Op-Ed: Cultural and Natural History Museum at the Great Park?
Orange County does not have a Cultural and Natural History Museum, but that may soon change. As a board member with the California Cultural Resources Preservation Alliance, Inc. (CCRPA) I am advocating for an OC Cultural and Natural History Museum in the Great Park.
Our Museum Task Force has been working for several years on a proposal and will make a presentation at the Great Park Board meeting on September 24th.
CCPRA was formed in 1998 in response to accelerating development, especially in California and the continuing loss of a number of significant cultural and archaeological sites, including coastal villages and cemeteries in Orange County. The CCRPA seeks to identify, preserve, and protect significant cultural resources located in California. http://www.ccrpa.com
The Museum Task Force is made up of anthropologists, archaeologists, Native Americans, educators, paleontologists, legal experts, the Pacific Coast Anthropological Society, CCRPA (California Cultural Resource Preservation Alliance) and many others who have provided special expertise for this project.
One of the largest expenses for museums is the acquisition, curation, and preparation of collections. However, this won’t be a major expense for the OC Cultural and Natural History Museum, because the John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center is currently storing thousands of artifacts and millions of fossils, many of which are nearly ready for display. The Cooper Center, a partnership between OC Parks and the California State University of Fullerton, is committed to the long-term preservation, curation, and management of the fossils and artifacts collected within the County.
The Museum Task Force has adhered to the guidelines set down for all applicants in the Due Diligence requirements prepared by AECOM, October 2017. The education community is behind our proposal.
Please attend the 2pm Great Park Board meeting this Tuesday, September 24, and lend your support. The meeting is at Irvine City Hall, Council Chamber.
2 Comments
Jeanne Baran
September 23, 2019 at 12:36 pmJane, I’m interested in hearing more about this cultural feature and all the other possibilities. What will be the key anchors for the Cultural Terrace? The City and Fivepoint have a jointly commissioned planning study for planning, feasibility, and related tech studies for the Cultural Terrace. This agreement provides for FivePoint to fund up to $2 million for the joint study. How is this $$$$ being used? How much has been spent to date? I hope we get an update on the Cultural Terrace planning process, and the status of construction for the City’s 688 acre Great Park. That component isn’t complete – the City Council removed the recreational feature (golf course) from the plan. Ongoing and continuous community updates are vital.
Susan Sayre
September 30, 2019 at 12:37 pmJane, I certainly agree with the fact that we need a cultural center which contains a natural history museum. Irvine and Orange County have a history that needs to be shared with the community. We have the artifacts, and they need to be displayed for the public to explore.
The Great Park needs more than athletic fields, ice rinks, and entertainment venues. I am waiting for the Historical Museum and the Botanical Garden that, for many years, people have been asking for and for which people have put in long hours creating proposals which have already been presented to the City and the Great Park decision makers.
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