Possible Art Museum to Be Studied

Thousand Oaks city leaders have committed to studying the creation of an art museum that could create a cultural hub in east Ventura County.

But a site near the Civic Arts Plaza, promoted by Councilwoman Linda Parks, is opposed by other arts activists who say that area has too much congestion and other places would benefit more from a museum.

A report by city staff issued this week recommended forming an 11-member committee to study the possible location and size of the museum. Parks prompted that report earlier this year when she said she hoped land would be set aside for a museum before development takes all of the available space.

The city has two public theaters at the Civic Arts Plaza and has approved plans for a science museum on the east side of the plaza. Parks said she wanted the art museum built in the same area, possibly on the first floor of one of the office buildings planned for the east-side commercial development.

While Thousand Oaks has several art galleries, it has no permanent museum, said Tom Mitze, the city’s theaters director. The county has only two, the Ventura County Museum of History and Art in Ventura and the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard.