Are there really tunnels under the downtown Museum site? How do you demolish old additions without collapsing a historic building? Bring all your questions about the main Museum construction project to our experts! The Museum’s architects will look at the evolution of the current home of the Museum of Riverside, and share interesting discoveries made during the design and ongoing construction processes. Find out about the process of preserving beloved features of the historic building and revealing features you didn’t know were there. The architects at Perkins Eastman have many historic preservation successes to their credit, including the major rehabilitation of the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles. Their work is laying the foundation for the Museum of Riverside’s future! Stephanie Kingsnorth is Principal and Executive Director at Perkins Eastman, a global design firm. She has a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Washington and is FAIA, NCARB-certified and LEED-accredited. Melissa Boudreau is an Associate at Perkins Eastman. She has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Virginia Tech.
The Museum of Riverside is partnering with Division 9 Gallery to install a mural along the Orange Street Pedestrian Walkway outside of our construction site. Gallery owner Cosme Cordova has assembled a group of artists, skilled in mural design, to create nine distinct panels with their own artistic style and vision. The mural will be up until the Museum's construction project is complete. Artists include: Cosme himself, Adam Aguilar (More Leaders), Amparo Chi, ELIDÉ, Man One, Zufos Muchas Salamat, and more! Have a conversation with the artists during the unveiling and learn more about the Museum's construction project. Light refreshments available, first come, first served. This event is free and family-friendly!
This year the Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as Moon Festival) is in September! Stop by the Museum of Riverside’s booth at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue from 6 to 9 p.m. to make your own lantern in preparation for this time-honored festival. Don’t forget to attend the Museum’s Moon Festival on Friday, September 25, at Heritage House (8193 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside) from 6 to 8 p.m
Join us for an afternoon of Victorian arts! Create your own mini-masterpiece in our artist-guided painting workshops, explore the art of gilding, and enjoy a tour of Gilded: The Art of Heritage House led by a curator of this exhibition, Museum Director Robyn G. Peterson. A local artist will lead the painting workshops and offer sessions at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Space is limited and the sessions are best for those ages 14+. Other activities include creating a magnet with a “gilded” frame and a large, community paint-by-number session. The curator-led tour of the Gilded exhibition will be held from 2:15 to 3 p.m. "Art in the Victorian Era" is one of three programs accompanying the Gilded: The Art of Heritage House exhibition, which will be on view September 11 through November 29, 2026. Two other programs are "Dying for Art" (October 24, noon to 4 p.m.) and "Write Like a Victorian: A Literary Romp" (November 15, 2 to 3:30 p.m.)
Historic Wintersburg on the coast in Huntington Beach embodies three generations of the Japanese American experience, from immigration in the late nineteenth century to the return from the federal incarceration camps following World War II. It is a very rare surviving remnant of a century-old Japantown. Find out about this fascinating site, its recent challenges, and its path forward. H. Ernie Nishii, an attorney, is president of the Historic Wintersburg Conservancy in Huntington Beach and involved with many community and educational organizations. Mr. Nishii states that “History is not a textbook. It is lived.” He will discuss Historic Wintersburg, a historic site key to Southern California’s Japanese American history. His talk will dispel myths and stereotypes about Huntington Beach and describe how the area welcomed and supported immigrant farmworkers. His talk will also be a precautionary tale regarding how national prejudices weakened and even destroyed communities after World War II and how our country can thrive through understanding of the past.
Celebrate Asian cultures under a full moon! Moon festivals are celebrated throughout Asia with moon cakes, lanterns, and gratitude for friends and family. These celebrations originated with the ancient tradition of honoring the moon in autumn for the harvest. The Moon Festival at Heritage House marks the importance of Chinese Americans in building Riverside’s citrus industry. Join us for an evening of storytelling by Barbara Wong, performances by Gió Nam Múa Lân (Southern Wind Lion Dance, 南風醒獅團), and Chinese calligraphy demonstrations by Riverside’s Hua Xia Chinese School. The festival will also feature moon viewing with the UC Riverside astronomy department and Astronomy Club outreach members, demonstrations, and a fun craft for all ages. Moon cakes will be available for purchase. Hope to see you there! This event is free! Parking is available across the street from Heritage House at the Family Service Association parking lot at 8172 Magnolia Avenue. Street parking is available. Heritage House is located at 8193 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, California, 92504.
Spooky season is upon us, and the Museum of Riverside wants to invite you to learn about Victorian rituals surrounding the afterlife. Join us at our booth at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue this Artswalk, Thursday, October 1 from 6 to 9 p.m. as we dive into the world of Victorian practices and beliefs.
Explore the history of the natural history of Riverside! How was Riverside’s ecology different 250 years ago? Or 250 million years ago when Riverside was underwater?! As Bob Dylan sang, "The Times They Are A-Changin'!" Join us as we discuss these changes and then explore our current ecology on a nature walk around the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District's LandUse Learning Center! The Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District is located at 4500 Glenwood Drive, Riverside, CA, 92501.
