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New Gateway Exhibit Explores the Bear Behind the Flag

Chico State Today

January 23, 2025

In the storied history of California, few symbols resonate as deeply as the grizzly bear. Once a formidable presence in the Golden State, the California grizzly inspired both fear and fascination among those who encountered it. Though the bear no longer roams in California, its legacy endures in our culture, on our state flag, and in our collective imagination. Chico State’s Gateway Science Museum invites us to explore this enduring relationship through its captivating exhibition, Bear in Mind: The Story of the California Grizzly, which runs through May 31, 2025.

Gateway Science Museum Executive Director Adrienne McGraw curated the new Bear in Mind: The Story of the California Grizzly exhibit that runs through May 31, 2025. (Matt Bates/University Photographer/Chico State)

Photo credit: Matt Bates/University Photographer

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