Current Exhibits
Graceway Chuch: Celebrating 150 Years
September 16, 2026 - October 3, 2026
In 1876, Pleasanton built its first church: Presbyterian church at the corner of Second and Neal streets. The historic building is now home to Lighthouse Baptist Church, and the Presbyterian congregation has moved a couple of times over the last century and a half, but they have continued to contribute to the community with projects such as Pleasanton Gardens senior housing and the world-famous Balloon Platoon drill team. Join us to help Graceway Church celebrate a century and a half in Pleasanton with this exhibit, curated by members of the congregation.
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Housing Developments in Pleasanton
On display through January 9th, 2027
A poster show developed by students from Amador and Foothill high schools, this exhibit examines Pleasanton's first era of rapid growth, from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. The show spotlights most of the developments built during this era as well as the challenges faced by Pleasanton's leaders, residents, and newcomers as they adapted to the town's transition to suburbia.
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The Jean P. Jones Gallery
Our permanent exhibit Growing Pleasanton uses objects, images, and narrative to follow the history of this area and its peoples from the Ohlone tribes who first lived here to the suburban community of today's city. You can learn more about Growing Pleasanton here.
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Kid's Corner
Kids are welcome to drop in and explore the Kid's Corner! The Kid's Corner is an exhibit area designed for preschool through early elementary ages with dress up, craft activities, books, old time games, and more. Activities change periodically throughout the year, so drop by and see what's new!
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Upcoming Exhibits
What Are You Afraid Of? A Look at Fears and Phobias
October 7, 2026 - October 31, 2026
Pleasanton’s Museum on Main invites you once again to come face your fears—and everyone else’s—at the exhibit What Are You Afraid Of? A Look at Fears and Phobias.
Planned to coordinate with the museum’s popular Ghost Walk tours, What Are You Afraid Of? uses objects and images from the Museum’s collections to illustrate fears from the well-known (such as acrophobia or fear of heights) to the obscure (such as aichmophobia, or fear of needles and other sharp objects) to the made-up-for-comic-effect (such as acropetrophobia, or the fear of high gas prices).
Planned to coordinate with the museum’s popular Ghost Walk tours, What Are You Afraid Of? uses objects and images from the Museum’s collections to illustrate fears from the well-known (such as acrophobia or fear of heights) to the obscure (such as aichmophobia, or fear of needles and other sharp objects) to the made-up-for-comic-effect (such as acropetrophobia, or the fear of high gas prices).
The Battle of Valcour Island: A Commemoration in Clay
November 6, 2026 - January 2, 2027
In the fall of 1776, the newly-declared United States of America faced an existential threat from British forces in Canada. Control of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River would let them cut New England and upstate New York off from the rest of the country, decapitating the rebellion.
To keep this threat at bay, Colonel Benedict Arnold built and crewed a flotilla of 15 small ships on Lake Champlain. The British countered with ships both built onsite and transported in pieces from overseas, eventually gathering 33 ships to drive the rebels out. The two flotillas met near Valcour Island, and although the American rebels had the worst of the fighting, they had bought valuable time to organize the defense of Fort Ticonderoga and upstate New York. Arnold's work made the American victory at Saratoga the following year possible.
Pleasanton landscape architect and artist Martin Hoffmann has recreated the ships of this small but significant battle in a series of ceramic sculptures, using the few surviving visual sources of the battle as his reference material. Museum on Main is proud to present Mr. Hoffmann’s work and introduce our audiences to this chapter in the story of American independence.
To keep this threat at bay, Colonel Benedict Arnold built and crewed a flotilla of 15 small ships on Lake Champlain. The British countered with ships both built onsite and transported in pieces from overseas, eventually gathering 33 ships to drive the rebels out. The two flotillas met near Valcour Island, and although the American rebels had the worst of the fighting, they had bought valuable time to organize the defense of Fort Ticonderoga and upstate New York. Arnold's work made the American victory at Saratoga the following year possible.
Pleasanton landscape architect and artist Martin Hoffmann has recreated the ships of this small but significant battle in a series of ceramic sculptures, using the few surviving visual sources of the battle as his reference material. Museum on Main is proud to present Mr. Hoffmann’s work and introduce our audiences to this chapter in the story of American independence.
Past Exhibits
Wicket Crazy: Cricket and the Tri-Valley
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PAVLOVA AS SWAN (mixed media) by Linda Garbarino
Souvenirs from the 1939 Treasure Island World's Fair, collected by various Pleasanton residents
"Metamorphosis" by Dana Yang. Conte on black paper.
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855 Main Street, circa 1920 and today. Museum on Main
Downtown Past, Downtown Present
April 1 - May 10
See how Main Street has changed over the decades by looking at its iconic locations both then and now.
While our rotating exhibit gallery is closed for collections storage inventory, our center hallway will feature an updated version of this popular interactive exhibit.
April 1 - May 10
See how Main Street has changed over the decades by looking at its iconic locations both then and now.
While our rotating exhibit gallery is closed for collections storage inventory, our center hallway will feature an updated version of this popular interactive exhibit.
Imagination Expressed 2025
Pleasanton Art League at Museum on Main
January 23 - March 15
Gadgets Galore!
Transforming the American Household
Oct. 10, 2024 - Jan. 11, 2025
Maytag washer, 1930s. Museum on Main collection.
The tools and devices of everyday home life provide a window into how America has changed since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Through curling irons and telephones, phonographs and washing machines, Gadgets Galore shows how technological innovation, industrial transportation, and mass communications have shaped our everyday experience.
Gadgets Galore! Is presented by Museum on Main and Exhibit Envoy
Gadgets Galore! Is presented by Museum on Main and Exhibit Envoy
Textures of Remembrance
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Textures of My Father by Terri Trang Le, 2021
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