Welcome to the Catalina Island Museum!

For more than 50 years, the Catalina Island Museum has collected, preserved and presented the rich cultural heritage of Santa Catalina Island for visitors from all over the world to enjoy.  Situated on the ground floor of Avalon’s historic Casino Building, the Catalina Island Museum invites you to discover more than 7,000 years of history through dozens of engaging and visually exciting exhibits.

Ever wondered what it’s like to live on an island? Who discovered Santa Catalina? Who are the rich-and-famous people who have lived here throughout the decades? Our knowledgeable staff and guides will help you understand the unique history of our special island and get the most out of your visit here.  Join us for a walking tour through Avalon and learn about our historic structures, our exciting attractions and the beautiful tile you’ll see throughout our charming city.  Arrange for your group to get a special lecture or tour tailored to your needs.  Attend a lecture, workshop or special event to get a personal perspective of island history.  Take a piece of Catalina home with you from our gift shop.

Discover Catalina at the Catalina Island Museum!

MUSEUM APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Next Significant Step in Construction of New Building

In the past year the Catalina Island Museum has demonstrated its commitment to constructing a new museum in Avalon by purchasing a centrally-located downtown property valued at nearly $2 million.  The next significant step in that process has now been taken with the appointment of the museum’s new Executive Director: Dr. Michael De Marsche. 

Dr. De Marsche’s background is unique.  He has served as the founding director of three museums, and has devoted nearly his entire twenty-year career to constructing, expanding and renovating museum buildings located in the United States and Europe. 

”We are ecstatic to be able to bring someone with Dr. DeMarsche’s qualifications and abilities to help build our permanent home in Avalon” said Catalina Island Museum Board President Steven Schreiner.

After receiving his Ph.D. in Art History from Stanford University in 1996, De Marsche served as a faculty member at Pittsburgh’s Chatham College and, later, at the University of Southern Mississippi.  He organized numerous critically-acclaimed exhibitions at both schools, and while at U.S.M. became the founding Director of the university’s new Museum of Art.  In 2000 he was appointed the founding Director of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art at Auburn University and oversaw the design and construction of a new 40,000 square foot museum building and surrounding gardens.  In 2003, he became the President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and directed the renovation of the Fine Arts Center’s historic 1936 Art Deco building and the construction of a new 48,000 square-foot museum wing.  After concluding a $28.4 million capital campaign, the Fine Arts Center was awarded the prestigious El Pomar Foundation Award for Excellence, which recognizes the outstanding organization in the arts and humanities in the Rocky Mountain region.  In 2007 Dr. De Marsche was appointed the Executive Director of the Cafesjian Museum Foundation in Yerevan, Armenia.  While in Yerevan, he directed the construction and renovation of a former Soviet monument into a 150,000 square-foot museum building dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary art.  After its opening in November of last year—which was attended by over 20,000 people—the New York Times wrote that the museum is one of the “most memorable museum buildings to open in ages…offering a whole nation a kind of uplift.”

“This is a pivotal moment in the history of the Catalina Island Museum,” De Marsche recently stated.  “I am honored and incredibly excited to be working with the museum’s board to construct a museum that is so progressive and innovative that the rest of the country will take notice.”  

Stay tuned for more information!

Please support the Museum's mission to preserve and share the amazing history of Catalina Island.
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Did you know you can support for the Museum every time you search the internet or shop online?

Goodsearch.com is a new search engine that donates about a penny per search to the organization you designate.  Just start at www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter the Catalina Island Museum as the charity you wish to support. Then use it just as you would any search engine!

When you shop online try ShopforMuseums.com,
a nationally-recognized fundraising program.  At no extra cost to you, shop online at over 300 national stores.  Simply start at www.ShopforMuseums.com, sign in, select the Catalina Island Museum from the list, and start shopping at the store of your choice!
 

For more information how you can support the Museum, visit Support CIM.