Teaching our children to embrace the diversity of others is so important. By exposing them to varied environments and cultures, we open their minds to different viewpoints. When children see that people can do things differently or have done things a different way in the past, they become equipped to understand that different perspectives hold value. Things can be beautiful or fun or delicious even if they are new to us. Children’s minds are so malleable when they are young, it doesn’t really take much to gift them the perspective that there are numerous ways to live in the world. Whether it’s a view of a different culture, or time period, or even just looking from a different physical angle, exploring can be a powerful way to show that the world is much bigger than your family. In just a few minutes a week, you can plant seeds that will later sprout into tolerance. Below are several places around the Pasadena area that you can visit with your kids, at little or no cost, to subtly broaden their horizons now. Overtly, you’re just spending a few minutes someplace interesting. But you’re also silently broadening their perspective and preparing them for future life lessons. | ||||
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The options below are all free or low-cost, relatively easy to get to, and take between 10 and 30 minutes to explore. Check out as many as you can through the season! | ||||
1. Pasadena’s 1913 Post Office Pasadena's original post office near the corner of Colorado and Garfield, was the only one in the city for many years. Now hemmed in between other buildings, it can be easily missed as you shuffle down Colorado Blvd. Designed by a famous architect of the day, its beautiful marble and wood interior evokes the feeling of living in another era. This landmark on the National Register of Historic Places is located at 281 E Colorado Blvd. If you have to buy stamps or send a package anyway, it's definitely worth checking out! | ||||
2. The Finnish Folk Art Museum at PMH The former farmhouse of the Finnish Consulate, this “tupa” now displays traditional Finnish artifacts and gives us a tiny peak into olden days of Finland. Located on the grounds of the Pasadena Museum of History at 470 W. Walnut St. Pasadena, CA 91103, the Finnish Folk Art Museum is open on Free Museum Days. Contact PMH directly for info on when the small structure accepts visitors: info@pasadenahistory.org or 626.577.1660. | ||||
3. The Colorado Street Bridge This beautiful bridge is widely recognized from photographs as a part of Pasadena lore. Originally built to help travelers get from Pasadena to Los Angeles without having to traverse the Arroyo Seco, it was the tallest concrete structure in the world of the time. This amazing bridge allows for impressive views from both above and below. Drive over the bridge and recognize the view to the south, but then loop around and take South Arroyo Boulevard under the bridge to see the stunning arches below that support the structure. Read more about it here How to drive it? Cross the bridge heading west on West Colorado Blvd., turn right on South Orange Grove, then right on Arbor Street, right on South Arroyo Blvd., pass under the bridge, through the Arroyo Seco, and if you continue straight, you’ll end up by the Rose Bowl. | ||||
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4. Namaste Spiceland Have your kids ever spent time in an ethnic market different from their own culture?Just 10 or 15 minutes of shopping amongst the smells of unfamiliar spices reaffirms the sense that different can still be delicious! Help them select from the wide assortment of biscuits or sweets to try, such as sugar-coated fennel seeds, crunchy lotus root snacks called Phool Makhna, or pistachio cookies. Located at 270 N. Hill Avenue, Pasadena. | ||||
5. Armen Market Continue the cultural mini tour at the Armenian and multi-cultural Armen Market on North Allen Drive, at the corner of Woodbury. Check out a selection of fresh produce and imported sweets catering to the Armenian Culture that is so present in the Altadena area. You’ll also find top quality deli meats, a wide selection of dried fruits, and even Russian candies! Located at 1872 Allen Drive, Pasadena. | ||||
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6. Gold Bug While not representing a specific culture per se, Gold Bug also offers a different feel and perspective. Upscale, a little spooky, and pleasantly Goth, this shop will certainly contain some beautiful items you’ve never seen before, and you might even be surprised such things exist. Remind little ones to look with their eyes not their hands, then take a stroll through and ask them what they think. Located at 38 E Holly Street, Pasadena. Parking can be tough on this street, so pair the trip up with errands you may need to do in Old Town. | ||||
7. South Pasadena Historical Museum Housing historical artifacts and sharing the story of the city of South Pasadena, the old-timey feel of this cute little museum is definitely worth a few minutes, especially since admission is free. It's open on Thursdays from 4 to 8pm, so check out the Farmer’s Market while you’re there! Located at 913 Meridian Avenue, South Pasadena. | ||||
8. Lizzie’s Trail Inn Located at the base of the Mount Wilson Trailhead, Lizzie’s Trail Inn and it's sibling, the Richardson House, is truly a piece of local history. Transporting visitors back to the late 1800s when Sierra Madre was a sought-after resort destination that offered relief from the heat and pestilence of Los Angeles. During this era, fresh air was believed to cure various ailments, and the rugged Mt. Wilson Trail provided an abundance of it! Come see photos and artifacts that show us the rigors of frontier days. Members of the Sierra Madre Historic Preservation Society often relax on the porch, and if you get them talking, they’ll often share rich insights about the old days, the mountain community, and the area. Located at 167 E Mira Monte Ave, Sierra Madre, open 10am to 12noon every Saturday. | ||||
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9. Fair Oaks Pharmacy Pop into this old-time pharmacy for a root beer float or a Lime Rickey and take a gander at the vintage style novelties. Share with your kids that this place is a lot like typical pharmacies of the 50’s and 60’s. I can vouch that for the fact that the pharmacists at Fair Oaks compound medicines right there in the room behind the pharmacy window, rather than in an anonymous lab. Located at 1526 Mission Street, South Pasadena since 1915! Imagine what ordering a Coca-Cola back then would've been like! | ||||
10. Thrift Shopping To really teach values, you’ve got to show your kids you live them. There’s no clearer way to share the message of Reuse & Recycle than to get them familiar with the idea of thrift shopping. So next time you clean out the closets, box up their outgrown things, and take the kids with you to ACTS, Goodwill, Salvation Army or Savers. If you catch the timing right, you can make your donation around the back, then go in the front door to browse. Explain that if something is in good repair, another child can also have a chance to love it, and it won't be wasted. My son always loved searching though the toys while I examined the school clothes a few steps away.
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