Grantee Database
Kern Valley Museum
Grant Year
2026-27
Grant Program
General Operating Support
Award Amount
$18,000.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, KERN RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY will continue to supply and expand many of the services that we’ve developed over the last 59 years. We continue to work on preserving art works, historic documents, historic photographs, and artifacts in our collection. We are also obtaining new items that must be scanned, catalogued and preserved on a regular basis. Materials and equipment for this ongoing project are expensive. Another ongoing project is our disaster preparedness plan. We are working towards protecting our collection from fires and floods. We also need funds to continue various programs that we put on during the year–like History Day, Tales on the Trail, art displays and receptions for local artists, education classes, and field trips.
Organization Summary
We offer a wide variety of programs and services:
1. The Kern Valley Museum
2. Our art gallery that features artwork by the local Art Association and artwork from the extensive Western Art collection of Ardis Walker. Shows rotate monthly.
3. Our archive which houses books, documents, photos, maps, art, etc. from the local area
4. Educational Classes
5. Field Trips to sites of local interest
6. Partnerships with other history arts and cultural entities
7. Partnerships with our local Indian tribes
8. Events like History Day and Tales on the Trail. History Day features demonstrations of old time skills practiced by area pioneers (like mule packing, using hit-and-miss engines, Native basket weaving, blacksmithing, gold panning, etc.). Tales on the Trail is a dramatic interpretation of 8-10 early pioneers with vignettes written and acted out by local people. The audience moves from station to station to watch the individual plays.
Organization
Kern Valley Museum
Address
PO BOX 651
KERNVILLE
93238-0651
County
Kern
Region
Central Valley
Website
Congressional District
20th District
State Assembly District
District 32
State Senate District
District 12
