Of course you all know who Huell Howser is! Before travel shows, before Yelp there were Huell Howser shows - "California Gold" among them that took us to unknown places of this beautiful state. Huell liked to dig deeper and look for off the beaten paths places and talk to locals like no one else could. Huell liked Orange and decided to leave his legacy (archive from his shows), library, art collection, personal objects to Chapman University. The University arranged a wonderful permanent exhibit dedicated to Howser's legacy and life. The exhibit is located on the lower level (follow signs) of Leatherby Libaries on the beautiful campus of Chapman. Take Glassell Street toward N from Orange Circle, a quick 2 minute walk, then take a right to University Dr. and you'll see the big library building (there are maps on the campus, too). The exhibit is fun to visit especially if you like California and want to learn more about it, about Howser's interesting life and career and get behind the scenes of "California Gold". It's a lot of fun memorabilia on display, videos, photos, notebooks, cameras, book, cool dessert art (created from found objects) that Huell collected, way ahead of his time. A Tennessee transplant, Huell fell in love with California and the desert where he bought some cool properties. There's more to Huell than you think, he was a fascinating person that left a wonderful legacy behind. The best way to learn about it all is to visit this nice exhibit, very well put together. Free to visit, closed on Mondays and Sundays. Tues- Friday - 9-5, Saturdays 10 am - 6 pm. So, plan wisely. Nice restrooms, water fountains, great staff. They offer free California maps, a Huell special. It'll take you around an hour to see everything? It could be a fun activity while you visit Orange. Great exhibit, it makes you keep discovering places and people. Great example to follow, Huell is inspiring and so is his legacy. Next time I'll stop by Stan's Donuts in Westwood, I'll have to grab a "Huell" donut, great excuse, right? read more

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This exhibit was perfectly put together to honor Huell Howser. I wish it was bigger and had souvenirs for fans to buy, but they do have AAA road maps with Huell Howser on them for visitors to take. I thought it was really cool to see Huell's actual desk with his paperwork on display. The souvenirs, gift, and memorabilia collected by Huell throughout the years was really interesting to see; my favorite was the lint dryer art. I would like to see a gift shop open in the near future ;) read more

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(Visited 04/22/15 W @ 4:15pm): There's gold in California...and AMAZINGLY it's right in your own backyard! In town for a Yelp Elite Event (YEE), I found the perfect opportunity to finally check out the "Huell Howser Exhibit" housed on the ground floor of Chapman University's Leatherby Libraries. A proud native Angeleno, I had many fond memories during my early teen years into adulthood as I listened to his endearing country bumpkin drawl while he glowingly described in innocent awe and fascination the everyday people and things we all encountered on a daily basis. Here were additional tidbits to help plan your visit: ADMISSION: Free HOURS: Tuesday-Friday (9am-5pm), Saturday (10am-6pm), Sunday-Monday (Closed) TIME NEEDED: 45 minutes maximum (I'm being generous) ARCHIVES: Call (714) 532-6088 to set up an appointment SOUVENIRS: A FREE AAA-sponsored road map, or purchase "A Golden State Of Mind" DVD ($18) Now, a picture montage of what to expect: ~Artwork at bottom of stairwell: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=qvmzUgaQABRhbSWbOpNMig ~Words by Huell Howser on entrance wall: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=HeNcJDuH1ZCf6yH8bA0Nug ~..."Thirty Years...": http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=DwKATU8nVrrdfNCDBVlJeA ~Career timeline wall: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=pxhrqGS0uR9iYBXN27Y85Q ~Amazing people & places: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=yrhYjaZ_cjsa-UffiKJlgg ~Office replica: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=JeMAPwcWYA37LZSsbdZsBA ~Camera crew & equipment: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=nN61iCId2AsjP8-Xf3-mWQ ~Favorite mementos: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=UDYJtSnTHEfiSoaeLKl3Xg Service - A friendly lone female student gladly showed me around and added her informative commentary. She then left me on my own to enjoy everything at my leisure. Parking (Varied [$2.00 in this instance]) - Although the website said you could park at the Argyros Forum Lot (where exactly was this!?), there appeared to be several lots on the campus, so pick one and explore the campus as you walked towards the libraries. The rates depended on your length of stay ($2.00 was good for up to 2 hours). Otherwise, there were metered and non-metered street parking around the campus, but those were hard to come by at this time. Atmosphere, décor, ambience - A glorified basement, if you will, that consisted of three main sections: the actual exhibition room, a sort of research/exhibit room, and the archives/video room (I didn't go into there). Rather small with wall-to-wall decorations of Huell Howser's achievements, mementos and timeline, there was soft electric lighting that guided you through. There was a TV in the main exhibit room that showed about a 10-minute encapsulation clip of Howser's life and accomplishments. However, there was no background music. Attire - Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. Overall, I didn't know what to expect, and when I finally arrived at the Huell Howser Exhibit I was initially disappointed at the sheer small scale of this ode to his life. But as I got more into each item and began to bond on a more personal level, I realized he contibuted in some part to my need to explore, always be open to anything and my straight wanderlust not only for California but for the world as a whole; for that I am grateful. For the casual observer, this exhibit may seem lame and a waste of time, so you've been warned. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total bill was around $2.00 for parking only). There was no need for credit cards, even mine of choice...AMEX! 4.0 STARS read more

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Ammmmazzzzing!!!!!! Not to be missed. Allow 15 to 30 minutes. The video was nice. I liked the part about how he prepared his show.

Excellent trip back with some of Huell's best shows and a look at some of his personal tools.

