MUSEUM HISTORY
The Grace Hudson Museum and Sun House in Ukiah, California, is an art, history and anthropology museum focusing on the lifeworks of artist Grace Carpenter Hudson (1865-1937) and her ethnologist husband, Dr. John W. Hudson (1857-1936). Changing interdisciplinary exhibitions and public programs feature Western American art, California Indian cultures, histories of California’s diverse North Coast region, and the work of contemporary regional artists.
Since its inauguration in 1986, the Grace Hudson Museum and Sun House has become an increasingly important cultural and educational resource for Northern California. The Museum’s collections consist of more than 30,000 interrelated objects, with significant holdings of Pomo Indian artifacts (particularly basketry) ethnographic field notes, unpublished manuscripts, historic photographs and the world’s largest collection of Grace Hudson paintings. The Museum’s exhibitions and public programs are thematically shaped by, and linked to, its collections with their focus on Western art, history and anthropology. The Museum also houses a gift shop with exceptional hand made jewelry, children’s items, local artists’ work, books, and unique gift selections. The Museum sits on the four acre Hudson-Carpenter Park.
MISSION
The Grace Hudson Museum and the Sun House preserve, document, research and interpret the Hudson-Carpenter collections for public benefit, with emphasis on the life work of artist Grace Carpenter Hudson (1865-1937) and her husband, ethnologist Dr. John W. Hudson (1857-1936). The Hudson-Carpenter family’s contributions to the understanding and development of the artistic, historical and cultural heritage of California’s North Coast during the late 19th and early 20th century guide and inform the Museum’s activities. A living cultural resource for the entire community, the Museum continues the Hudson-Carpenter family legacy by producing related programs, publications and exhibitions that provide quality educational experiences in the arts and humanities for all visitors.
This Mission Statement was officially adopted by the Ukiah City Council on November 15, 1989.