The Sacramento History Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront is proud to present “America’s Monsters, Superheroes and Villains: Our Culture at Play,” an engaging exhibition of vintage toys and more from SuperMonster市City!, opening August 9, 2024, and continuing through January 7, 2025. Coinciding with Second Saturday celebrations happening throughout the central city, the History Museum is offering free admission to all children and youth (under 18 years of age) all day on Saturday, August 10, along with a fun create-your-own comic strip activity. 

This uniquely engaging exhibition is filled with more than 400 vintage original toys, comic books, games, posters, packaging, television commercials, movie trailers and more from the 1950s to the early 2000s, featuring iconic monsters, superheroes, and villains of American popular culture. This expansive exhibition will be displayed throughout the museum’s ground floor and in the third floor R. Burnett and Mimi Glide Miller Gallery.

This eclectic display of toys, comic books, games, posters, packaging, media and more, are derived from collector and SuperMonster市City! co-founder David Barnhill’s private collection of an estimated 200,000 objects. Featured are iconic monsters, superheroes, and villains such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Black Panther, The Joker, Storm, Green Goblin, Captain Marvel, as well as Star Trek, Star Wars and more. 

Exhibit curator and SuperMonster市City! co-founder Stephen Rueff’s informative didactics highlight how these characters became symbols of America’s global identity and touchstones for American youth as they navigated social tensions, from post-World War II, through the 1960’s and into the Cold War Era.

Appealing to all ages, the exhibition profiles many creators, designers, and artists such as: Stan Lee, Bob Kane, and Todd McFarlane, along with vintage toys from Mattel, Hasbro, Aurora, Marx, and more.

The “America’s Monsters, Superheroes and Villains: Our Culture at Play” exhibit is included with museum admission. Located at 101 I Street at the Old Sacramento Waterfront, the Sacramento History Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). For more information about the new exhibit and/or other exhibits and programs offered by the Sacramento History Museum, please visit www.sachistorymuseum.org.

About the Sacramento History Museum — The Sacramento History Museum is managed by the Sacramento History Alliance, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that also manages the Sacramento Visitors Center, Old Sacramento Underground Tours, and Living History Programs. For more information about the Sacramento History Museum and Sacramento History Alliance, please visit www.sachistorymuseum.org.

About SuperMonster市City! — SuperMonster市City! celebrates monsters, superheroes and villains through touring museum exhibitions, books, special events, and more. Co-founded by master collector David Barnhill whose collection of more than 200,000 toys, comic books, posters, and films of the scary, supernatural, and villainous is one of the largest private toy collections in America. Stephen Rueff is co-founder and managing director as the exhibit curator. This exhibition has set new attendance and revenue records at prior venues, and received Museum Exhibition of the Year from the Twin Cities weekly City Pages. 

*Image is courtesy of Steven Zerby