December 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
December is that time where we celebrate our journey through another calendar year and our friends and family. After we celebrate the Winter Solstice our days will begin to lengthen again. Because of our recent rains the desert is greening and we are actively pulling sticker weeds and hoping for flowers in the Spring. We have so many things to celebrate at the Museum! We celebrate our Members and the Volunteers who make so much possible. If you are wondering what to give for gifts, think about memberships for those who might like the gentle push to belong; and the membership comes with a Gift Store discount all year long! We celebrate everyone who makes a difference. Our members and volunteers make a difference in the culture of Ridgecrest and we welcome those who want to contribute not only to the Maturango Museum but to Ridgecrest and its neighbors. If you have some time to donate, come see us - we are all better together! We are enjoying our monthly events. Free 2 nd Saturday continues to be a great opportunity for families to come to the Museum. The Docents continue to be the best source of fun information for the kids. Keep an eye on our events calendar for our activities! The monthly newsletter also lists activities and events at the Museum; see www.maturango.org to sign up for the newsletter or come in to the gift store. We have a campaign for our Fundraising Bricks; buy your own piece of history as a gift for yourself or your people!
Have a great December, please be safe as you explore our desert and its beauty.
Take Care and Be Well!
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November 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
November is one of the months that hold a bit of nostalgic sweetness, with the morning waiting and the evening coming earlier. The hum of conditioned air silent as the outside is often comfortable and preferred to being inside. A time for walks and investigating the gardens in preparation for colder days. November is a month where we celebrate being thankful, and we have much to be thankful for. After holding our yearly fundraising dinner and auction, I am always grateful and pleased by each person who comes to join the fun and our sponsors; Hyla Nursery, AltaOne FCU, Desert Valleys FCU, Meith Operational Solutions, Firequick Products, Inc., Spot, Desert Artists League, Diane Foucher and all of our “No Frills” supporters! You’re the best! Thanks to Casey’s and our volunteers who make everything come together and people glad to share time with friends. Thank you to James Bell for pulling it all together for the benefit of the Maturango Museum and the Ridgecrest Community.
Thank you All and Be well!
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October 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
In all of the excitement and planning for the Dinner Auction on October 25, it is so very lovely to take a break and walk through the Gladys Merrick Garden. Volunteers are working to control the sudden sprouting of small trees from the rains. The cool morning breeze is making our little colored flags wave to passersby. Each color reflecting the garden and its plants and flowers. We are planning a new area in the garden to encourage pollinators. It will be a positive place for all. I am thankful for the process and the volunteers who make additions like this happen. Thank you all for your time and your support. I hope to see many of you at the Dinner Auction and when you stop by to see us! Be well!
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September 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
September is coming with its own sense of time passages! The children are truly back doing their lessons and we are getting ready for an Equinox, 2nd (Free) Saturday, the Open Studio Tour and planning for some field trips and our Annual Fundraising Dinner Auction. These are always fun events to share knowledge and FUNdraise for the museum.
Please join us and possibly donate to the Dinner/Auction or volunteer to help. The newsletter is filled with information about our plans! Read it all! Hope you can come by and see the historic farm equipment and enjoy the shade in our garden. We are all aware that this year is hot and dry. Please use caution, no fires and always have drinking water. Check for fires when travelling and think good thoughts for all of those fighting so many fires. Take care!
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August 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
"The summer night is like perfection of thought" ~ Wallace Stevens
Thank you to all of the wonderful donors who took part in the Matching Funds drive! You make a difference and we know how important it is to have your care and support. Thank you also to our newest members. Welcome and enjoy your membership benefits!
The Museum is staying busy with travelers driving through town and local people just wanting to come in, get cool and look at the Gift Store and the Museum itself. Some of the Pacific Crest Trail hikers come to the Museum to look at the photo display in the Sylvia Winslow Gallery and see if they recognize the locations. It’s always interesting to share a conversation and learn that some have the trail as a part of their life goal where others just happened into it. It takes all kinds!
While we celebrate August, it is often the month of some of the hottest days. In Ridgecrest we have our fair share of hot days, which is what makes the evening and the night so enjoyable. The temperature drops as the sun sinks in our sky and we have a chance to just sit and admire our view of the surrounding mountains and enjoy the star-filled beauty of a summer night in the desert. It is even a pleasure to watch the evening bats flitting above, taking care of a fair amount of the summer bug population!
We are getting ready for the local schools to open the first week of August. Please watch for the traffic flow to reflect school activities.
Take care and remember to hydrate!
