Chico California Resort Life

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Chico California (pop: 62,500) is the most populous city in Butte County, California. The city is a cultural, economic, and educational center of the northern Sacramento Valley and home to both Chico State University and Bidwell Park, one of the country's 25 largest municipal parks and the 13th largest municipally-owned park.

The Chico Museum first opened in February 1986 in the former Carnegie Library building in downtown Chico. It currently features the only circus exhibit of its kind in the Western United States. The museum has two main galleries which host a variety of temporary and traveling exhibits. In addition, the museum has two smaller, permanent galleries displaying the diverse history of Chico. The Chico Museum is run by the Far West Heritage Association, which also runs the Patrick Ranch Museum. The museum is free and donations are graciously accepted.

The Chico Air Museum is an aviation museum which opened in 2004. Several aircraft are displayed outdoors, with smaller displays inside a nearby building, one of the few remaining from World War II.

The National Yo-Yo Museum is the country's largest collection of yo-yo artifacts, which also includes a four-foot-tall yo-yo that is dropped with a crane every few years. Classes are available as well for those new to yo-yo and those who just want to get better. An art museum, the Chico Art Center is also located in the city.

Two other historical buildings are also museums. Bidwell Mansion is a Victorian house completed in 1868, and the former home of John and Annie Bidwell. Bidwell Mansion is a California State Historical Park. Stansbury House, former home of physician Oscar Stansbury, is a museum of 19th-century life.

Construction started on the Gateway Science Museum, formerly the Northern California Natural History Museum, adjacent to the Bidwell Mansion, in 2008. This museum, in the works for more than 10 years, aims to become a leading center for science education and will focus on the natural history and natural resources of Northern California, the seacoast, Sacramento Valley, surrounding foothills and mountains. The museum is expected to open in Fall 2009.

About 40 murals and several galleries can be found in the city, including The Crux, 1078 Gallery, Avenue 9, The Space, 24-Hour Drive-By, The 46 and numerous other galleries. The theatres in Chico include Blue Room Theatre, Theatre ETC, Chico Cabaret, Chico Performances, Chico Theater Company, and Theatre on the Ridge. The California State University, Chico Theatre Department also offers a variety of entertainment throughout the school year.[