Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History

Social and Cultural Organizations of West Marin
2019-07-18 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
Small rural communities tend to have more going on than meets the eye. This exhibit curated by Meg Linden and Tom Branan focuses mainly on the buildings used to house many local organizations that began in the 19th century, a number of them still active today. These include churches and schools as well as the Druid’s Halls and various “Community Centers”, most of which did not have that name but served that function. There are far too many organizations to feature all of them. This exhibit represents a sampling.

Those Shafter Women
2019-08-01 - 2019-08-02 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
Those Shafter Women was curated by Tom Branan, Gayanne Enquist and Meg Linden. It focuses on the wives and daughters of the original six children born to Mary Lovell Shafter and William Rufus Shafter. They are Wealthy Lauretta Shafter Ransom, Oscar Lovell Shafter, Hugh Morris Shafter, James McMillan Shafter, William Newton Shafter and Mary Lovell Shafter Edminster. Wealthy Lauretta and Hugh Morris both settled in Galesburg, Michigan so we have less information about them. The remaining four families eventually came to California and all of them were involved in Point Reyes area history to a greater or lesser extent. There is also a small exhibit on The Shafters in the Civil War which fills in some information about the two families that went to Michigan.

Daffodils and Daisies: From the Old World to the New
2019-08-01 - 2019-11-30
Photographs, planting maps, and notebooks from the Jack Mason Archives show the styles of gardens that were created in Inverness from 1870-1970. Immigrants from Scotland, Italy, Portugal, and other European countries brought their various gardening styles and plant selections to the Peninsula creating new landscapes.

Now and Then
2019-08-01 03:37 (America/Los_Angeles) | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
The Latino Photo Project began as an English literacy class at the Dance Palace Community Center in 2003 shepherded by photographer Luz Elena Castro. Today the Project is part of Gallery Route One, an artists cooperative in Point Reyes Station and is guided by artist writer Nancy Bertelsen and photographer Elizabeth Fenwick. Since its inception, the photo project has provided equipment and professional training to members of the Latino community, many of whom are immigrants. The Photo Project began with documentary photographs in black and white film showing various aspects of community life and over time has added more creative imagery and color film.
El Latino Photo Project comenzó como una clase de alfabetización en inglés en el Centro Comunitario de Dance Palace en 2003, pastoreada por la fotógrafa Luz Elena Castro. Hoy en día, el Proyecto forma parte de Gallery Route One, una cooperativa de artistas en la estación Point Reyes y está guiada por la escritora Nancy Bertelsen y la fotógrafa Elizabeth Fenwick. Desde su inicio, el proyecto fotográfico ha proporcionado equipo y capacitación profesional a los miembros de la comunidad latina, muchos de los cuales son inmigrantes. El proyecto fotográfico comenzó con fotografías documentales en película en blanco y negro que muestran diversos aspectos de la vida comunitaria y, con el tiempo, ha agregado imágenes creativas y películas en color.
2019 Latino Photo Project
Gisela Alvarado
Beatriz Gomez
Teresa Jesus Gutierrez
Agustina Martinez
Maricela Mora
Jessica Oliva
Ana Maria Ramirez
Rosa Rodriguez

Old News is Good News!
2019-11-10 - 2020-02-28 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
The exhibition focuses on West Marin publications that emerge from community energy, assembled ad hoc by neighbors and friends, beginning in 1903 to the present day. Have you heard of The Rogie, The Baywood Press, The New Weather Observer, The Paper, Shelter Publications or the Outlaw Building News? These are just some of the local publications presented that reveal a collective narrative of this special place. In conjunction with the exhibit Nicole Lavelle will present a series of related programming around West Marin on November 28, December 8, and February 15th.

Jack Mason Museum Exhibition
2020-03-07 08:00 - 2021-07-31 17:00 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States

The Point Reyes Lighthouse of 1870
2022-04-24 - 2022-06-30 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
Celebrate a belated 2020 landmark – the 150th anniversary of the Point Reyes Lighthouse, protecting the California coastline. The exhibit provides a look at the extensive complex of structures that supported the keepers and their work to operate the lighthouse between 1870 and 1975. Exhibit runs through June 2022.

The Dance Palace, 1971 – 2021 (and a bit) .... and still going strong!
2022-10-04 - 2022-11-19 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
In 1996 the Museum presented an exhibit on the first 25 years of the Dance Palace. This year the Dance Palace celebrated a deferred 50th anniversary – hence the 51 years in the title. Andrew Buckingham arranged to borrow materials gathered for that celebration and combine it is some images from the Museum for a new exhibit, which will remain through the year and is open during Inverness Library hours. It focuses on the early years and the transition to the “new” Dance Palace building.

Faces and Friends: West Marin Children in the 1930s
2023-07-01 - 2023-07-31 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
This exhibit of class photographs show some of our local elementary school pupils as they were in the 1930s at Black School in Point Reyes Station, Inverness School and Marshall School. The photographs are clear and sharp and the faces pop put at the viewer. We chose to isolate groups and individuals to give a closer, and less cluttered look at their faces and relationships. Look into their eyes and maybe you will see their future, their past, their home life.

Treasures From the Attic
2024-09-11 | Inverness Library, 15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA, 94937, United States
As renovations are accomplished at The Gables, some of the artifacts and display items long stored in the attic (and also in the secure archives building) are on display for the first time in almost 40 years. Have your tooth fixed with a foot-powered dental drill? Get the keys to your summer house? See a three-dimensional map of Point Reyes and Tomales Bay as it appeared in 1918? These and much more for your delight.

Voices of Tamal Liwa
2025-12-06 - 2026-02-28
Voices of Tamal Liwa: Family Stories from the Descendants of Támal-Ko/Coast Miwok Ancestors
Voices of Tamal Liwa is an immersive exhibition exploring Coast Miwok stories, family histories, sacred places, and contemporary Indigenous life across Tomales Bay, Marin, and Sonoma territories. Through historical and contemporary photos, digital storytelling, personal documentaries, audio recordings, and archival materials, this exhibit bridges past and present Coast Miwok voices. The Voices of Tamal Liwa exhibition is open for viewing at the museum to March.
