Monrovia Historical Museum

WE WANT YOU!
Even though we remain closed to the public for now, we continue working on new exhibits, cataloging artifacts, and planning for the Museum's future. If you've got a Monrovia story to tell and would love to share our city's history, or have some time and other skills such as writing, carpentry, painting, data entry, event planning, etc., we'd love to hear from you. Click the GET INVOLVED link to get started.

DID YOU KNOW:
This famous poster of Uncle Sam, painted by James Montgomery Flagg, has a Monrovia connection. The model of this iconic pose was a veteran named Walter Botts. Not only was Botts from Indiana, the home state of our city's founder William Monroe, but he also lived in Monrovia in the late 1950s!

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READ OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER HERE
(clicking the link will download a pdf file)

Overview

Front view of Monrovia Historical Museum, Monrovia, California

The Monrovia Historical Museum occupies the building that once housed the city's Municipal Swimming Pool. The Plunge, built in 1925, is designated as a Historic Landmark by the City of Monrovia. The former locker areas and dressing rooms now comprise our two exhibit wings, covering more than 8000 square feet.

The Historic Monrovia Wing introduces the guest to the Monroe Family and the town they helped establish, including the famous Pottenger Sanatorium that researched cures for breathing disorders, and a Pacific Electric Red Car exhibit. Also included in this wing are faithful reconstructions of a turn-of-the-20th-century kitchen and parlor, a 1907 classroom tribute to Monrovia's early grade schools, and an interactive police department exhibit.

The Historic Collections Wing includes a fascinating Natural History section that showcases interesting and unusual creatures and oddities seldom seen in public displays. There is also a great collection of the telephones and cameras of the past century, and an exhibit dedicated to Monrovia's service men and women, and much more. Docent-led tours are available.

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