These collections reflect the history of these families and their relationship to Pasadena. The Fényes-Curtin-Paloheimo Papers are comprised of the paper collection housed in and accessed through the Research Library and Archives. (View the Fényes-Curtin-Paloheimo index) The Fényes Collection is comprised of the contents of the Fényes Mansion, both on display and in storage. It includes books, textiles, household objects, decorative arts, and fine arts.  It is made available through docent-led tours, by appointment, or in special exhibits.

Biographical sketches, based on research in the Fényes-Curtin-Paloheimo Papers and published online, can be accessed on the Hometown Pasadena website. Browse articles by Julie Stires and Sheryl Peters. Fényes-related articles can also be found on our Blog.

This collection contains over 3,000 textiles dating from 1859 to 1970, with the majority of the collection dating from 1880 to 1920. The collection is stored archival boxes in a climate-controlled room. Most of the items have a Pasadena or San Gabriel Valley provenance. The costume collection is strong in the area of women’s formal wear, but there are also examples of shoes, hats, handbags, parasols, fur pieces, uniforms, bathing suits, coats, shawls, gloves, handkerchiefs, underwear, stockings and jewelry for women, men, and children. There are separate collections of antique buttons, political and civic badges and ribbons, and quilts. Some noteworthy items in the collection include a Charles Frederick Worth gown, circa 1880; several Rose Queen gowns from the Tournament of Roses; a Red Cross nurse’s uniform and an aviator’s uniform from World War I; and a boy’s Little Lord Fauntleroy suit, circa 1880.

There are approximately three dozen quilts, including several late nineteenth century crazy quilts.

This collection is available to the public by appointment only or when on display.

This collection reflects the various eras in Pasadena’s history through utilitarian, decorative and fine art materials. Holdings include silver used in the dining rooms of Pasadena’s resort hotels; Winfield pottery; paintings and watercolors, especially portraiture and plein air paintings; sports memorabilia; early technology and other business artifacts.

The objects in the Museum storage are used in special exhibits and are available to the public when on display or by appointment.

The Batchelder Tile Registry was launched in conjunction with the Museum’s 2016/2017 exhibition Batchelder: Tilemaker,which explored the design aesthetic and range of production of Ernest A. Batchelder (1875-1957) the prolific author, designer, educator, artist, and tilemaker who lived and worked in Pasadena and Los Angeles.

If you have a Batchelder tile fireplace, fountain, or other type installation in your home or office, we would like to hear from you. Submit your Batchelder Installation here!

In summer 2015, PMH turned to two sources for help in preserving its highly at-risk, irreplaceable historic photos: cryogenics and crowdfunding. The Great History Freeze had over 80 generous backers who contributed over $37,000 in donations. This generous funding from our supporters enabled us to move much more quickly on the monumental task of preserving these invaluable negatives. But why did we need freezers in the first place?

Historic negatives from the Great History Freeze are now on view in PMH’s premiere online exhibition, Frozen Frames: Preserving Pasadena’s Visual Legacy. This exhibition will unfold in four parts over a year-long period, bringing artistically and historically compelling images out of the deep freeze and into public view. MORE INFO