What a great little free exhibit for Huell Howser fans, new and old! "IT'S AMAZING!!" We came on the day of grand opening and wow I didn't realize how many people would be there! I guess there were more fans than I thought. We did have to wait 1 1/2 hours to get in to see this exhibit which was kind of ridiculous but it was the grand opening so I guess it's to be expected? They had a 1 hour movie showcasing 30 years of Huell Howser shows and was very entertaining. They also had some of the people Huell interviewed (Dryer Lint Lady!) and Triple A handed out a free map that included some of the stops that Huell made which was pretty cool too. I think the movie was just for grand opening but I'm pretty sure you can buy the DVD later. I would highly suggest it! The exhibit itself is very well done (it's permanently here!). It's just one room and it shows a timeline of Huell's beginning and end. There's a replica of how Huell's home office looked and pictures of people he's met and places he's been. Huell's quotes are all over and it just shows how great of a person Huell was. He donated all of the shows he's ever done to Chapman University and you can see any one you want on their website. Very cool!! I definitely recommend this exhibit for everyone. Huell showcased the state of California in such a great way and he will forever be missed. There will never be another Huell. read more

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Great little Museum Operated By Chapman university. The archivist is exceptional. And informational. There are some very cool personal items Huell owned as well as items gifted to him. You'll see an incredible timeline of his life. Admission is free, so go. read more

Huell is THE MAN! He motivated me to visit "California's Gold"! Miss that guy, and glad there is somewhere to showcase him. Will definitely come back again! Yeah, they have the special AAA Huell Howser maps! read more

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I got Covid reservations and guess what it's closed. We drove from Thousand Oaks for nothing. Thanks a lot

I finally got a chance to visit the Huell Howser Exhibit, and I'm so glad I did, WOW, If your a fan of his, this is a must see. To learn of his start in television and all the places he had worked before doing California Gold was AMAZING, then to see what he need during California Gold, Well what can I say, but AMAZING. you need to spend some time reading all the info that is here to really appreciate his life and the work he has done and the places he has been. It is very quaint, in the downstairs of the schools library. Once I got there it was very emotional to see all his life unfold in front of you, then when I saw the video of him I had tears while remembering all the shows I had watched and enjoyed though out the years. This is a must see for a true FAN of HUELL HOWSER. read more

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Good place to go for devoted Huell Howser fans. His travel programs were great and informative, but as a host he could get over the top and hammy at times. Since Howser was cremated (no grave to visit), this exhibit and video archive serves as a memorial to him. I went during the weekday in the summer and it was very empty and quiet inside. The exhibit is fairly small, so try to anticipate no more than an hour's visit. read more

Wonderful hidden gem in basement of Chapman library. Huell's library and office are here along with a vast display of unusual treasures he collected over the years. Darlene the archivist/librarian was friendly, informative, and made us feel so welcome! read more

Seeing how to succeed, should be of interest anybody. Success is one of the underlying storylines in this museum This is an interesting museum that could charge admission and doesn't. On top of everything else, it is a great place for film students to visit. Our docent was Darliene. She made the visit extra interesting because you can tell she was interested in what she was talking about. read more

Nicely done exhibit and space. The archivist was very helpful, knowledgeable, and we could tell, proud of the content. We even got special Huell Howser AAA maps! Would love to see more stuff or maybe an interactive catalog to see the interesting breadth and depth of the content. read more

Huell Howser Archives - Museums Near Me - Orange, California

So great to see some of his personal items. Very entertaining for any fan of his and they have a great library too.

A wonderful exhibit for fans of Huell Howser and his programs. Parts of his life and his most popular shows are well presented. The curator/archivist was very knowledgeable and accessible. A must see if you enjoyed watching his shows! read more

If you are a Huell Howser fan you must come here! Darlene, our docent, was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. This is exactly the kind of place that Mr. Howser would've showcased on "California's Gold"! read more

A wonderful exhibit for fans of Huell and his programs. Slices of his life and his most popular shows are well presented. The curator/archivist was very knowledgeable and accessible. A must see! read more

Nice collection of Huell Howser memorabilia. It's a small collection located inside the library on the Chapman University campus. This is worth stoping by if you are in the area and it's only a short walk from Orange Circle. read more

I grew up watching Huell and always thought "man this is the most enthusiastic host who knows nothing about anything." His show seemed unprepared and low budget, but that's what made it so good. Huell Howser travelled the places that many other travel programs never featured and he spoke to the people who truly knew and cared about the places he visited. This exhibit gives you some light into his life and his shows. It was very hard to find for me but just look for their library on campus and head to the basement. Very cool little exhibit if you happen to be in the old town Orange area. read more

I visited on 8-7-18 and I thoroughly enjoyed the CA Gold Huell Howser Exhibit. You have his timeline displayed on the wall from his childhood spanning to his career & life. Lots of photos, his personal collections and gifts given to him by the people he met in his shows. I like the fact that when viewing the photos (or seeing the gifts given to him) from various episodes on display on 2 columns, walls, tables & glass shelves, right away you remember & recognize that particular episode (or item) and it brings a smile to your face and a momentary awe. I will definitely come back again to look thru his personal library. There is no charge for admission, the only thing charged will be your heart filled with fond memories. I'm Having Fun Visiting many places in CA & at the same time keeping Huell's legacy alive. Old town Orange & Chapman University is Beautiful! Go visit the Exhibit, Old Town Orange, & watch Huell's episode on The City of Orange from the CA Gold HH Archives website where you can view ALL of his episodes. read more