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MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS <br />For nearly eight decades, the Bowers Museum has evolved in many ways. From a relatively small museum focusing on <br />Orange County history, the Bowers is now 8.6 times larger, the largest museum in Orange County, and one of the finest <br />cultural arts museums in the region. Its collections, programs, and exhibitions still include Orange County history, but now <br />reflect the demographics of Southern California by celebrating its diverse cultural makeup, with major emphasis on the <br />fine arts of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific Rim. Shortly after the Bowers celebrated its 50th <br />anniversary in 1986, the museum closed its doors for a period of self -study, evaluation, and rebuilding for the 21 st century. <br />What emerged when it reopened its doors in October of 1992 was a new museum ready for the next millennium. With the <br />addition of the new Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing in February of 2007, the museum added a permanent Chinese <br />exhibition, along with additional galleries for special exhibitions, spacious event venues, and a 300-seat auditorium, all to <br />advance its mission to enrich lives through the world's finest arts and cultures. <br />