San Lorenzo Valley Museum
The San Lorenzo Valley Museum is a pair of galleries and education centers created by the San Lorenzo Valley Historical Society "to preserve and share the history of the San Lorenzo Valley". Founded in March 1976, it operates as a nonprofit educational institution. The Museum's original gallery is located in Boulder Creek. An additional gallery is located in nearby Felton. The Museum's visitors are admitted without charge. Partial funding comes from the California Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Other funding comes from private and corporate contributions, membership dues, and earned retail revenue.
Founding
The origin of the San Lorenzo Valley Museum began when Ralph Wilcox, Walt Bachrach, and John Holm met in March 1976 to establish the Boulder Creek Historical Society. They would become the Museum's first Board of Directors.The Museum proposed a number of undertakings. These included collecting and exhibiting artifacts, gathering historical information, and providing education through the museum and outreach programs. The Museum initially was housed on the second floor of an office building in southern Boulder Creek before relocating to its permanent home in the former Grace Episcopal Church.
Development
When funds were donated to the Boulder Creek Historical Society to purchase a property to hold its collection, it was among the Museum's first major donations from a private individual. Restoration began on the former Grace Episcopal Church building in 1995. The Grace Episcopal Gallery opened in December 1999 and was named the San Lorenzo Valley Museum, broadening its mission and scope. A climate-controlled annex was built beside the building in 2011 to house the Museum's archive and administrative office.The Boulder Creek Historical Society officially became the San Lorenzo Valley Historical Society in 2012, reflecting the name of the Museum.
The Museum's first expansion came with the availability of the historic Felton Presbyterian Church building in 2018. That same year, the Museum signed an agreement between the Belardi Trust directors and Felton Library Friends to use the building for a second branch. The Faye G. Belardi Memorial Gallery opened in October 2020.