Start a new Sunday tradition this month. Graze among fresh produce at the Indio Certified Farmers Market, and follow it with a tour through Coachella Valley History Museum.

Greetings! Rebecca Rizzo, Board President, here. I am incredibly grateful to be serving as the Board of Trustees President after serving on the board for seven years. I’m excited to share my very first update on the adventures at the museum.

The Coachella Valley History Museum’s popular after-school program, Jr. Historians, has received a grant from the Anderson Children’s Foundation to fund its day-to-day operations for the upcoming season. In addition, the Women’s Club of Rancho Mirage has provided funding that will be used for one-time purchases and to refresh Jr. Historian’s collection of old-fashioned games. These funds provide a cost-effective educational program.

A new addition to our permanent Museum exhibits is the refurbished Japanese Memorial Garden. It can be considered an exhibit as it represents an important historic event in the Coachella Valley. Japanese immigrants have played an essential role in establishing farms and businesses in the east valley from the early 1900s to the present. 

THEN: In 1984, Young at Art was started by Jan Wilgers, a teacher from Desert Sands Unified School District. At first, it started as a Saturday art class.

As we stand at the precipice of a new season, we want to pause and acknowledge the talented Volunteers who worked in the Museum Store and as Docents during the 2021-2022 season.