History never stands still - every day, an additional 24 hours is added to the past, and there’s no slowing down. Fortunately, we at the History Center are on the job and working constantly to improve our understanding, broaden our perspectives, conserve what we have, and collect new objects that will keep us in the business of talking about the past well into the future.
2023 has been a banner year, and we have high expectations for 2024 as well. School field trips, summer camps, and community events on Mission Plaza have helped us reach the next generation of SLO residents with the rich and varied tales of our county’s history. Our internship program is very popular among students at Cal Poly and Cuesta, with applicants from departments like History, Anthropology, Archaeology, and more. Interns learn hands-on skills in the museum field while we get their invaluable help in analyzing documents, photos, and items from SLO history. We’ve had a successful season of events in the ever-beautiful Dallidet Gardens, bringing hundreds of people to experience the tranquility and learn about early families of San Luis Obispo. And our research room is the premier site for accessing answers - and finding new questions - about the people, buildings, businesses, and events of San Luis Obispo County’s yesteryears. We are in high demand among writers, filmmakers, scholars, and those who are simply curious.
In order to keep doing all of these things, we need your financial support. Operating a museum, research facility, historic home and garden, as well as two off-site storage facilities requires massive amounts of time, energy, and money, so we are asking for your generous investment in the future of history in San Luis Obispo.
Please give what you can to keep history alive and vital in San Luis Obispo County. We can't do it without you!