Sonoma County Museum
425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa
(707) 579-1500
website
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 11a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed major holidays
Admission: $5 general, $2 student/senior/disabled, free to children 12 and under and museum members
This is the main art museum in Sonoma County. Founded in 1985, it is housed in what was once Santa Rosa’s central post office. The museum’s mission is to “connect the region’s rich history with contemporary and artistic cultural currents by providing cultural experiences for the enrichment, enjoyment and education of Sonoma County residents and visitors through the preservation of collections and the presentation exhibitions and programs.” It is also known as housing one of the largest collections in the nation of works by environmental artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center
2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa
(707) 579-4452
website
Hours: Labor Day through Memorial Day, open weekdays (closed Tuesdays) 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Memorial Day through Labor Day
Admission: $8, seniors and youths $5
The mission of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center is to “preserve, display, and interpret the art of Charles M. Schulz,” the Peanuts creator and a resident of Santa Rosa prior to his death in 2000. The 27,384 square foot museum features permanent and temporary exhibits, a 100-seat theater, outdoor gardens, lectures, classes and more.
Jesse Peter Museum
Santa Rosa Junior College Campus - Bussman Hall
1501Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa
website
Note: The museum will be closed for renovations from April 5, 2007 to January 2008.
Hours : Monday and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open from mid-August to mid-May. Closed all school holidays and during the summer.
Admission: Free
Located on the campus of Santa Rosa Junior College, the Jesse Peter Museum houses Multi-Cultural Exhibits and Anthropology Displays representing the Americas and parts of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Traditional, Native American art makes up the majority of the collection, and all of the North American Indian culture areas are represented. Art forms include ceramics, basketry, beadwork, sculpture, textiles, and jewelry. The museum is known for its extensive collection of Pomo Indian baskets from the Elsie Allen Family Collection.
Luther Burbank Home and Gardens
204 Santa Rosa Avenue (at Sonoma Avenue)
(707) 524-5445
website
Hours: The grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to dusk year-round for self guided tours. There are 40-minute docent guided tours from April 1 through October 31. They start on the half hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Carriage House Gift Shop and Museum is also open April through October.
Admission: Donations requested to visit the gardens. Tours are $5 adults, $3 kids 11-18, free for kids under 11; $4 seniors.
These are the gardens and home in which famed horticulturist Luther Burbank experimented with plants for most of his 50-year career.
Pacific Coast Air Museum
2230 Becker Blvd., Santa Rosa
(707) 575-7900
website
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
Admission: Requested Donation is $5; 12-years-old and under, none
Learn about this area’s aviation heritage and local history. The museum also hosts the “Wings Over Wine Country" air show every August.
California Indian Museum and Cultural Center
5250 Aero Dr., Santa Rosa
(707) 579-3004
website
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Donation requested
This is an Indian owned and operated non-profit organization which portrays California Indian history and culture from an Indian perspective. The emphasis is more on current events, lectures, hi-tech interactive presentations rather than on only displaying artifacts. Monthly lectures.
Church of One Tree
492 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa
This former Baptist church was built from just one redwood tree from Guerneville in 1873. It was made famous by Santa Rosa-born Robert Ripley who wrote about it in his ``Believe It or Not'' newspaper cartoon. Later, the church was converted into a museum about Ripley. It was eventually boarded up and remained that way for about a decade. But, renovation is in the works, and the building will hopefully be open again. At that time, the city plans to rent it out as a venue for meetings, weddings, shows, readings, etc.
