Myron Freedman Named New Executive Director of Museum of Ventura County

The Museum of Ventura County’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Richard Pidduck, has announced the appointment of Myron Freedman as its new Executive Director. Freedman joins the Museum from Hayward, California, where he served as Executive Director of the Hayward Area Historical Society since 2008. Freedman will be overseeing both the downtown Ventura location and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula.

Freedman is a southern California native who grew up in Reno, Nevada. He relocated to Chicago, where he began his museum career at the Chicago History Museum. With a background in theater, his stagecraft and design skills quickly led to his appointment as the Museum’s Director of Exhibit Design. From there, Freedman moved to St. Louis, where he oversaw a major expansion of exhibition galleries as Director of Exhibitions at the Missouri Historical Society. Later, he was named the Exhibits Curator for Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, a national park best known for its Gateway Arch.

Among the exhibits Freedman developed while with the Jefferson National Expansion was a commemoration of the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. During this time, he also taught Museum Studies at Webster University. Freedman’s exhibition work has received national recognition by the American Association of Museums, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, as well as the commercial film industry.

Freedman says the Museum of Ventura County’s focus on history and art, along with its proximity to the coast, has motivated him to seek the Executive Director position. He and his wife are thrilled to be calling Ventura County their home.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, in historic Santa Paula. Hours are 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Admission to each Museum is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. Paid events include free admission to the galleries, and the first Sundays of every month are free general admission for the public. For more Museum information, please visit www.venturamuseum.org.