Huell Howser exhibit weaves ‘Amazing’ story of a great career

The new permanent exhibit That’s Amazing!Thirty Years of Huell Howser and California’s Gold is quietly coming together in Leatherby Libraries.  We’ll preview it soon, but meanwhile here’s a fun peek at the future by way of mock-ups created by Hunt Design Associates, the Pasadena-based design consulting firm that designed the exhibit.

The exhibit room, on the basement level of Leatherby Libraries, will feature colorful wall copy and graphics outlining Howser’s distinguished career in broadcasting and the evolution of his shows devoted to exploring California, as well as memorabilia display cases and a full-sized model of the office where he edited all his shows.

The back of the exhibit will feature a viewing room, where fans can watch episodes of the shows (Huell donated more than 900 episodes to Chapman, all of which are now digitized and available for viewing online at www.huellhowserarchives.com).

Taking pride of place in the center of the exhibit floor will be the “Huell Howser’s California” map, inviting visitors to find the locations of their favorite episodes.

The Open House on Saturday, March 29, will feature meet-and-greets with many California’s Gold stars, treats and eats from many of Huell’s favorite restaurants and beaneries, the opportunity to ogle cool cars and an antique horse-drawn fire engine and screenings of a new documentary on Huell by Chapman film professor Jeff Swimmer. Swimmer’s film, A Golden State of Mind: The Storytelling Genius of Huell Howser, will screen several times throughout the day. 

Admission to the Open House is free and open to the public. Film tickets are $12 in advance, $15 on the day of the Open House ($10 for AAA members).  To purchase film tickets, go to www.huellhowserarchives.com.

Chapman is grateful to the Automobile Club of Southern California, whose generosity made this permanent exhibit possible.