Museum of Riverside

Collections

The health and wellbeing of our visitors, volunteers, and staff are our first priority.  In compliance with the recommendations of local and state officials to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, City of Riverside facilities such as the Museum of Riverside’s Heritage House remain closed to the public until further notice. 

Please click here for more information about the City of Riverside’s COVID-19 response: https://www.riversideca.gov/press/information-regarding-covid-19-coronavirus

COLLECTING THE COVID-19 EXPERIENCE

Continuing its tradition of recording the history of our area, the Museum of Riverside is collecting materials that document the response of our community to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We’re all affected in different ways by this unprecedented time.  As everyone adjusts to the local, state, and national declarations of emergency and the directives aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, we at the Museum of Riverside wish to record the material traces of this moment and the stories and insights everyone is acquiring.  We seek digital and physical collections that will reflect the changes in the way each of us is working, getting around, teaching our children, relaxing, worshipping, learning, celebrating our families, and helping those in most urgent need. 

Please tell us your story and give some thought to physical items and written records, videos, or audio recordings that reflect memorable moments, experiences, and challenges.  If you don’t have time to do this now, please consider sharing your “scrapbook” of observations and insights after the period of emergency declaration is behind us.  Your stories and materials will help us interpret this pan-human experience for future audiences.

Contact us about donating physical materials or use the form below to submit digital content. 

Before submitting any material, please read the following Guidelines and Terms:

• You must be 18 years of age or older to submit content.  Parents or guardians submitting a child’s content must sign a release and indicate the name(s) under which the content should be credited.  
• Please submit only original photographic, written, audio, or video content that you own or have created.
• All accepted items will be made available for public research by the Museum of Riverside.
• By submitting content through this form, you acknowledge that you are the legal owner of the property and are granting to the Museum of Riverside a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to preserve, modify, excerpt, and share your content for public research, educational use, exhibitions, or publications, including in print or online.
• The Museum of Riverside reserves the right to remove or discard content that it considers duplicative, inappropriate, or outside the scope of this project.
• The Museum of Riverside is not obligated to include your content in this collection or preserve it in perpetuity.
• The Museum of Riverside cannot supply appraisals or valuations of property donated to the COVID-19 collection.

COLLECTING MATERIAL OBJECTS

We are interested in physical items that reflect the impact of the pandemic on Riverside, such as temporary signage, takeout menus, club newsletters, diaries, home lesson plans, direct mail notices, and similar items.  PLEASE DO NOT set aside critical medical or protective gear that medical professionals and first responders may need at this time.

To offer an object, please contact Robyn G. Peterson, Museum Director, at COVID19Collection@riversideca.gov.  Physical transfer of objects will be scheduled at a time after the state of emergency is lifted.

Collecting COVID-19 Form

Nature

As part of its mission, the Museum collects, preserves, and interprets specimens that document the natural setting of Riverside and the region around it. Plants, animals, people, and the geological setting for their activities all contribute to the study of Natural History. Read More...

Cultural

The cultural collections at the Museum provide a look into the diversity of our community and the cultural history of the region.
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History

The History Collection includes citrus picking/packing related tools and equipment, household furnishings, fine and decorative arts, machinery, tools, architectural elements, dolls, textiles and costumes, archaeological collections, and works of art.
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Archival

The Museum's Archival Collection is among the most comprehensive of any in the City. The history, growth, and development of Riverside and surrounding areas from before its founding up to the present are contained within the photographs, documents, manuscripts, and ephemera. Read More...