San Gabriel – San Gabriel Mission’s History Day was held on Saturday, June 5, featured mission’s museum, which now has a larger selection of books and artifacts that are displayed.

Each year thousands of fourth-grade elementary school students in California study California mission history and build mission models. A few mission-building models are displayed in the museum, on the grounds, and in the gift shop lobby.

San Gabriel Mission Docent John Fantz has donated hundreds of hours arranging the museum and placing many new signs of information about the items displayed.

Interested persons can visit mission’s web site www.sangabrielmission.net and they can get admission at mission’s gift shop. There is no extra charge for History Day events.

Admission prices are free for age five and younger, $3 for age 6 through 17, $5 for age 18-61, and $4 for age 62 and older. The mission church, museum and gardens will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Persons age 17 and younger must be with their parents or guardian.

Mission History Day was created so that, once a month on a Saturday, visitors can learn more about mission history: people, cultures, events, buildings, artwork, artifacts, plant life and more.  Some months a contest is scheduled.

Free self-parking is available on a first-come basis in the church lot at the intersection of Mission Road and Junipero Serra Drive. The address is 427 S. Junipero Serra Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776.

San Gabriel Mission was founded on Sept. 8, 1771 as the fourth oldest of 21 missions in California.  The Roman Catholic parish has more than 70 active groups that speak a language of either English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog (Filipino) or Chinese.