October 22, 2022 - September 3, 2023
How Catalina became a South Sea Island. From Book to Film to Bar.
This exhibition explores Catalina Island’s contribution (as a film set) in the popularization of tiki culture—tracing the origins from adventure books, their adaptations into Hollywood films, to the subsequent South Seas-themed restaurants and bars that dotted the country beginning in the 1930s. The role that the Isthmus and Avalon played in the development of this aspect of American culture is immeasurable.
Tall Tiki Tales will be curated by author, tiki scholar, and cinematographer Sven Kirsten and will include artifacts, film ephemera, and original books and artwork that showcase this evolution of stories and culture.


Sponsored by: Deadhead Rum, Alistair and Anzonette Lee
Exclusive Hospitality Sponsor:
