COLLECTING HISTORY TODAY

As Ventura County residents continue to live through historic events, the Museum is working to document and preserve items and stories that illustrate how our county is working, communicating, learning, teaching, creating, mourning, and helping each other.  

Capturing these stories today will help future generations understand what life in Ventura County has been like during a global pandemic. You can share what is important to you right now or use these questions to help share your story:

  • How has COVID-19 changed your daily routines? How are you and your family members spending your time?
  • What has been the hardest part of the pandemic, for you or for your loved ones?
  • Have there been negative changes in your life? What are those changes?
  • Have there been any positive changes in your life? What are those changes?
  • Have you captured, in writing, film, or photos, any moments that feel important to remember about this time?
  • Where were you and what were you doing when you realized you were living through a global historic moment?

The stories and materials we collect will allow all of us to study and share these experiences in the future, so that future generations will know something of our everyday experience and how COVID-19 changed our everyday lives.

To learn more about our usual donation process or to donate any historic or cultural Ventura County material, please contact our Collections Manager Renee Tallent at rtallent@venturamuseum.org.

Stories from COVID-19

See how others in the community are documenting their life during the COVID-19 pandemic and what is being submitted in support of the museum’s Rapid Response Collecting project.

CONTRIBUTING YOUR DIGITAL CONTENT

Your images, stories, videos, art projects, and more tell the story of life today in Ventura County. These might be typed personal stories or copies of journal entries, photos from your phone or screen captures, sound recordings like oral histories or film recordings of events or interactions. They could include social media posts, web sites, blog posts, and other kinds of digital content. You can help us by sharing documentation of your personal experiences. 

To submit a file or URL location or write your story, please click the Submit Content button below. For assistance, please contact submissions@venturamuseum.org.

Submit Content

CONTRIBUTING PHYSICAL ITEMS

The Museum is collecting select materials that demonstrate the impact of coronavirus and COVID-19 on our region. Due to the nature of the current crisis, we are not collecting the physical objects until it is safe to do so. However, we would like to get the conversation started with you about objects you might want to donate when it is safe.

The Museum is looking for:

Handmade masks, modified takeout menus, home lesson plans, grocery lists, to-do lists, and store signage, especially those signs that address shortages of supplies. Other objects that represent the impact of COVID-19 on the county and region are also of interest to the Museum

To offer physical objects please contact Collections Manager Renee Tallent at rtallent@venturamuseum.org