Spanning 18 miles and 22,000 acres of California coastline, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is one of the most beautiful, ecologically significant, and largest dune ecosystems on Earth. Our exhibits at the Dunes Center bring together the science, art, and beauty of the Dunes, one that we hope engages on many levels— through intellect, curiosity, creativity and spirit—so that you can experience the Dunes in a whole new way.
Lost City of DeMille
In 1923, pioneer filmmaker Cecil. B. DeMille built the largest set in movie history in the dunes near Guadalupe, California, for his silent epic, The Ten Commandments. The Dunes Center offers visitors a unique and fascinating exhibit featuring a variety of artifacts from the both the set and the people who were working on the production.
Habitats
The Habitats exhibit, a legacy of Alfred M. Sr. and Anna Multari, features bright, whimsical wallpaper created by local schoolchildren. From purple surf thistle to the endangered California red-legged frog, the mural’s vibrant spectrum of plants and creatures reminds us that all species of the Dunes are vitally connected and ever-evolving.
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Cabinets of Curiosity
Explore the colorful mosaic of history and habitats that make up the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. Explore artifacts excavated from The Ten Commandments archaeological site and collected from the region. Other boxes reveal exotic sea urchins, bone specimens, and drift balls that form when plant fibers floating downstream meet ocean waves, spinning them into airy spheres. An overarching theme in this exhibit is the work of local Dunes activist and pioneer environmentalist Kathleen Goddard Jones.
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Sand
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes undulates 18 miles along the Central California shore, stretching from Pismo State Beach to Point Sal. This exhibit’s panoramic backdrop invokes a sense of wonder. What forces of nature created such a dazzling setting? What lies beneath? This space also features our “Great Sand Challenge,” a collection of sand gathered from around the world by our members and visitors.
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Agriculture
Over the centuries, waves of people have raised families and thrived on the 22,000 acres of rich terrain within the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex. In this exhibit, each culture is represented by a place setting with photographs illustrating how they lived, what they grew, and how the land sustained them.
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Community Space
Our multi-use Community Space was created in collaboration with Guadalupe Cultural Arts and Education Center, and features seating areas beautifully landscaped with wildflowers, shrubs and other native plants from the Dunes. It is designed to re-create the serenity of the Dunes setting, especially for those unable to trek the terrain in person.
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