Schulz personally created and drew 17,897 “Peanuts” strips, even after a tremor affected his hand. But the Columbus exhibit makes clear through strips, memorabilia and commentary that Schulz’s creation was a juggernaut in its day.Īt the time of Schulz’s retirement in 1999 following a cancer diagnosis, his creation ran in more than 2,600 newspapers, was translated into 21 languages in 75 countries and had an estimated daily readership of 355 million. Schulz was never a fan of the name “Peanuts,” chosen by the syndicate because his original title, “Li’l Folks,” was too similar to another strip’s name. Reading the comic again as as an adult, now as a mother to a young daughter, Peanuts’ treatment of gender has struck me again and again.Ukraine claims Russia is plotting 'a provocation' at nuclear plant, offers no evidence … But what finally motivated me to drive the 100 miles north from my East Bay home was a pair of exhibits looking at Peanuts’ portrayal of its female characters: the inimitable Lucy, Sally, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Violet and more. It’s the kind of place you go thinking you’ll dip in and look around for an hour and end up spending two and wishing you could stay longer.įreda Moon visits the museum and reports back to SFGate with words and pictures.

Opened in 2002 and dedicated entirely to the artist’s life and work, the museum is a more impressive - bigger and more comprehensive - institution than I’d imagined as I planned my visit, foolishly allotting myself not nearly enough time to take it in.

The arena is still there, still going strong after more than 50 years.These days, it sits beside an even more impressive contribution to the region, the Charles M.

1969, funded the construction of the Redwood Empire Ice Arena, aka “Snoopy’s Home Ice,” aka the “Coolest Place in Santa Rosa.”

The charles schulz museum