What did Riverside look like 250 years ago? Who helped build the Riverside we know today? This First Sundays we’ll explore the indigenous labor that helped shape and build our city. Find us at the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Main Street for this free, family-friendly activity!
Calling all fossil lovers! National Fossil Day is October 14, 2026, and we’re excited to talk fossils! Big fossils, small fossils, broken fossils, perfect fossils – we love them all! Join us at La Sierra Library from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. as we talk about what fossils are, why we love them, what they tell us, and why they’re useful! Free and family-friendly. The La Sierra Library is located at 4600 La Sierra Avenue, Riverside, CA 92505.
Join us for a screening of the gothic horror classic, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941). From the director who brought to life Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, Victor Fleming examines the dark side of Victorian psychology in his adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella. Dr. Jekyll (Spencer Tracy) proposes there is a dichotomy of good and evil in us all which can be explored when dosed with a serum he developed… but what happens when one side takes control?! We invite you once again to bring your blanket and/or campling chairs for a cozy viewings of classic Hollywood films under the stars on the lawn at Heritage House. This fall these FREE events will take place October 16 and November 20. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and screenings begin at 6:30 p.m. Concessions available at the Heritage House Snack Shack (CASH ONLY). Limited on site and street parking available.
Join the Museum of Riverside for the Victorian Dark Carnival . . . not a midway fair, but a gathering of curiosities and amusements as the Victorians knew them. Enjoy “Tea with the Undertaker." Hear about the life and times of one of Riverside’s preeminent undertakers and funeral directors, Stephen Squire, as well as the skills of his wife, Marion Mingo Squire, as a “layer-outer” of the dead. Be swindled or amazed by a mermaid. Get cured or taken in by a cure-all. Consult with a tarot reader and see what the future holds. View oddities in jars and participate in a free activity! Be sure to book a tour of the house to experience Victorian mourning and death practices.
Victorians developed new colors and techniques for making art, but some could put them in their graves! Find out about the deadly ingredients list, artists who may have inadvertently poisoned themselves, and what colors were the most problematic at this event. From arsenic to lead, Victorian artists were exposed to a spectrum of toxins. Join special guests Urge Palette to learn how to stay safe with today’s artists’ materials. Join us in the gardens of Heritage House (8193 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92504) on Saturday, October 24, from noon to 4 p.m. to learn about all the dangerous ingredients, paints, and supplies that Victorians were "dying" for. Spend some time creating your own memento mori, and don't forget to take a tour of the house. Gilded: The Art of Heritage House will be on view will be on view September 11 through November 29, 2026, and Behind the Black Veil will be on view October 2 through November 1. Activities will be held from noon to 4 p.m. They will include a memento mori collage activity, artists and art showcasing dangerous and deadly art supplies, and a presentation by Urge Palette on the dangers of contemporary art supplies. This event is suggested for those ages 16+. "Dying for Art" is one of three programs accompanying the Gilded: The Art of Heritage House exhibition, which will be on view September 11 through November 29, 2026. Two other programs are "Art in the Victorian Era" (September 12, noon to 4 p.m.) and "Write Like a Victorian: A Literary Romp" (November 15, 2 to 3:30 p.m.)
It’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)! Join us for November’s First Sundays as we talk about the history of this celebration and make a fluttering butterfly clothespin craft. Find us at the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Main Street for this free, family-friendly activity!
Let’s talk about gourds! Gourds are a versatile food source and have been used to create decorations, musical instruments, bird houses, containers, soaps, and even cosmetics! This Artswalk, join the Museum of Riverside and decorate a gourd! Find us at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. to participate in this free, family-friendly activity!
Share an evening under the stars as we screen the costume drama “Far from the Madding Crowd” (1967). This film version of Thomas Hardy’s classic 1874 Victorian-era novel with the same name is set in an idyllic rural setting. The serene place contrasts dramatically with a story of emotional tension, love, and betrayal. The story of one woman and three very different men who become part of her life reveals the demands and limits of Victorian social codes. With an all-star cast featuring Julie Christie, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch, and Alan Bates, Far from the Madding Crowd examines personalities and passions in nineteenth-century rural England. This FREE event will take place November 20. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Concessions available at the Heritage House Snack Shack (CASH ONLY). Limited on site and street parking available.
Many of the winter holiday traditions we have today were popular in the Victorian era. From decorating with evergreens, to holiday cards and gift giving, these practices have been around for a while! Join us this Artswalk on Thursday December 3, 2026 at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue from 6-9pm to learn about some holiday traditions and make vintage inspired decorations with us!
The winter season means the smell of pine is in the air! Evergreens are a staple of the winter season and have been used to bring life into homes during the dead of winter. Join us this First Sundays to learn about the significance of conifers and make a tree cake ornament and contribute to a community wreath! Find us at the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Main Street for this free, family-friendly activity!