Aptos History Museum
         
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The Aptos History Museum

 

Welcome to the Aptos History Museum web site. I hope you will come to the site often for information about the museum itself as well as its programs and events. Our museum is focused on the incredibly rich and fascinating history of a relatively compact area – the few square miles that make up Aptos Village, Rio Del Mar, Seacliff, Seascape, and the surrounding hills and beaches. The Aptos History Museum is a wonderful community asset with a fantastic collection of local artifacts, photographs, and information. It is made possible by the many volunteers who continue to donate their time and talent. The museum operates financially solely from memberships and donations, and, if you have not already done so, I encourage you to become a museum member and/or volunteer with us in any capacity that you can. Your comments, ideas, or suggestions are always welcome.

The Aptos History Museum began in the 1980s when Carolyn Swift, the curator of the Capitola Museum, gave a photograph of the Aptos Railroad Station to John Hibble. John was a history buff who, along with his wife Karen, were (and continue to be) directors of the Aptos Chamber of Commerce which was then located in Redwood Village. John's photo collection began to grow, other historical items were donated by community members, and this growing collection was displayed at the Chamber of Commerce. When the Aptos Chamber moved to its current location on Old Dominion Court, the collection expanded somewhat and was displayed within the Chamber office, but most of John's collection remained in storage.

In 2005, additional office space in the Chamber building became available, and Karen Hibble determined that the Aptos History Museum deserved to have its own larger facility and become a real museum. She and John appealed to the community, and an advisory committee was formed. The new space was repainted and made ready, and new display cases were built. John's now sizable collection was retrieved from storage and dusted off, and a crew of volunteers worked for many months to set up and organize the new museum. The Aptos History Museum opened its expanded facility on May 24, 2006, and it has since garnered enthusiastic reviews and numerous citations of merit. Most notably, the Museum received the Aptos Community Achievement Award in 2006.

Please join us at the Aptos History Museum for our monthly advisory board meeting which takes place on the third Wednesday of every month. Please call 831-688-1467 for details and or reservations.