Current Exhibit
On the Job
The Changing World of Work in the Valley and Beyond
May 31-July 8
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"So, what do you do?"
American culture has long emphasized the importance of work; what we do to make a living is often central to the way we define ourselves as well as the way others see us. And as America has changed, Americans' relationship to work has also changed. A collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's (coincidentally-named) Museum on Main Street program, On the Job explores the ways in which American workers and workplaces have changed in the last century and a half, with a particular focus on Pleasanton and the Amador-Livermore Valley. Building on a framework provided by the Smithsonian, On the Job shows how the transformation of the country and the Valley has been reflected in the jobs and the lives of its people. From the effects of industrial and information technology, to the influence of social change on organizations and workplaces, to our individual connections to the places, people and objects that shape our work experience, Pleasanton has come a long way from its farm-town origins. |
Letter carrier unlocks a mail collection box, ca. 1947. Smithsonian Institution, National Postal Museum
Evening commuters on the northbound Sunol Grade, 1997. Museum on Main/Bay Area News Group collection
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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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2023 Upcoming Exhibits
Falcons at Fifty
Foothill High School from 1973 to Today
July 12- August 19
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By the early 1970s Pleasanton had sustained over a decade of rapid growth, and its population had expanded fifteen-fold since the town built its first high school.
Foothill High arose to serve a city well along on its development from small agricultural market town to high-tech suburb, and as Pleasanton continued on that path Foothill High School has been a key part of its journey. |
Foothill marching band at the Tournament of Roses Parade, 1985. Museum on Main collection
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100 Years of Amador Valley High School
1923-2023
August 23 - October 7
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Celebrate the centennial of Pleasanton's first high school as we look back on its role in the city's journey from farm town to bustling suburb.
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AVHS cheerleaders, 1974. Museum on Main collection.
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