by Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz)

Our State Capitol is not just the seat of government, but also a state history museum. Walking in, I routinely pass the portrait of the great progressive Governor Hiram Johnson, as guides explain to school children and other visitors what happened during his administration a century ago.

I do not usually introduce ceremonial resolutions in the State Assembly, but recently I made an exception with Assembly Resolution 119 (ACR 119). It recognizes 2006 as “The Year of the Museum” in California – a special recognition associated with efforts across the nation to honor the 100th anniversary of the American Association of Museums.

California is home to more than 1,300 museums, which were visited last year by more than 26 million people—a fact that proves the vital role cultural resources play in our society and California’s economy. This trend holds true in Santa Cruz County, where our centers for art, music, history and science are not just good for the mind but are increasingly essential to our local economy.

ACR 119, sponsored by the California Association of Museums, specifically highlights the role of museums, though it applies to all cultural resources when it proclaims that museums nourish minds and spirits by fostering exploration, critical thinking and dialogue to advance knowledge, understanding and appreciation of history, science, the arts and the natural world.

It is unfortunate California does not make a greater investment in cultural resources. Recently, the bond package agreed to by the Governor and legislative Democrats would have made a significant investment, but it failed to pass in the full legislature. Fortunately, local leadership is being provided to invest where the state is not quite ready to go.

Planning for the Tannery Arts Project, the new Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center are just part of continued growth of local [visitor-serving] cultural resources.

On April 7, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will open the Pacific Migrations Visitor Center and Museum at New Brighton State Beach. The center will enable visitors to interpret and explore the many cultures and species that have come to the Central Coast over history.

One hundred years from now, how we preserve and chronicle life today will be the historical legacy that explains our times to future generations. Part of the story should be how we value our cultural and historic institutions.

For more information about the California Association of Museums, visit www.calmuseums.org. For more about Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks and the Pacific Migrations Center, visit www.scparkfriends.org.