After the opening of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, the public clamored for images of the newly accessible American West. The Harper Brother’s publishing firm in New York sought to capitalize on this, and chose Jules Tavernier and Paul Frenzeny to provide images of the frontier. The intrepid men were skilled at depicting newsworthy places or events that favored the plight of the common man. Coupled with their artistic and journalistic talent and keen powers of observation, they were a powerful team; Tavernier created each engraving’s watercolor painting before handing it off to Frenzeny, who added newsworthy details and drew the scene in pencil on wood blocks. A Great Frontier Odyssey: Sketching the American West is curated by Dr. Claudine Chalmers and traveled by Exhibit Envoy.

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture December 20, 2018 - noon - Free

A Brief History of Christmas Carols and a Short Fun Sing-Along Concert with Stefanie Ritter, Vanessa Cantù and a special guest   Every year the museum takes a look at one of our favorite holiday customs at its origin and development over time. With the season in full swing it is time to put an ear towards music. How good of a King was Wenceslas? Who spent Christmas in Beverly Hills? Why do we sing spring carols in winter?  Myths and stories surround many of our beloved Christmas carols. Learn some interesting and amusing facts about these songs during this entertaining lecture. Join in and sing along to some popular tunes with live cello and recorder accompaniment. Bring your bring your friends, or just bring yourself to our Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series once a month. Speakers will present topics of special interest for high desert residents. The lectures start at 12:00 p.m.  Beverages will be served. This lecture is free for the holidays.

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Holiday Closure The Hi-Desert Nature Museum will be closed from December 23, 2018 until January 1, 2019. We will open again on January 2, 2019. We are looking forward to seeing you in 2019.

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