Three California Museums to Collaborate in Arts Partnership

The Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles; Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, announced they will collaborate in the third year of the Japanese American National Museum’s arts partnership project, Finding Family Stories, funded in part by the James Irvine Foundation.

This is the third year of the three-year collaboration between the Japanese American National Museum and other ethnic and cultural organizations who present and preserve history, art, and culture. Its goal is to create a forum through art, for a cross-cultural dialogue among the diverse communities which shape the State of California. Past Finding Family Stories partners have included the Korean American Museum, Watts Towers Arts Center, and Plaza de la Raza.

Founded to celebrate the Jewish experience in America, the Skirball Cultural Center offers a wide-range of permanent and temporary exhibits; concerts; lectures; performances; readings; symposia; film and video screenings, and educational offerings for adults and children.

“This project helps us realize our mission to interpret the Jewish experience and to strengthen American society,” said Skirball Museum director Nancy Berman. “Collaborative exhibits and programs like this highlight the rich and complex experiences o f Jewish, Japanese and California Indians. We hope that everyone will be excited by the telling of individual family and cultural stories in this unique format.”

For more than 30 years, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has worked with the Chumash Indian Elders to share the story of the Chumash community. Museum programming also features speakers, dancers and storytelling by other California Indian groups including the Maidu, Cahuilla, Pomo, Tachi-Yokuts, Wintu, and Tolowa.

“The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is an institution that, more than any other in Southern California, has been committed to giving a voice to California Indian culture,” said executive director Dr. Robert Breunig. “This project will give u s all insight into those who maintained their culture against amazing odds and the wisdom to recognize the strength within our own families and the importance of maintaining all our cultures.”

The Japanese American National Museum is dedicated to preserving and telling the Japanese American story as an integral part of U.S. history. The Museum initiated Finding Family Stories in 1995 with a grant from the James Irvine Foundation.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with our two new partners, the Skirball Cultural Center and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History,” said Museum executive director and president Irene Hirano. “We look forward to strengthening our ties with the Skirball, with whom we have partnered in the past and with the Santa Barbara Museum as we work to build new bridges over a larger geographic area.”

“We know that all three partners will gain from Finding Family Stories, and in the end we will all be enriched through the process.”

The Japanese American National Museum is located at 369 E. First Street in the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles. For more information call the Museum at 213.625.0414.

The Skirball Cultural Center is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information call the Museum at 310.440.4500.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is located at 2559 Puesta del Sol Road, Santa Barbara. For more information call the Museum at 805.682.4711 ext. 348.