Bolinas Museum History
Founded in 1983 as the Bolinas Memorial Museum, the organization originally focused on local history and historical art. Shortly after, it evolved into Bolinas Museum, and in 1987, expanded its mission to include contemporary art, with a particular focus on artists from coastal Marin.
In 1989, the Bolinas Museum moved into a newly restored compound of historic buildings in downtown Bolinas. Following a successful capital campaign in 1998, the museum purchased the property, which now houses five galleries, offices, and a storefront retail space. Today, the museum offers diverse exhibitions featuring work by both local and international contemporary artists, presents a rotating selection from its permanent art collection, and maintains extensive local history archives and exhibitions.
The success of Bolinas Museum is the shared accomplishment of hundreds of people who have given their skills, time, support, and vision to make this a thriving institution with a reputation for excellence. Below is only a brief highlight of a few of its important contributors over the decades.
The People Who Made it Happen
David Van Dusen, Founder of the Bolinas Museum, standing with Annie Crotts at the 4th of July Parade
1983-1987 | David Van Dusen: Creating a Museum
David Van Dusen, who moved to Bolinas in his twenties, was inspired to establish a museum by local elders—including Paul Ryan, George and Ethyl Longley, Sherman and Lydia Smith, Jeannie McGrath, Jimmy Bourne, and Floyd and Eva Longley—who were passionate about preserving Bolinas history. With the help of Paul Ryan, Craig Ayliffe (the museum’s first curator), and the inaugural Board of Directors, Van Dusen officially founded the Bolinas Memorial Museum in June 1983.
Ed Letter and other skilled locals transformed Van Dusen’s building at 3 Olema-Bolinas Road from a Quonset hut to a history museum. Townspeople donated artifacts, photographs, family albums and memorabilia. In 1983, Ray Moritz and Dotty Le Mieux founded the Bolinas Historical Society, gathering a vital collection of historic materials and oral histories that they later donated to the Bolinas Memorial Museum.
Past Bolinas Museum directors David Van Dusen, Joyce Clements, Linda Samuels, Dolores Richards, Lucy Van Sands Seeburg, Jennifer Gately, and Louisa Gloger
1987-1990 | Joyce Clements: Contemporary Art
The museum’s second director, sculptor and jeweler Joyce Clements, recognized the incredible wealth of accomplished artists in coastal Marin and envisioned a museum that would showcase contemporary art alongside historical art and history exhibitions. To support this vision, Clements established the Living Artist Project—now known as the museum’s Coastal Marin Artists initiative—dedicated to serving artists living or working between Tomales and Muir Beach. She invited volunteer Linda Samuels to co-chair the project and serve as curator.
Clements even traveled to the White House, where she represented Bolinas Museum and accepted a prestigious grant from the Institute of Museum Services (IMS), presented to her by the First Lady. Over the years, Bolinas Museum continued to earn national recognition, receiving awards and grants from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts.
1991-1994 Linda Samuels: First Salaried Director
After years of dedicated volunteer work at Bolinas Museum, Linda Samuels became the museum’s first paid Director/Curator. She played a key role in spotlighting Coastal Marin artists, launching the FOCUS exhibitions, which highlighted established artists from the region, and curating exhibitions that explored fine art, environmental issues, local history, and public health topics. Samuels also established the museum’s signature annual fundraising events: the Annual Benefit Art Auction and the Holiday Mini Show, both of which remain important community traditions today.
1995-2006 Dolores Richards Evolved the Museum
After a brief interim Directorship by Will Hipps, Dolores Richards became Executive Director and proved to be a visionary leader, transforming Bolinas Museum into the institution it is today. Under her guidance, the museum evolved from a small, single-room space supported by a modest membership and thrift store into a sophisticated, five-gallery museum.
Through her leadership, Bolinas Museum became a cultural cornerstone of the community, committed to preserving and showcasing both regional history and contemporary art. In 1997, Richards spearheaded a capital campaign to purchase the museum’s historic building complex, securing a permanent home for the institution.
During Dolores Richards’ tenure, history curator Phil Frank, in collaboration with the Stinson Beach Historical Society, co-authored the Arcadia book Bolinas and Stinson Beach, further preserving the region’s rich history. Richards also expanded community outreach programs and grew the museum’s annual art auction, bringing in the beloved and dynamic Mark Buell as auctioneer, a role he held until 2018.
Through the generous support of Susie Buell, Richards relocated the auction to the Peace Barn, elevating the event’s success and reach. In 1999, she welcomed Elia Haworth to the museum staff, where Haworth continues to serve in multiple key roles, contributing to the museum’s lasting impact.
2006-2012 Lucy Van Sands Seeburg (Vandy) Brought Culture Diversity.
As Executive Director, Seeburg renovated the museum’s history room with funds donated in memory of Amy Jordan,doubling the exhibit space, while Haworth curated the exhibits.
