Peanuts

            Sonoma County has a Charles Schultz airport, and, much more importantly, a Charles Schultz museum.  This little museum one of those treasures that is in your neighborhood, that you take  for granted because you’re not a tourist.

            If you read Brian Fies’s blog you know about the museum because he has mentioned it several times.  The museum hosts many events with writers, celebrities and cartoonists.  Coming up at the end of the month, they’re going to have astronauts! Unfortunately, that event filled up before I became a member, so I won’t get to see them this time, although they may come back in the summer.

            Last Sunday I went to the museum, mainly to see the wonderful Beethoven exhibit they had.  I had a great time!  The place is not large, but they pack in quite a lot. On the second floor they’d created a replica of Schultz’s studio.; and there’s a “strip gallery” that rotates old Peanuts strips.  In the grand gallery is an amazing tile mural.

            Charles Schultz gave the world the Peanuts gang, the comic strip, the TV specials, and a musical called “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”  He gave Sonoma County much more than that, quietly.  The family made many donations to charities and other causes through their church.  They were big in Boy Scouts, and they built the ice arena that became the anchor of Sonoma County’s ice skating program.  And now they’ve provided locals and visitors alike with a wonderful museum and educational center.  They don’t just have exhibits about Schultz or Peanuts-themed things—there’s an art room for kids, a Mommy and Me Monday program, cartoonists and writers in residence. The cost at the door is $8 for an adult.  If you become a member, you have reciprocity with many other museums in San Francisco and Sacramento.  There’s even a labyrinth in the shape of Snoopy’s head.  Okay, as labyrinths go it’s not the most imposing, but c’mon!  It’s Snoopy! And, after you wear yourself out the at the museum, go over to the Warm Puppy café in the ice arena, and have a tuna sandwich and iced tea, just like Schultz did almost every day for lunch when he was drawing Peanuts in what used to be his studio.