Pasadena Museum of History

It's party time!

‘Highway to Adventure’: Pasadena Museum of History to host triple anniversary This year marks the 140th anniversary of Pasadena’s incorporation as the second city in Los Angeles County. In commemoration of its history — as well as the anniversary of the

Looking for some Beach Boys vibes this weekend?

Join the party at Happy Birthday Pasadena on Sunday (June 14) from Noon to 4 pm. Four on the Floor, a quartet of talented Pasadenans - Ron Ota, Tom Behrens, Mike Franceschini and Carlos Chavez - will be playing a variety of classic rock favs. Beach Boys, Credence, ZZ Top and more.

The free event also features Route 66-themed displays and activities, complimentary birthday cake and lemonade, and much more. For details visit pasadenahistory.org.

Design your own wheels with Art 2 Go at Happy Birthday Pasadena! Join us this Sunday, June 14, from Noon to 4 pm and celebrate Pasadena's 140th birthday - plus the centennial of historic Route 66 and the 150th anniversary of Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard.

Cars and the auto culture that grew up along Route 66 are the theme. You'll see a showcase of vintage vehicles, enjoy retro rock 'n roll performances, view fascinating displays and try your hand at a number of hands-on activities. Free cake all day, too!

It's a FREE party; no tickets required.

Route 66 & Old Pasadena’s Car Scene - Walking Tour this Saturday, June 6, 10 am to 12 noon

PMH curator Julia Long leads us around present-day Old Pasadena, exploring a section of famed Route 66 in this first of a two-part series. Learn about Old Pasadena’s car scene that featured one of the original “Automobile Rows,” and buildings that once housed gas stations, car mechanics, and even an electric car dealership from the early 20th century.

The Route 66 series will continue through the Playhouse Village in Part 2 on July 11.

Tickets are sold separately for the two tours; advance reservations necessary ($25 General; $20 PMH Members). Visit the Museum's Events Calendar for the ticketing link.

Pasadena Palette: David Sikes, “Autumn Pasadena Parrots,” 2014; oil on canvas; Gift of Gallerie Gabrie, San Marino Gallery, Segil Fine Art Sources, Silvana Gallery, & Tirage Fine Art Gallery, 2014

We continue a series spotlighting the 40 art treasures currently on display in “Pasadena Palette: Selections from the Museum’s Collections.” The exhibition is open Thursdays through Sundays from 12-5 pm.

May 31 is World Parrot Day, dedicated to raising awareness of the beauty, intelligence and conservation of parrots. Fortunately, we just happen to have the perfect painting on view in our exhibition. Southern California artist David Sikes captured a scene familiar to many of us – blue skies, palm trees, and parrots. “Autumn Pasadena Parrots” was first displayed at PMH in the 2014 exhibition, “Contemporary Masters: Artistic Eden IV” and donated at that time to PMH as the “purchase prize” by the consortium of art galleries represented in the exhibition.
According to Aaron Rickell Jones of LA Field Guide, “Pasadena is home to a population of more than 2,000 parrots—and growing. One of the more unique and bizarre wildlife phenomena in Southern California, they’ve been spotted as far north as Bakersfield and south into Orange County and San Diego, but the epicenter of their population is here in Pasadena. For 50 years, morning and evening, vast flocks of red-crowned parrots, red-masked parakeets, and yellow-headed amazons squelch, crawl, and screech their way into roost trees throughout the San Gabriel Valley.”

For more on the stories behind Pasadena’s iconic parrot population, visit our blog on the PMH website.

This Sunday, 12-4 pm - Free Admission to 5 local museums for MOTA Day!

MOTA Day offers FREE admission and activities at five museums located along the celebrated Arroyo Seco. In addition to PMH, visit the Gamble House, Heritage Square Museum, Los Angeles Police Museum, and Lummis Home & Garden.

At PMH, view Pasadena Palette an exhibition which brings approximately 50 paintings hidden in our collection into the spotlight. Visitors are welcomed inside the Fényes Mansion and Finnish Folk Art Museum for Mini Self-Guided Tours. Kids of all ages can join Art 2 Go’s craft workshop to create a wooden medallion with nature designs.

This is a once-a-year opportunity - don't miss it!

Visit Five Museums for FREE this Sunday on Museums of the Arroyo Day! May 31, 2026. Noon - 4pm.
Explore great art, architecture, and history. Self-guided tours, family friendly activities, plenty of photo opps!
AND ALL FREE!
The Gamble House
Heritage Square Museum
Los Angeles Police Museum
Pasadena Museum of History and
Lummis Home.

Details here on parking and more. www.museumsofthearroyo.com

Note: No shuttles for MOTA Day 2026.

Enjoy this terrific article about some of Pasadena's architectural eye candy:

A Pasadena Bestiary - Local News Pasadena The former Hotel Constance is awash in faux-medieval splendor. The former Hotel Constance awash in faux-medieval splendor

Tickets now available - final exhibition tour with curator Cha-Rie Tang - this Saturday, May 16, 11:00 am at Pasadena Museum of History!

Multi-disciplinary artist Cha-Rie Tang has been creating acclaimed and innovative works for nearly half a century. A sampling of her exquisite ceramics, fused glass, designs and sketches is now on view at PMH in the exhibition "Cha-Rie Tang: 48 Years of Artistic Innovation in Pasadena." This is your last chance to tour the exhibition in the company of the artist before the it closes on Sunday, May 24.

For more information and a ticketing link, please visit the Museum's website.
-RieTang

Celebrating National Postcard Week, May 7-13, 2026:
This restored 1930s-era service station in Galena, Kansas, is one of the most recognizable stops along the short stretch of Route 66 in the state. Originally built as a Kan-O-Tex gas station, it served travelers during the height of mid-century American automobile tourism.

Around 2007, the building was restored by four female partners who renamed it Four Women on the Route. During this period, the site gained wider attention after being visited by director John Lasseter and Pixar’s John Ranfit while traveling Route 66 for the film ‘Cars.”

Today, the site is known as Cars on the Route, reflecting its connection to the animated film "Cars." The station blends Route 66 history with modern pop culture, illustrating how the legacy of the Mother Road continues to evolve for new generations of travelers.