Visitors to the California State Capitol Museum now have the opportunity to experience a vibrant new exhibit titled “Contemporary Native American Art” that showcases baskets, jewelry, sculptures and paintings created by various tribal artists that embrace the Native culture and heritage.  In addition to intricate art pieces and hand-crafted artifacts, this special exhibit includes contemporary paintings created by Native artists that serve to tell a story and honor Native tradition.  The “Contemporary Native American Art” exhibit showcases approximately 20 pieces of Native California art and is the result of a collaborative effort by the California State Capitol Museum, California State Pa

Continuing a popular series of interactive and fun “Hands on History” activities, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park will present a special “Hands on History: By Land and By Sea” event on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Through exciting demonstrations and fun hands-on activities, docents will help Fort visitors understand the two different ways emigrants originally came to California -- by land or by sea -- while sharing the unique challenges they faced and what daily life was like during their journeys. As an event highlight, the Mexican-American war fife and drum corps will be visiting Sutter’s Fort SHP to take part in special activities that include a visually-exciting flag ra

A record 30 Sacramento area museums will offer free or half-priced admission all day on Saturday, February 2, 2013, during the 15th Annual Sacramento Museum Day. Twenty-eight of the 30 museums will offer free admission whereas two destinations located in residential areas – the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town – will offer half-priced admission to offset parking control and security costs. Sacramento Museum Day event hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with the last guests admitted at 4 p.m.). Sacramento Museum Day, a popular Sacramento cultural tradition, is designed to encourage all members of the community to experience the Capital City’s incredible wealth of art, history, science and wildli

Fascinated by railroading history? Interested in working on a train? Enjoy working with visitors, children and school groups? The California State Railroad Museum and Old Sacramento State Historic Park (SHP) are now recruiting adults (18 or older) who are interested in volunteering in early 2013 to help communicate the West’s fascinating heritage of railroading and the California Gold Rush.  The volunteer orientation will begin on Monday, February 11, but interested volunteers must apply and be interviewed in advance. Volunteer applications are being accepted now through Monday, February 4.  Community members are encouraged to get involved in this worthwhile program that offers an opportun

As part of a special and continuing interactive program, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park will present a special “Hands on History: Trappers, Trades, and Treaties” event this Saturday, January 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors to the Fort will step back in time to the 1840s to learn why trappers were considered “jacks of many trades” and experience how they lived, worked, explored new territory and traded with local Native Americans. Fort visitors will enjoy watching docent-led musket demonstrations and learn about many fascinating aspects in the life of a trapper. Fort visitors will also have the hands-on opportunity to examine fur pelts, create documents with a quill pen and oak gall