Skip to main content

Visiting John Steinbeck country. 2) Salinas: the National Steinbeck Center

 The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Photo of a young John Steinbeck

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.

John Steinbeck is one of the greatest writers in American history and certainly a favorite of mine.  This is the second installment in a series describing my visit to John Steinbeck country.  In part one we looked at John Steinbeck's boyhood home in Salinas.  This post discusses the other significant Steinbeck attraction in Salinas, the National Steinbeck Center, a museum focusing on the life, times and writings of its most famous citizen.

 

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Entrance

The Steinbeck Center Foundation was established in 1983 and fifteen years later (June 27, 1998) the center itself was finished and opened to the public.  The center is the most significant archives of Steinbeck's work anywhere, and presents Steinbeck's life, its formative processes and significant events, and of course his writing.  

 

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Foyer

 

After paying a modest admission charge, you enter a beautifully designed and spacious foyer.  A logical first stop is a small theater to the right which loops two films, a 24 minute biography about John Steinbeck and another on the agricultural history in the Salinas valley.   The main exhibits in the Center are to the left as you enter the building, and offer a sequential presentation of Steinbeck's life in a multimedia format including discussions on Steinbeck's home life as a child, his family, life in Salinas in the early 20th century, a series of exhibits based on his books and significant life moments and achievements, like his friendship with Doc Ricketts (of Cannery Row fame), winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, and so on.

 

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Statue of John Steinbeck

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Copies of some of the world's best books

  

Of the many exhibits in the Center, my personal favorite was Rocinante, the actual mobile home Steinbeck custom built on his pickup truck for his journey around America with his best pal, Charlie (his poodle), a story highlighted in the great travel book, "Travels with Charlie".  You can even look inside Rocinante and see everything still in there the way John described in his book.  

 

There's a small side exhibit in the Center on agriculture in the Salinas Valley in Steinbeck's time and a large wing for rotating exhibits;  when we were there, several photographers' work was being displayed.   A small gift shop sits adjacent to the entrance.

 

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Theater playing Steinbeck Biography

 

We spent the better part of an afternoon exploring the Center and, given that my pals Neil and Wayne were also Steinbeck fans, we enjoyed everything we saw.  The museum is very thoughtfully laid out and a wonderful and educational tribute to the life and times of Mr. Steinbeck.  I can't recommend this museum highly enough for those interested in this author.

 

We ended our stay in Salinas by paying our respects at John Steinbeck's grave in Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery.  It keeping with John's self-view, that he was just an ordinary man, you won't find any Napoleon-style grave or sarcophagus.  Just a very small, non-descript plaque in the Steinbeck (Hamilton) family plot with John's name and the years of his birth and death.  Our visit to Salinas coincided with Mother's Day and we were pleased to see thousands of floral bouquets on the graves in the cemeteries, a heart warming sight (to know all those moms are still remembered)!

 

The following photos shows some of the highlights of the Museum's collection (though far from everything).   For the legend to any of the photos in this blog, move and hold your mouse over the image.  Or click on the thumbnails at the bottom of the post:  

 

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Steinbeck's childhood display

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Old Ford

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Old Ford

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. East of Eden exhibit

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. East of Eden exhibit

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Red Pony exhibit

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Of Mice and Men exhibit

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Of Mice and Men exhibit

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Doc Ricketts (L) and John Steinbeck (R). Two very dear friends

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Specimens from Doc Ricketts lab

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Cannery Row exhibit

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. John Steinbeck, correspondent

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Steinbeck projects

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Travels with Charlie

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Rocinante, Steinbeck's actual touring vehicle from his

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Rocinante, Steinbeck's actual touring vehicle from his

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Interior view of Rocinante

The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas. Photograph of John and his beloved Charlie

Steinbeck's grave, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery

Steinbeck's family grave, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery

Steinbeck's grave, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery. John's parents tombstone in the foreground

Steinbeck's simple grave marker, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery

Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery. Mother's Day flowers

Attachments

Images (30)
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.    Photo of a young John Steinbeck
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Entrance
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Foyer
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Theater playing Steinbeck Biography
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.   Statue of John Steinbeck
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Copies of some of the world's best books
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Steinbeck's childhood display
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Old Ford
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Old Ford
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  East of Eden exhibit
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  East of Eden exhibit
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Red Pony exhibit
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Of Mice and Men exhibit
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Of Mice and Men exhibit
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Doc Ricketts (L) and John Steinbeck (R).  Two very dear friends
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Specimens from Doc Ricketts lab
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Cannery Row exhibit
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  John Steinbeck, correspondent
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Steinbeck projects
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.  Travels with Charlie
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.   Rocinante, Steinbeck's actual touring vehicle from his "Travels with Charlie" journey
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.   Rocinante, Steinbeck's actual touring vehicle from his "Travels with Charlie" journey
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.   Interior view of Rocinante
  • The National Steinbeck Center, Salinas.   Photograph of John and his beloved Charlie
  • Steinbeck's grave, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery
  • Steinbeck's family grave, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery
  • Steinbeck's grave, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery.  John's parents tombstone in the foreground
  • Steinbeck's simple grave marker, Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery
  • Salinas' Garden of Memories Cemetery.  Mother's Day flowers

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

Add Comment

Comments (2)

Newest · Oldest · Popular
Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×