The Petaluma Historical Library and Museum is hosting 'Time and Tide,' a multimedia exhibition running through June 6 that explores the Petaluma River and its wetlands through 90 works including watercolors, photographs, poems, and sketches. The show, subtitled 'An Artful Exploration of Petaluma’s Wetlands,' opened April 9 and features contributions from local artists such as Leslie Ihrig, Zoe Caron, Dan Rogers, David Tomb, Marion Hatcher, and Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter, alongside taxidermy from the Petaluma Wildlife Museum and a video presentation.
The exhibition matters because it reframes the wetlands not as a backdrop to the city but as a living system that sustains it, while also challenging expectations of what a small nonprofit history museum can offer its community. By blending art, history, and ecology, 'Time and Tide' highlights how human industry has reshaped the river’s landscape and showcases ongoing restoration efforts, fostering deeper community engagement with local environmental issues.