The Museum at Bethel Woods Brings West Coast Art and Style to New York with 2021 Special Exhibit

The Museum at Bethel Woods - located at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival dedicated to preserving the legacy of the 1960s - will reopen on Saturday, April 3rd, 2021, featuring the Special Exhibit Lights, Color, Fashion: Psychedelic Posters and Patterns of 1960s San Francisco.

The exhibit showcases a phenomenal ensemble of San Francisco rock posters and fashion gathered by collector Gary Westford. Originally slated to open in spring of 2020, the exhibit truly signifies a light at the end of a tunnel for the Center and its programming.

The collection highlights the kaleidoscopic years of 1964 to 1972, and features rock posters by all of the "Big Five" poster artists: Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin, Wes Wilson, Stanley Mouse, and Alton Kelley. Clothing ranging from designer to street fashion will illustrate the style and sense of self-expression from West Coast scene during the time.

Complementing the exhibit, visitors will be able to experience a light show by renowned San Francisco light artist Bill Ham, who was known for creating fantastic backdrops for rock concerts during the era. The light show, set amid the exhibition and projecting on the wall is sure to immerse the senses. Additional works by a variety of other artists round out the collection and add unique styles and perspectives not often seen.

Westford, a resident of Bay Area during this time period, has never lost his passion for those special years and the art that emerged from the dance halls and boutiques of the West Coast. He has spent the last five decades building his outstanding collection and is thrilled to bring it to the East Coast this spring. Westford stated, "For me, the posters were emblematic of an exciting new style of poster-making that was 'outside the box' of traditional poster forms... the posters were (and they remain) graphically and visually stunning."

"We are thrilled to be able to open this exhibition to the public in 2021, after a year of having to hold back such a gem," said Julia Fell, Assistant Curator, The Museum at Bethel Woods. "It is with great pride that we look forward to presenting the exemplary collection of Gary Westford and the truly special light art of Bill Ham with our visitors. The realm of the psychedelic awaits!"

The Museum opens on Saturday, April 3rd and will now be open seven days a week from 10AM-5PM. On display through December 31st, Lights, Color, Fashion is included in regular museum admission. Special Exhibition-only admission is just $5.00.

All guests in The Museum will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing guidelines. In addition to an increase in the frequency and intensity of cleaning high traffic areas, alcohol-based hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout the site. After closing each evening, the entire Museum building will undergo a full disinfection of all surfaces. In addition to MERV-13 rated filters, each of The Museum's air handling systems is equipped with ultraviolet germicidal disinfection equipment. Ticketing transactions will remain contactless and occur at the exterior Box Office windows. Due to capacity limitations, visitors are encouraged to purchase their tickets online in advance.

New for 2021, The Museum will offer Sensory-Friendly Museum Days for visitors of all ages with autism, complex developmental disabilities, or sensory sensitivities on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 9:00 - 10:30 AM, April thru December. Lighting and sound features in the Main Exhibit will be augmented and trained staff will be on-hand to guide guests through their experience.

Tickets are now available for purchase. It is strongly recommended to purchase online and in advance for a discounted rate. For more information about Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, to review safety precautions and protocols, and to plan your visit, please go online www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.

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