relatively small museum focusing on Orange County history, since its reopening, the museum has presented over 150 special exhibitions from all over the world, opened six permanent galleries, and watched its membership grow to nearly 8,000 members. The Bowers Museum has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Santa Ana, Orange County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt