Bowers Museum of Cultural Art and Kidseum
add photosBower Museum Hours:
Tu-F 10am-4pm; Sa/Su 10am-6pm
Kidseum Hours:
Th-F 10am - 3pm
Sa-Su 11am - 4pm
Summer Hours (June 15 - August 31)
Tu-Su 10am-4pm
Free Days
PIMCO's Free Friday Nights
Free admission for up to 100 visitors per hour at 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00 pm. The museum will close at 8:00 pm.
Santa Ana Residents
Courtesy of the Lockhart Family and a generous donation in the memory of Dorothy Goerl, the Bowers Museum is pleased to offer free admission to the Bowers' permanent exhibits to Santa Ana residents, with proof of residency (e.g., driver's license, utility bill, etc), on the first Sunday and third Tuesdays of every month.
2 Reviews for Bowers Museum of Cultural Art and Kidseum
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'11, '12
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"Good for families with older children"
We spent an enjoyable afternoon at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana -- at the "adult" location. (Kidseum is in a separate building). There is no touching here and security guards stationed at many of the exhibits. None of the visitors spoke loudly and a young child would very much stand out here.
However, a 10 to 12 year old and up might enjoy it very much. There are some awesome exhibits about California history and the native Americans for those mature 4th graders. One of the rooms had interesting artifacts from the ranchos and California missions. High school artists will enjoy the California Plein Air paintings.
Although it's compartmentalized, the whole museum is rather small. We only allowed an hour and a half for a visit and we saw all the exhibits (even though we had to rush a bit at the end). We could have spent 2 to 2 1/2 hours there.
Kids would love everything in the gift shop: books, toys, CDs and educational items.
Kidseum is much more hands-on. I've never visited Kidseum with my kids beyond drop-off and pick-up during their one-week stint at summer camp there.
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"Fun with the Family"
A significant part of Santa Ana’s past is found in its first museum, created in 1936 through a bequest from Charles and Ada Bowers to preserve the local history of Orange County. Through gifts and acquisitions, the Bowerses’ collections have grown over the years, and the museum has enlarged its space three times. It is now considered one of the finest cultural arts repositories in the West. The museum specializes in the arts of the Americas, the Pacific Rim, and Africa, along with its ongoing commitment to chronicle the story of Orange County.
The museum store has unique art treasures, cards, and gifts not readily available in traditional museum gift shops. Increasing community interaction and family demand have caused the expansion into an old bank building 2 blocks away.
In December 1994, the 11,000-square-foot Bowers Kidseum opened 2 blocks away at 1802 North Main Street. This amazing center has been competently designed for youth ages six to twelve as a place where children can learn about other cultures,
music, art, and history through interactive, hands-on exhibits. Hours of operation for the general public run Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Admission fees are identical and reciprocal
with the Bowers Museum. Thematic “explorers’ backpacks” covering various cultural differences are just one example of this outstanding opportunity for your kids to actually learn something valuable while vacationing. The Kidseum perfectly bridges the gap between amusement and education.
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