In the city of Bakersfield, California, there is a rich art and cultural heritage, as well as a variety of artworks illustrating this beautiful city’s history, accomplishments, and glory. Whether you are interested in contemporary art or natural history, Bakersfield has something for everyone.
If you are in the city and want to explore the art and cultural scene of Bakersfield then it is not possible to cover it all in one day. So, if you think so then make sure to book the room in the best hotel in Kern County, California.
However, throughout this article, we will examine some of the noteworthy points of Bakersfield’s art and culture scene
Taking a Look at Bakersfield’s Art and Culture Scene
Art
- Visual art
If we want to learn about the art of Bakersfield, then we should look at how the city and its surroundings have historically contributed to the creation of artwork. Although the terrain is relatively small, it consists of a wide variety of conditions. In addition to flat land, there are grassy hills, steep mountains, and deserts. Throughout the city, there are numerous scenes to see. However, most people choose Identifiable landmarks in the area as subjects. A few of them are the Fox Theater, the Buck Owens Crystal Palace, the Mill Creek-covered Bridge, the Bakersfield Sign, and the Beale Memorial Clock Tower.
The arts scene of Bakersfield is centered in the downtown Arts District.
- Performing Arts
In the San Joaquin Valley, Bakersfield has one of the most active performing arts communities. A total of six theatres are currently operating in the area, offering a variety of theatrical performances. The Bakersfield Music Theatre, known as Stars Theatre, performs musical theatre productions at Harvey Auditorium. Stars Theatre, located in downtown’s Arts District, is a dinner theater that performs stage productions (although it isn’t equipped with a scenery loft).
In the modern day, these performing arts are among the best things to experience, since theatre culture is on the verge of extinction. However, Bakersfield’s government is investing in it because they want to protect its history and main feature.
Museums
The city of Bakersfield is home to four museums, which are must-see monuments.
- Kern County Museum
It is the largest and oldest museum in Kern County. This museum contains over one million artifacts and fifty historic buildings collected across the county.A major goal of the museum is to preserve the county’s history.
- Bakersfield Museum of Art
Downtown Mill Creek is home to the museum. Besides hosting traveling shows, a permanent art collection is housed there. There is also a sculpture garden outside the property.
- Buena Vista Museum of Natural History
The museum is located in the Arts District, downtown. It focuses primarily on geology, paleontology, and archeology from the area, although other artifacts are also on display.
- Bakersfield Country Music Museum
It is dedicated to Bakersfield’s country’s western music history. It is currently housed in a portion of the Kern County Museum, the smallest museum of the four.
As I mentioned at the beginning, it is very difficult to visit the art and cultural scene in one day. Most notably, museums, as understanding everything thoroughly requires a lot of time. Therefore, if that is the case, make sure to book the best hotel in Kern County to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Film and Television
Historically, Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County have been used as prominent “on-location” filming locations.
Hundreds of movies, as well as countless television shows and commercials, have been partially filmed in the county since opportunity and a million acres were released in 1913. A diverse landscape attracts visitors to the area. There are many types of rural communities, including agricultural land, flat valleys, rolling hills, steep mountains, deserts, and rural communities. Some tourists visit the area to experience where their favorite films were filmed.
Despite the city’s long history of being a popular filming location, Bakersfield has sometimes been portrayed negatively or humorously in motion pictures.
Architecture
In Bakersfield, most of the historic architecture can be found in Central and East Bakersfield, which are also the city’s oldest sections. There are numerous styles of architecture popular in commercial areas, including the Second Renaissance, Mission, Art Deco, and Spanish Revival. In the past, government buildings have been constructed in the Beaux-Arts style, however many were destroyed in the 1952 earthquake or heavily remodeled in the mid-20th century. Modern architecture, which focuses on water features, has become more popular in recent years.
Cuisine
Bakersfield is the home of the Dewars Chew. Moreover, the city provides a wide range of restaurants that cater to different tastes. One of the few Basque restaurants in California can be found in the region because of the large Basque population. Other ethnicities have contributed to a large collection of Mexican and Asian restaurants (including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean).
Final Words
In summary, these are some of the most important things you need to know about Bakersfield’s art and culture scene. As a result of this post, you can easily understand it as an overview. You should, however, visit these locations in person if you wish to gain a complete understanding of the entire scene. Since this visit requires 2-3 days, it would be beneficial to book a room in the best hotel in Kern County.
