The Museum of International Propaganda: A Hidden Gem
The Museum of International Propaganda is a small museum located in San Rafael, California containing political art of over two dozen nations, from Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union to the United States.
The Museum of International Propaganda is founded and run by Tom and Lilka Areton, whose private travels are the source of the museum’s extensive collection. Tom was raised in Czechoslovakia under the Eastern Bloc and his mother lived under the rule of Nazi Germany and survived Auschwitz. Lilka was born in the United States but was raised by a father sympathetic to the Soviet Union and the Communist Party. The museum’s stated mission is to preserve and exhibit political propaganda and to educate the public about propaganda and its historical impact.
In addition to hosting political art, the Museum of International Propaganda also hosts obscure movies, lectures or other events every Thursday night; recent films have included modern Czech thrillers and Soviet musical comedies, among others. The Museum of International Propaganda has also hosted speeches and lectures by Holocaust survivors and Italian 1970s-era journalists regarding their unique experiences during these ages, among others.
The Museum is located on 1000 Fifth Avenue in San Rafael, CA, and is open from 12-3 PM Wednesday to Saturday. Admission is free of charge and is open to all ages.
