Museum Education Center opens

Mayor John Wuo introduced former Mayor Floretta Lauber who introduced the new Museum Education Center to a large throng of onlookers on hand for the long-awaited dedication ceremony on Saturday afternoon, June 28, 2014.

About half-a-million dollars in initial funding for the building situated in front of the Museum of Arcadia Heitage and behind the Arcadia Community/Senior Center was donated to the Arcadia Museum Foundation by the Hakka Foundation as well as individual donors, including Lauber and many others, before the City agreed to put up hundreds of thousands more to get the project completed after about seven years in the works.

Among the many plaques unveiled was a special one presented to Lauber by Wuo dedicated specifically to Lauber’s determination in making the building a reality.

The Center, which blends in so seamlessly architecturally to the other two buildings that it looks like it’s been there for many years, is essentially one large room that can be used as a lecture hall — Named Spring Lecture Hall — with a small entry lobby area in front. A collapsible divider can be pulled across the middle to create two classrooms or activity areas. The Center will be shared with the Museum and the Arcacdia Community and Recreation Services.

One of Lauber’s earliest and most prominent supporters for the Center, Lee Segal and others provided a buffet of treats for attendees who sat at tables in the room, including Council Members Gary Kovacic, Roger Chandler, and Sho Tay, the latter of whom is also a longtime member of the Museum Foundation.

Scroll down to see a series of photos from the event…