SANTA PAULA, CA - The City of Santa Paula’s California Oil Museum (1001 E. Main St. Santa Paula, Adults $4, Seniors $3 and Youth (6-17) $1) and the Santa Paula Historical Society invite you to explore the curious and colorful collections of your neighbors in its newest exhibit entitled Collecting Curiosities, which opens Sunday, November 6, 2011 and runs through January 22, 2012.

Museums are repositories for collections of priceless artifacts, but often the objects we consider most valuable in the world are the unusual ones we collect ourselves or inherit from family and friends. Now, some of these personal and singular collections will be on display at the California Oil Museum. The inspiration behind the exhibit is guest curator and retired Santa Paula Police Lieutenant Carlos Juarez’s retro lunchbox collection, of which he has collected over 400. For Juarez and many other collectors like him who scour flea markets and garage sales looking for the next big find, his collection “inspires memories.” He adds that, “we all have something we collect.”

In organizing the exhibit, Juarez has quickly discovered that Ventura County residents collect a great many things including antique pedal cars, Hot Wheels, Cub Scout pinewood derby cars and model trains. The items will, hopefully, bring back fond memories of simple childhood fun…times when you were still of an appropriate age to play with such toys! The show also looks at how collections are passed from one generation to the next in the hopes of allowing the special memories of our families to survive.

The California Oil Museum is also excited to contribute to the show with never-before-seen items from its own collection including antique petroliana, an incredible assemblage of decorated belt buckles donated to the Museum by collector Garry Greysen, and its most recent acquisition of a collection of 1930s The Saturday Evening Post magazines, which were beautifully illustrated by artists like Norman Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker.

For all of us, there are some things we just cannot seem to part with. Take some time to stroll through the memories of our contributors and see what history has passed down through the generations. The exhibit will be continuously evolving during its run time and we would enjoy showcasing your collectible items…if you can bear to part with them for a few months!

WHO: The City of Santa Paula’s California Oil Museum and the Santa Paula Historical Society

WHAT: Collecting Curiosities, an exhibit of personal collections belonging to Ventura County residents

WHEN: November 6, 2011 to January 22, 2012 (Museum Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 10 AM – 4 PM)

WHERE: California Oil Museum, 1001 E. Main Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060 (Admission: Adults $4.00, Seniors $3.00, Youth (6-17) $1.00)

WHY: We all have something we collect!