MEDIA RELEASE
February 18, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

RICHARD MARPLE BEEKEEPING HISTORY & ART COLLECTION

The Far West Heritage Association, steward of the Chico Museum and the Patrick Ranch Museum, is proud to announce that it is the recipient of the Richard Marple Beekeeping History and Art Collection.  This private collection will be displayed in the Chico Museum through 2010 and then housed permanently at the Patrick Ranch Museum.

Richard Marple’s interest in beekeeping began in childhood, and he has accumulated over 260 items pertaining to bees from around the world.  Original pieces of art dating back to the 18th century are the highlight of the collection.  Other items include stamps, coins, jewelry and beekeeping tools.  Pieces of Marple’s collection will be displayed along with local beekeeping history and artifacts to create exciting educational exhibits, lectures, and demonstrations.

With the acquisition of this new collection, the Chico Museum has hired two curators to create the exhibit.  Curator Heather McCafferty and Assistant Curator Audra Hoyt both have Masters Degrees and are excited to use their skills on this project.  They invite community members who have beekeeping knowledge or artifacts to participate in this exhibit.  If interested, please contact the Chico Museum.

The museum is currently closed in preparation of the next exhibit.

Faces 2009 ended its run just before Christmas with a heavily attended closing reception where people were able to retain their “Faces” contributed to the exhibit.

Information on the upcoming exhibit will be released shortly and updated here.

We understand, through the grapevine, this exhibit is going to be the bees knees and shouldn’t be missed!

Have you seen the new Chico Museum?

Chico Museum

With 3 full galleries, a park, a house, HiDef videos and paintings of long time Chico notables, the museum is brimming with interaction and history, and along with the ever growing new Community Museum, it’s the place you want to check out.

The updated website gives you previews of the Galleries, along with some video previews.

New museum hours are Wed-Sun 12 to 4pm

On September 21st, another successful and fun Chico Museum Night Out was held in the Taproom at Sierra Nevada Brewery.

View the Gallery Slideshow here.

Jim Braziel helps you find your checkbook!