Download August 2025 Newsletter!! ---> Click Here
July 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
July is a time to enjoy the local area! After celebrating Midsummer, the desert is drying and heat is a reality. We hear constant reminders to use care with anything involving fire and sun exposure. This includes you and your pet! That quick run across the street or sand with no protection can burn!
We have so many things to celebrate at the Museum! We are in the midst of our Matching Donation fund drive as well as encouraging new membership. We are all overwhelmed by the support being shown by our members. Members keeping the lights on makes a difference!
Everyone can make a difference. We make a difference in the culture of Ridgecrest and we welcome those who want to contribute not only to the Maturango Museum but to Ridgecrest and its neighbors. If you have some time to donate, come see us. We are all better as a community that helps each other and shares time together
We are enjoying our monthly events. 2nd Saturday continues to be a great opportunity for families to come to the Museum with no entrance fee. The Docents continue to be the best source of fun information for the kids! Keep an eye on our events calendar for some fun activities.
We have started a new campaign for our Fundraising Bricks; buy your own piece of history.
Have a great July, please be safe as you explore our desert and respect its wildlife, and Be Well!
Download the July Newsletter Now
June 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
June is an energizing time for the Maturango Museum. From June 1 to July 15 we will be having our Matching Funds Drive. This is a great time to donate and double your impact!
We are also reminding our friends and neighbors how important and beneficial it is to be a member of the Museum. As a local non-profit, the work that we do benefits our community and our visitors. Have you come by to see us lately? Please stop by to see the work we’ve been doing; each month on 2nd Saturday, the admission is free and we often have activities for children. This is posted on our sign and on the events calendar on the website.
We were glad to welcome our new volunteers. They are the reason we can carry on our programs and outreach. A big thank you to all of our volunteers and everyone who supports them!
Take care and keep water nearby!
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June 2025 pdf (2)
April 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
“No rain, no flowers.” – Haruki Murakami
There is a certain repetition in the concept that, as I write of April, the desert wind is my companion. More often than not during these months it is a fact. We were fortunate to have had a few chances for the spitting cold of March to bring a few rains and a bit of snow touched the feet of Robber’s Roost. It certainly won’t bring the intense greening of 2024, but there will be a greening and flowers will bloom. We will all watch for the small flags of color as each plant continues its cycle. There is no doubt that there will be a change but we will watch and admire as it happens. We hope that you can come by the Museum for the Wildflower Exhibit on March 28, 29 & 30 for some of the events planned.
At our Annual Meeting we offered our heartfelt thanks to Renee Lesniak for her time on the Board, her abilities with being the Secretary, transcribing minutes and a video and hope she will continue as one of our History volunteers who work with Elaine. We welcomed our new Board member, Alisha Mondragon, and appreciate that she is willing to give her time to us as well as her family and business.
Elaine Wiley gave an interesting presentation on the history of the Wildflower Exhibit with all of its names and many of the faces. It was fun to see the transition throughout the years.
After the Meeting we held a ribbon cutting for our Solar Power Array with Bea and Lloyd Smith. When we were done Lloyd flipped the switch! We are still doing some paperwork but it is ready to make a difference. We were also able to share the new Alternative Energy Display with the Membership who came to the event. It was a good day with good food and friendly people! Thank you all!
Our Annual Report can be found on the Newsletter page on our website.
Download the April Newsletter Now
2024 Annual Report
Maturango Museum 2025 Annual Meeting
2024 Annual Report
We have completed another year for the Maturango Museum. We could not have done so without all who volunteered their time and skills. We are trying to prepare the museum for the future with projects that will reduce our costs, and continue to provide our community with lectures, field trips, concerts, children’s events, historical and current videos of our desert.
You can find the entire 2024 Report 2025Annual
March 2025 Newsletter
Museum Director’s Notes
By Debbie Benson, Director
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” Abigail Adams
In reflecting on these words penned by Abigail, I watch our docents leading groups of students through the gardens and the Museum; I think of the inspiration they offer to everyone at any level of learning. Our new Renewable Energy interactive display is a great addition to this process and was tied to our solar field construction and our thoughts of being able to see the energy being produced. It’s informative and fun!
This is the time of year when the docents are being requested at schools and for Museum tours. If you are inspired to become a docent please contact Nora or come to a docent meeting on the first Tuesday of the month.
If you are a member, which I hope you are! Our annual meeting on March 16 at 2pm, is an opportunity to learn about our current activities and future plans.
When you go by the Museum you will see the progression of our beautiful protective fencing. Many thanks go to the donors and the installation team of Museum volunteers.
We are busy planning and hopeful that the Wildflowers will bloom!
Download the March Newsletter Now
March 2025 (2)