The San Bernardino County Museum has announced the 2018 Dome Talks series lineup. These evening discussions feature leading authors and thought leaders discussing topics relevant to the past, present, and future of our Inland Southern California region. This year’s lineup emphasizes the seismic shifts, social changes and environmental forces that have affected the lives of Californians. Full Series Passes, which include a ticket for each evening, go on sale on Nov. 8.
“Dome Talks, which launched in 2017, was a tremendous success,” said Museum Director Melissa Russo, “bringing notable speakers to the Museum to engage our community in fascinating subjects related to our region. This upcoming series promises to inspire even more provocative discussion from some remarkable figures.”
Dome Talks kicks off on Jan. 18, with Joseph J. Kerski, author of Interpreting Our World: 100 Discoveries That Revolutionized Geography. Kerski will explore the people, innovations, and ways of thinking that have revolutionized geography and shaped the world in which we live, from GPS to the Internet of Things.
On Feb. 22, Henry Fountain, author of The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet, will speak about the 1964 Alaska earthquake. Science writer for The New York Times, Fountain has covered climate change, earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides, nuclear accidents and other natural and human-caused disasters.
Richard Louv, who coined the term “nature-deficit disorder,” will speak on March 8. Author of Last Child in the Woods, Louv inspired an international movement to reintroduce children to unstructured, solitary experiences in nature. The evening is in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio.
On April 26, Beverly Gray, movie maven and author of Seduced by Mrs. Robinson: How The Graduate Became the Touchstone of a Generation, discusses all the drama and decision-making behind this iconic film that rocked the 1960s world. As a story editor for Roger Corman overseeing the development of 170 low-budget features, Gray brings unique insight to the era. This evening is in collaboration with Inlandia Institute.
Actor, comedian, and art-collector, Cheech Marin will speak on May 16. Author of Cheech is Not My Real Name, But Don’t Call Me Chong, Marin will share sections of his book and talk about his current mission to raise the significance of Chicano art as an American art genre and develop the future Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture and Industry.
The final speaker in the series, Chip Caldwell, joins us on June 21 to discuss his recent book Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits: Inside the Fight to Reclaim Native America’s Culture. This is an unflinching insider account by a leading curator who has spent years learning how to balance the controversial considerations of cultural objects that connect us to history.
All Dome Talks evenings open at 6:30 p.m. for a light reception sponsored by the San Bernardino County Museum Association. Presentations start at 7 p.m. and will include book signings. Authors' books will be on sale in the Museum store starting in November.
Full Series Passes will be released for sale on November 8 for $130 ($100 museum members) and include all six evenings. Tickets for individual evenings will go on sale December 27 for $25 each evening ($18 museum members, no discount applies for March 8) and are subject to availability as the Dome Talks theater has limited seating. Tickets can be purchased online at www.sbcounty.gov/museum or may be purchased at the Museum’s Guest Services Desk. Advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged as walkups are not guaranteed. No refunds can be made for ticket purchases, but unused tickets may be donated to the nonprofit San Bernardino County Museum Association in advance of the date.
The San Bernardino County Museum’s Dome Talks and the Museum’s other exciting exhibits and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.
The San Bernardino County Museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child aged 5 to 12). Children under five and Museum Association members are admitted free. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcounty.gov/museum. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.