Deserts Viewed in a Rear-View Mirror
A bit of drive-by history is the subject of “The California Deserts: Today and Yesterday,” which reveals changes in the desert landscape over 80 years by pairing then-and-now photos from archives of the Automobile Club of Southern California.
The exhibit, running Jan. 24 through June 14 at the Palm Springs Desert Museum, includes scenes from Red Rock Canyon State Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, the Salton Sea and the Coachella Valley. The show was created by matching 60 black-and-white photos taken by AAA before 1940 with contemporary color photos of the same sites taken by the museum’s James W. Cornett.
Among the revelations: “We’ve learned Joshua trees do not live as long as once thought,” Cornett said.
The show also includes vintage artifacts such as cameras and Auto Club maps; a video featuring interviews with longtime desert residents; and mineral specimens.
The museum, at 101 Museum Drive, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Adult admission is $7.50. Information: telephone (760) 325-0189.
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