Spend some quality time in the San Bernardino County Museum’s restored native gardens featuring interpretation and stories about these stunning and sometimes surprising plants. The gardens open to the public on Saturday, July 13. The exhibit is fully bilingual with interpretation in English and Spanish. Chia Café Collective will be at the opening presenting native food tasting.
The Desert Garden, a beloved outdoor exhibit at the museum’s entry, features plants that play an essential role in the survival and success of all other local organisms. California is home to thousands of native plant species that are found nowhere else in the world; however, changes in our climate are threatening the survival of many of these species. How do these plants adapt in order to survive?
The Ethnobotany Garden, off the museum’s interior courtyard, highlights local plants historically stewarded by the local tribal community. Many plants are an important source of food, and many of the plants in our region have been traditionally used for their medicinal properties. With the advancement of science and technology, plants still play an active role in how humans heal. Our garden highlights some of these important plants.
Curator of Integrated Science, Jessika Vazquez, spent months researching and developing stories about the Desert Garden, and how these plants impact the regional eco-system. She said, ““Every part of a plant has a role in its own survival and success as well as in our survival and success. We are very happy to be able to showcase the connection between us and our natural resources, in this case plants. It’s especially exciting to be able to share these stories with our Spanish speaking community!”
Tamara Serrao-Leiva, curator of Anthropology, who consulted closely with Morongo’s Malki Museum, said, “The ethnobotany garden is a shared space. Animals, plants, and humans come together here and live in harmony. It is important to remember that our relationship to the land is symbiotic, and our health is integrally tied to the health of the land, whether it’s physically, emotionally, or spiritually.”
The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.
The San Bernardino County Museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child aged 5 to 12). Children under five and Museum Association members are admitted free. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcounty.gov/museum. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.