Charles M Schulz Museum

While many readers of ArchitectDesign probably think I'm a boring, dry architect, I do have my whimsical side which comes out now and again on the blog. While in California last month I made sure to visit the Charles M Shulz Museum in Santa Rosa.

Designed by C. David Robinson architects, the post-modern building expresses this whimsy through its design. Charles Schulz himself was involved with the design before his death.

In the nearby separate gift shop building are a number of exhibits, one of which was an exact Lego replica of the museum. Compare the 2 photos above, the likeness is amazing!

The gift shop itself is worth a visit.

Located between the museum and the gift shop is a whimsical hockey rink and Warm Puppy Cafe which Charles Schulz would visit everyday and still in operation.

 The black and white facade of the museum echoes the cartoons made famous by Schulz.

Life-size statues of snoopy and the gang are littered around the grounds.

Charles Schulz's office where he drew decades worth of his cartoons was installed piece by piece into the 2nd floor of the museum; a period piece if you ever saw one!

 The colors throughout the museum echo the cartoon strips.

Artworks based on the Peanuts series are to be found throughout the museum as well as many of the original cartoons and stories behind them.

 I loved this 'Snoopy' version of the famous Knoll Bertoia chair.

The 'backyard' is a playful place to rest and enjoy the weather. One of my favorite pieces in the museum wasn't connected with the comic strip at all but rather was a wall mural Schulz created for his daughter early in his career which the current homeowners donated to the museum.

Any visit to northern California isn't complete without a stop to the Charles M Schulz museum in Santa Rosa; it will be sure to put a smile on your face!