The histories and heritage of the Imperial Valley are numerous and worthy of celebration, whilst their lessons of adaptation and resilience can provide much-needed inspiration during times of modern adversity. Although COVID-19 forced the Imperial Valley Desert Museum to close its doors to the public in March 2020, its staff continued to work tirelessly behind the scenes to develop new and engaging content for a digital world. While the focus for staff initially centered on the development of digital materials, such as the successful completion IVDM’s Virtual Classroom video series, staff were also conscious to consider the development of projects on Museum grounds in anticipation for the return of in-person visitation.
To find inspiration for such a project, staff looked no further than outside the institution’s own front door!
Design and vision
IVDM proudly stewards 133 acres, across which the rich and diverse geological history of the Imperial Valley is prominently on display. Not only is the landscape geologically stunning, the Yuha Desert is also home to a variety of plants and animals that survive and most importantly thrive, in the desert’s extreme environment. To highlight the physical and ecological diversity of the Imperial Valley, IVDM Education staff wrote and was awarded the “Guided Paths Program” grant from the Imperial Valley Community Foundation (IVCF). Through this grant, staff designed and produced 30 outdoor walking trail panels that would be placed throughout the museum’s grounds.
These signs identify desert features such as plants, animals, and geology, as well as highlight the history of its peoples and the visible heritage still written in the land today. Connecting past with present, each kiosk celebrates the visible evidence that may already be observed around the front grounds of IVDM. Mirroring the museum’s interior exhibits, the panels are thematically divided by color, depending on the topic each individual panel covers: red for human history, blue for flora and fauna, and orange for geological content.
To better reflect the diversity of its local community, IVDM was conscious to create multilingual panels. Every panel is translated into both English and Spanish, and also includes Ipai and Tipai – two dialects of the Kumeyaay language. For the use of Ipai and Tipai on the panels, IVDM consulted with Indigenous Kumeyaay Collections Manager Frank Salazar III. Mr. Salazar ensured the correct usage of the Ipai and Tipai languages, since a considerable number of words do not have a direct translation into modern English or Spanish. The inclusion of the Kumeyaay language in particular reflects the tribe’s contributions, both past and present, to the land on which the Museum now stands. Once the designs were completed, the next step was construction!
Installation and implementation
Before construction began in the summer 2021, IVDM again reached out to Mr. Salazar to conduct pre-work monitoring and inspections of the grounds. The Imperial Valley is rich in a history that extends back at least 10,000 years, and its evidence is abundant underfoot. Survey work like that performed at IVDM is essential to ensure the protection and preservation of potential cultural sites, a measure the museum undertakes before any construction project begins on its outdoor grounds.
Following the approval of construction, the installation of the panels proved to be a difficult task and was not for the faint of heart. Staff and volunteers were subject to the intense weather of the desert – sometimes working in 110-degree heat. Even the panels needed to be able to withstand the extreme environment of the desert. IVDM worked closely with its partners at Fossil Industries Inc. to design materials that could survive in desert weather, including sun-bleaching and wind-proof elements – two defining features in our Land of Extremes.
Come take a walk with us
Staff, volunteer, and local community partnerships ensured the success of the Guiding Paths Program, which has been a great addition to our outdoor exhibit space. The panels are now available for viewing along our outdoor walking trails. The next time you stop by, come take a walk with us and take the opportunity to learn about the Imperial Valley’s rich and expansive 10,000-year history. Now is the perfect time to enjoy all the Imperial Valley has to offer.
The Imperial Valley Desert Museum is located in Ocotillo. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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LAND OF EXTREMES: Guiding paths: Creation of education trail signage - Imperial Valley Press
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