Pasadena is best known for the Rose Parade that fills the streets with colorful floats made of flowers and the Rose Bowl game which fills the stadium with college football teams on New Years Day. There are plenty of other sunny weather delights in the city. On a rainy day, or to escape the intense summer heat, you can choose from any number of Pasadena establishments of art, culture, fun and relaxation to escape indoors. This month we'll take a look at the private art collections of two Southern California Industrialists at the Norton Simon Museum and the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, and get an inside glimpse at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where the Mars Rover program operates. Although there are things for children to enjoy at all of those venues, the Kidspace Museum is a place all their own. We'll wrap up this issue with a visit to the Gamble House in Going Solo.The Norton Simon Museum
story and photos by Kayte Deioma
The number one attraction in the Pasadena area other than the New Years Day Tournament of Roses is the Norton Simon Museum. This museum is home to the extensive works of art collected by industrialist Norton Simon between the 1950s and 1970s. He used some of the wealth he generated from his international consumer products companies to amass an amazing collection of art from Old Masters to contemporary artists. The current Norton Simon collection also includes works from the Pasadena Art Museum, which merged with the Norton Simon in 1974...
