2012 Chockfull of New Exhibits at Petaluma Museum

The is getting ready for the new year with eight separate exhibits that offer something for all interests. Included in the ambitious lineup is an exhibit on Navajo code talkers, a show about Roma history and a display of vintage wedding dresses pulled from local collections.

"The interesting thing about this year is the vast majority of items are sourced locally, and if not, heavily augmented with local content," said Mark Tomlinson, a museum board member.

A message left for Petaluma Historical Museum president Joe Noriel was not immediately returned.

The museum kicks off 2012 with an exhibit titled “Coming Home,” a collection of charcoal sketches by Sonoma County artist and Vietnam War veteran Mike Dowdall. The images show soldiers, nurses and others involved in armed conflicts and reflect heroism and human strength, Tomlison said. The exhibit, which opens January 12, is timed to coincide with the return of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Then in February, PHM will highlight the contributions of women who fought for civil rights and is timed with Black History Month. According to Tomlinson, the goal of the exhibit is to demonstrate how women from all classes, races, cultures and ethnicities have fought for equality in all aspects of society. It opens February 3.

That’s followed by a show titled “Roma: Crossing the Borders," focusing on the history and contributions of the Romani (Gypsy) people. The exhibit features Roma art, discusses Roma origins (they are believed to have originated in India over 1,000 years ago) and ongoing issues facing the nationless people, who total some 20 million globally.

"There is this stereotype of people sitting around the fire, but that's not quite accurate," says Tomlinson, who although British by birth is of Roma heritage.

The exhibit is entirely funded by a $6,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, considered a big achievement for the museum which has faced criticism recently for spending more money on exhibits than it pulled in from attendance fees.

And on April 21, PHM unveils a Smithsonian exhibit on Navajo code talkers whose communications in over 12 different native languages over airwaves and telephone lines could not be cracked by the enemy. To fund this show, the Petaluma Historical Museum is relying on grants from the Smithsonian and private foundations. Items from private collections of Petaluma veterans will also be included.

Then in July, the museum will display more than 20 vintage Victorian wedding dresses that were once owned by wealthy Petalumans. The display is drawn from the museum’s extensive textiles collection and “is a fascinating step back in time that offers insight into a bygone era,” according to Tomlinson.

Continuing its tribute to veterans, which started with the “Vietnam Experience” exhibit in the fall of 2010, the museum will feature a show about the Korean War. Often called the Forgotten War, the Korean War is the first war in which U.S. forces were racially integrated and the first time the MASH unit were used. The exhibit opens October 11 and runs through December 16.

Finally in December, Bay Area artist Raymond Sells who creates large scale wood sculptures, will display his work at the museum.

“When you look at the lineup, you realize that it’s a lot for a small museum in the North Bay to be doing,” says Tomlinson. ”We are giving people a reason to come month after month and not just once a year."

Want to get involved in crafting other exhibits at the Petaluma Historical Museum? The museum is actively seeking volunteers. For more information, visit the museum's website or call (707) 778-4398.