Debbie Benson

Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director

“Taking a wrong turn allows you to see landscapes you wouldn’t otherwise have seen.”

 Rick Rubin 

Sometimes in the heat of July we find a reason to travel up to the cool. We may not have to take a wrong turn, but we may stop just to admire the shades of golden, dry grasses against the lavender hills. There may be a turnout on the highway where the only sound is that of a swiftly flowing river that cuts all other sound from our devices. A noisy peaceful rush of water. Worth the trip even to experience from the car window!

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Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director

“In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes,
and every sunset is different.” John Steinbeck

The Maturango Museum is a busy place with our activities and visitors. It is beginning to be the season where travel is what everyone is planning for a day or even longer. It is always fun to meet the people coming our way and our lizards seem ready to greet our guests, with only an occasional scream! Enjoy watching them but please let them go about their business as inhabitants of our garden.
This month we are beginning our 2nd Annual Matching Funds fundraiser. We have some amazing donors so please match their funds as you can! Double the Impact!
This month we are setting up a “buy a brick fundraiser” as well. We will let you know the details as soon as we have the complete information on the laser engraved bricks. We will use them to be a part of the new pathways through the Gladys Merrick Garden.
Enjoy seeing the desert and remember to hydrate and listen for the birds! If out and about, use care and enjoy the coolness of the evening as the sun sinks in the west.
Be well.

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Museum Director’s Notes

Debbie Benson

“May offers the genesis of our creative rebirth, unfurling the tapestry of genius with each step
we take…” ― Dr. Tracey Bond
One of the aspects of the Museum environment that involves decisions made in the past and our entering the future, are our permanent displays. We changed our flow pattern when we went through our expansion over ten years ago and rethought some of what we understood to be important. Our process continues. This last Friday we had an outstanding event that included Museum staff, volunteers, friends and family as the acrylic case was installed around the Paleontology Display. Along with a group of our volunteers who have worked for some time on this project, we had the pleasure of working with some of the workers from Sidewinder Solar as a 300-pound acrylic case was negotiated from the back of a transport trailer, through an entryway, through exhibits and into location for installation. While it did have a test install and a few redoes, it was hung and set in place in a matter of hours. It is a beautiful display and provides information about the extinct Pleistocene giants in our valley. Please come see it in person if possible! Sherry, our Natural History curator, who led this project, and the people who devoted time, energy and thought have much to be proud of. We are all thankful and proud of what came together. I’m sure more information will come in the future but we all wanted to share a bit now!
The flowers are still coming into bloom and there is much to enjoy! There are desert inhabitants out as well; use your eyes, ears and camera to share their habitat, but please let them be. Our best to you All!

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