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Santa Monica History Museum

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1350 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 / 310.395.2290

Oral History Stories told by local residents!

What is Oral History? Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. Oral history is both the oldest type of historical inquiry, predating the written word, and one of the most modern, initiated with tape recorders in the 1940s and now using 21st-century digital technologies.  (Defined by oralhistory.org )

 

Listen to Santa Monica History

Ted Tanaka – A local businessman, Ted shares memories of life as a Japanese American during World War II.  Ted also participated in our Throwback Thursdays lecture series

Harold Dunnigan – Longtime Santa Monica resident and lifeguard, Harold, shares memories of his 1940s childhood in Santa Monica.

Online Exhibitions

The History of Muscle Beach: The physical fitness boom

The History of the Miramar: A symbol of hospitality