Featured Object 
Image: Fourth of July fireworks show at the Rose Bowl, 1935. (call # D5-F1-9)
When this photograph was taken in 1935, the Pasadena Fire Department had been putting on a circus and fireworks show at the Rose Bowl for nearly a decade. Revenue from the Fourth of July show would then go to support the Fireman's Band Fund, which supported local firemen and Pasadena's fire stations. The fire department continued to organize the circus and fireworks show until 1981. The show has now been the center of Pasadena's Fourth of July celebrations for more than eight decades.
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Featured Sponsor
Parsons Corporation
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You can also keep up with PMH on the following sites:
 
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About the Museum
Founded in 1924 to preserve and share the rich history, art, and culture of Pasadena and neighboring communities, Pasadena Museum of History has developed into one of the country's premiere institutions of its size. PMH is an independent nonprofit cultural institution funded by generous gifts from foundations, corporations, businesses, individuals, and our members.
The Mission of the Museum is to promote an appreciation of history, culture, arts, and sciences relevant to Pasadena and adjoining communities.
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Our e-calendar, available to Members and Non-Members alike, is designed to keep our supporters informed about happenings and upcoming events at Pasadena Museum of History.
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Featured Event
 Summertime Fun - Family Free Day
Sunday, July 24, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
A dash of culture, a sprinkling of old time music, games in the garden, and a scoop of tasty ice cream all served up at PMH are the ingredients for a fun summer day. You'll enjoy free admission to the Museum's exhibitions Mad for Hats! and Pasadena Patron plus an afternoon of special programming and complimentary ice cream. Unbound Productions presents History Lit - play readings of three theatrical adaptations of classic short stories from some of the great women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries: The Garden Party by Jonathan Josephson, adapted from the short story by Katherine Mansefield; Two Pictures in One by Paul Millet, adapted from a story by Harriet Beecher Stowe; and The Yellow Wallpaper by Jeff G. Rack, adapted from the story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Image: Staged reading of "A Garden Party," by Jonathan Josephson, adapted from the short story of the same name by Katherine Mansfield at PMH, directed by Paul Millet. All photos by Daniel Kitayama. Pictured from left to right: Cindy Gravinese, Samara Josephson and Michael Perl.
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Current Exhibitions
Mad for Hats! Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Gallery
Wed - Sun, Noon to 5:00 pm; Open through September 25
The popularity, size, and shape of hats has changed measurably over time. In past decades, a respectable lady or gentleman would not have ventured outdoors without one. The design of women's hats has been influenced by hairstyles, haute couture, new materials, even the popular use of the parasol. The impact of men's hat designs - such as the top hat and the fedora - has also been remarkable.
The exhibition Mad for Hats! explores women's hats as social and fashion phenomena. More than 100 hats and related photographs, selected from the Museum's collections, showcase the various materials, styles, and shapes of ladies' hats from the 1860s to the 1960s. Image: Early Pasadena resident, c. 1890 (Black History Collection, call # BH-L24-23)  Pasadena Patron: The Life & Legacy of Eva Scott Fenyes
Willis B. Stork Gallery
Wed - Sun, Noon to 5:00 pm
In an era when well-to-do families took a special interest in creating significant and valuable collections, Pasadena's Eva Scott Fenyes devoted her discriminating tastes, vast knowledge, and ample funds to surround herself with furniture, textiles, china, silver, and art. Eva and her second husband, Dr. Adalbert Fenyes, filled their home with art and antiques they assembled from their travels worldwide.
Pasadena Patron offers an in-depth examination of the life and legacy of one of early Pasadena's most prominent and influential women. Themes covered in this special exhibition include Fenyes family history, Eva as an art patron and watercolorist, the influence of Europe and the East Coast on her collection, and the social milieu she created here in Pasadena. Exhibition highlights include items from the Fenyes collection never before on public display.
Image: John Hubbard Rich (1876 - 1954). "Portrait of Mrs. Adalbert Fenyes," c. 1910. Oil on canvas, 84 x 63.5 cm. (acc. # 2000.019.0090)
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Upcoming Events
 Sunny Tales from Around the World: Children's Storytime with Sunny Stevenson
Wednesday, July 13, 10:30 am at San Rafael Branch of the Pasadena Public Library, 1240 Nithsdale Rd., Pasadena 91105
On the second Wednesday of every month, PMH presents a storytelling series in collaboration with the Pasadena Public Library, San Rafael branch. In July, the Museum's beloved storyteller Sunny Stevenson will enthrall her listeners with stories celebrating German culture. Please join us!
Tickets: Free; no reservations required.
Mad for Hats! Tour and Tea
Fridays, through September 23; Tours at 12:15 pm. Tea at 1:30 pm at Tea Rose Garden, 28 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena 91105
This summer, choose a Friday and treat yourself and your friends to a docent-led stroll through hat history from the 1860s to the 1960s. Then continue in the vintage spirit with an elegant afternoon tea at the nearby Tea Rose Garden.
Tickets: Tour: Museum Members $4; Non-Members $8. Reservations and prepayment required. Tea: $25 payable at restaurant (20% of your restaurant bill will be donated to PMH). Please call 626.577.1660, ext. 26 and ask for the "Mad for Hats! Tour and Tea Package."
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