NationalGeographicPersonalExplorer

The California Heritage Museum was built in 1894 for Roy Jones, the son of Senator John P. Jones, who founded the City of Santa Monica. In 1976, as Santa Monica’s growth forced the destruction of some older buildings, a group of local residents fought to preserve the old Jones’ house and a neighboring building from the same time period. The group won the battle and the spot was named an Official City Landmark. Today the museum celebrates the history of the region by highlighting art from Mexico, Asia, and the Pacific islands; you’ll also see art reflecting surf culture, pop-culture, and the local culture in general. Its impressive collection of photographs, books, magazines, postcards and other memorabilia is available to researchers, free of charge. Every Sunday morning, a vibrant local farmers’ market is set up outside the museum.