History Museums of Novato

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Novato History Museum
In the historic 1850 Postmaster's House

815 DeLong Avenue, Novato, CA 94945
Phone: (415) 897-4320

image of historic Hamilton Field History Museum

Hamilton Field History Museum
In the historic 1934 Firehouse

555 Hangar Avenue, Novato, CA 94949
Phone: (415) 382-8614

Museum Hours (both locations): Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
12pm - 4pm or by appointment
Closed on Holidays
Admission: FREE

Please call the main number for each museum for more information.

Mailing address: Novato Historical Guild, P.O. Box 1296, Novato, CA

Novato Historical Guild

The Novato Historical Guild is a volunteer nonprofit organization founded in 1976 to staff and financially support the Novato History Museum and the Hamilton Field History Museum. The Guild has a partnership agreement with the City of Novato: the City owns the Museum buildings and the historical collections, and the Guild makes sure the Museums are open to the public, as well as are educational, inviting, and safe places to visit.

The Guild hosts quarterly membership meetings, which usually involve guest speakers on local history topics, and publishes The Novato Historian, a quarterly newsletter.

Membership in the Novato Historical Guild supports the preservation and interpretation of the history of Novato and Hamilton Field. Members receive a hard copy of the quarterly newsletter in the mail, The Novato Historian, gift shop discounts, and invitations to exclusive events.

Membership Fees:

Type	Fee
Individual	$20/yr
Family	$30/yr
Student	$10/yr
Business	$50/yr
Patron	$100/yr
Supporting	$200/yr
Life, Individual	$350/yr
Life, Joint	$500/yr
Corporate Membership	$1,000/yr
Benefactor	$1,00/yr

Novato Historical Guild Membership Application and/or Membership Renewal Form

Gift Shop

The Museums Gift Shops have the perfect gift for local history lovers!

Each museum has history books about Novato and Hamilton, unique notecards and tee shirts. The gift shops are open during regular public hours. For more information, please call the Novato History Museum at (415) 897-4320 or the Hamilton Field History Museum at (415) 382-8614.

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Novato is home to a number of wonderful small museums!

Marin Museum of the American Indian >>
2200 Novato Blvd
Olompali State Historic Park >>
Olompali Exit, Southbound 101 (north of Atherton Avenue)
Space Station Museum >>
Pacheco Plaza Center, 464 Ignacio Blvd
Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) >>
Novato Arts Center at Hamilton Field, 500 Palm Drive

The Novato Historian

This quarterly publication of the Novato Historical Guild, concerning both the Novato History Museum and the Hamilton Field History Museum, is mailed to members of the Guild. The Historian includes news items about current events and exhibits at the museums, as well as one in-depth feature article per issue, usually authored by a Guild member. The Historian is also available in hard-copy format when visiting either of the museums.

The Novato Historian News Section - March 2013.
Hamilton Field History Museum, selected feature articles from The Novato Historian
- Judge Hermann Rudolff, March 2013 - Feature Article
- The Chinese in Early 20th Century Novato
Novato History Museum, selected feature articles from The Novato Historian
- Hamilton Museum's Link Trainer

Call for Volunteers

Come join our team! The museums are always welcoming new volunteers. We are eager to pair you with a project that meets your skills and interests. Some existing volunteer opportunities follow, but if you have something else in mind, please let us know. To fill out an application today or contact us for more information, please visit the City of Novato Volunteer page.

Museum Docent: We are looking for docents to volunteer once a month for four hours on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday afternoon, 12-4pm. Docents staff the museum during open hours, including greeting museum visitors and assisting patrons with any questions they may have regarding collections--we will provide training.

School Tour Docent: Third Grade tours begin in late March and run through early June. If you are interested in becoming a school tour docent, you may attend our docent training that occurs in early March of each year. You do not need to commit to becoming a docent to attend the training, and new docents have the opportunity to shadow more experienced docents for a number of tours. For more information, can the Museum at (415) 897-4320 and leave a message for Cindy Motsinger, one of the 3rd Grade Tour program managers--she will contact you to discuss the program.

Oral History Project: The museum has an on-going community oral history project. We will provide training for anyone interested in volunteering for this project, whether as an interviewer or as an oral history recording transcriber.

Archives: If you have library experience , or like to organize books, documents, maps and photos--let us know.

Collections Management: We are cataloging and re-packing all of our artifacts in the museum's collection; this is a good opportunity for anyone seeking museum experience or wishing to learn about artifact handling, as well as learning to use the PastPerfect museum collections database.

Clerical Work: Filling and word-processing.

Fundraising & Events: We are looking for people who have fundraising experience and enjoy helping with events.

Facility Support: Volunteers assist in all aspects of maintaining the Museum structures and grounds. Throughout the year, we have quarterly work parties, which may include landscaping, power washing, interior touch-up painting, and decorating the interior and exterior of our buildings for the holidays, among other projects. Handy and/or willing people are gladly welcomed to this team!

Museum & Local History Links

Novato History Museum
Novato Historical Guild
American Association for State and Local History >>
Anne T. Kent California Room, Marin County Free Library >>
California Association of Museums >>
Marin County Genealogical Society >>
Marin History Museum >>
Regional Oral History Office, University of California Berkeley, Bancroft Library >>
Western Museums Association >>

City of Novato, CA

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