Seeburg had important historical oral histories transcribed. Despite the financial crash of 2008, she worked with curator Dieter Tremp (2006 to 2012), and photographer Piro Patton, to feature diverse cultural exhibitions, including art from other nations. She also created an outreach program for Latinx families with bi-lingual exhibitions and enlivened the courtyard with free concerts, fiestas and other events. Seeburg hired Chris Borg, who was the masterful Office Manager and Development Associate for 10 years.
2012-2021 Jennifer Gately Honed the Museum’s Professionalism.
In October 2012, Jennifer A. Gately became the Executive Director and steered the ship for nearly a decade. With prior professional museum Director and curatorial experience, she enhanced museum practices by hiring a professional registrar, improving archive practices and storage systems. Her curatorial highlights include group exhibitions such as “Cosmic Wonders” which brought together contemporary art by nationally recognized artists with local artists and solo exhibitions featuring Coastal Marin artists “Divine Gardens: Mayumi Oda and the Green Gulch Zen Center,” and “FOCUS: Patsy Krebs. Programming highlights include the initiation of free Great Minds Talks and Family Fun Days.
In addition to enhancing the museum’s programming and administrative professionalism, Jennifer played a pivotal role in supporting the museum and community during the 2020 pandemic, demonstrating steadfast dedication and genuine care for the health and well-being of Bolinas residents. Over the years, she significantly expanded the museum’s donor base and increased annual income, largely driven by the growing success of the Annual Benefit Art Auction—including its seamless transition to an online platform, ensuring its continued impact and accessibility.
2022-2024 Louisa Gloger Brought A Fresh Eye
Louisa Gloger became Executive Director in 2022, bringing deep ties to Bolinas and a commitment to arts education, securing grants for student visits and paid internships. She engaged new donors, oversaw the museum’s 40th Anniversary, and fostered collaborations with major institutions like SF’s Museum of the African Diaspora and Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center. Under her leadership, the museum emphasized diversity and showcased fresh, relevant exhibitions by contemporary artists.
Bolinas Museum’s Historic Buildings
Bolinas Museum is housed in the historic complex at 48 and 50 Wharf Road. The complex houses five galleries, a suite of offices, dedicated areas for art and the history archives, spaces for other community businesses, and its patio and courtyard. These buildings date back to the late 1800s and have their own interesting stories from when Bolinas was a little town growing around its embarcadero with an economy that was, until 1933, dependent on heavy schooner traffic between Bolinas and San Francisco. The buildings served the community in a variety of ways, including a saloon and boarding house, bakery, meat market, a post office, antique store, county library, restaurant, water department office, surfboard fabrication, wood-shop, beauty salon, art studios, stores, apartments, and more.
The Bolinas Museum’s main building in the 1950s
By 1988, this complex of buildings had suffered from years of neglect. Empty and rotted, it was for sale and seemed fated to be torn down. However, local resident Ewan Macdonald purchased the complex and, working with Bolinas contractor Roger Peacock, oversaw the challenging and massive restoration project, including transforming a trash filled back area into the Museum’s lovely courtyard. In October 1989, the museum’s grand opening at 48 Wharf Road unveiled a one-room gallery for both history and art exhibits with its supporting thrift shop next door.
In 1996, Executive Director Dolores Richards led a successful capital campaign, enabling the museum to purchase its complex and expand both its exhibition and public spaces. To honor the generosity of key donors, handmade bricks displaying their names were placed in front of the street-side double doors, alongside a plaque recognizing major contributions that ensured the success of the purchase.
Several spaces within the museum bear the names of significant benefactors:
- The Floyd Russell Family History Room, a gift from Susie Russell Thompkins Buell
- The Helene Sturdivant Mayne Photography Gallery, a gift from Leslie S. Mayne
- The Margaret Duncan Greene Gallery for The Permanent Collection, a gift from the John A. Sellon Family
- The courtyard, dedicated to Jim and Beth Wintersteen
- Courtyard trees dedicated in honor of Herman and Leah Schwartz, Mary and David Bromwell, and in memory of Rogers Greene, a gift from Margaret Greene
The museum’s outdoor spaces feature additional gifts from generous donors:
- The handsome stone fountain by Welton Rotz, a gift from Mary and David Bromwell
- A stone bench, also a gift from sculptor Welton Rotz
- Wooden benches, gifted by the Ewan Macdonald Family
- Gina’s Patio, in memory of Gina Marin Monaco, a gift from the Griffin Family
- The steel sculptural entry gate, in memory of Jeffrey Ruesch, created by Carl Dern
- A bronze chair sculpture, also a gift from artist Carl Dern
These generous contributions have not only shaped the museum’s landscape but also created a welcoming space for art, history, and community gathering, ensuring that the legacy of its supporters remains woven into the museum’s fabric.
At the heart of the museum is its historic complex of buildings, a true jewel of the collection, offering a warm and inspiring space for both locals and visitors. However, preserving and maintaining structures over a century old is a continuous, demanding, and costly endeavor, requiring ongoing care and investment to ensure they remain a vital cultural hub for generations to come.
L to R: The museum courtyard in 1988, courtesy of Ewan Macdonald. The museum courtyard in 2018 as we know it today.