THE ARCHITECTURAL ART OF THE CHARLES M. SCHULZ MUSEUM
Special Features: The Museum Building (July 18 to November 12, 2007)

"Thought Balloon" skylights in the Great Hall of the Schulz Museum (photo by Rick Samuels)

“The (building’s) scale is intended to put
visitors in the shoes of the small characters
who inhabit the Peanuts world.”
C. David Robinson, Architect of the
Charles M. Schulz Museum

June 29, 2007—Santa Rosa, CA. David Robinson knew it could not just be another building: this museum was to house the famous comic strip and its even more famous characters—Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the Peanuts Gang—who had woven themselves into the fabric of our collective international consciousness.  But it also needed to be a place where, according to Robinson, “Charles Schulz himself would be comfortable”—no small feat when designing for a reluctant celebrity.

Special Features: The Museum Building is a multi-faceted exhibition that investigates the art behind the architecture of the Schulz Museum as it celebrates a milestone—its 5th anniversary.  The exhibition opens July 18 and runs through November 12, 2007, at the Charles M. Schulz Museum.

Charlie Brown zigzag pattern in the exterior courtyard (photo by Rick Samuels)

Unique Touches
Robinson and the building’s other designers and planners sought to express the uniqueness of Charles Schulz and his strip, so they conceived a Museum as distinct as the art it would house. Some of the special features created for the Schulz Museum include: custom–made ceramic tiles of Peanuts strips that line the restroom walls; skylights reminiscent of comic strip thought balloons; zigzag patterns of the interior wood floors and exterior courtyard path that mimic Charlie Brown’s distinctive shirt; bean bag chairs (like Charlie Brown’s) scattered in sitting areas throughout the building;  an outdoor labyrinth in the shape of Snoopy’s head; and the repetitive use of black (referring to the famous Schulz “line”) and yellow accents.  The decision to use the bright color was based in part on Schulz’s own philosophy: “You can’t go wrong with yellow.”

Snoopy Labyrinth at the Schulz Museum (photo by Rick Samuels)

The Special Features exhibition includes early conceptual designs, architectural drawings, working models, and a timeline video of the Museum’s construction.  Visitors will also discover the architectural philosophies behind the building’s overall design.

Why Build a Museum?
When first approached in the 1995 with the prospect of creating a museum, Schulz dismissed the idea. He did not think of himself as “a museum piece”—he felt his purpose was to create a daily comic strip.  Schulz’s pessimism, however, did not deter a dedicated trio of friends: local cartoon historian, Mark Cohen; Schulz’s longtime friend and attorney, Edwin Anderson; and the cartoonist’s wife, Jeannie.  Even without Schulz’s initial support, the three friends pursued their dream of establishing a place where people could share in Schulz’s work and his unique vision of the world.

Schulz’s interest in the museum peaked in 1997 after seeing the inspired and playful creations of Japanese artist and designer, Yoshiteru Otani, for the Snoopy Town stores in Japan. Schulz and Jeannie agreed that Otani could bring an element of artistic whimsy to a museum that would balance and complement the comic artwork. With this last piece of the puzzle in place, plans went forward to build a museum on the same Santa Rosa, California, campus where Schulz spent his days working at his art studio; playing hockey, tennis, or softball; or just relaxing at the Warm Puppy Café at the Redwood Empire Ice Arena.

History of the Building’s Construction
After an extensive search, the San Francisco–based firm of C. David Robinson Architects was chosen in 1998, based in part on Robinson’s museum designing experience.  According to Robinson, “The design of this small museum devoted to Charles M. Schulz and his Peanuts characters responds not only to its residential context, but to the sense of quiet humor and strong community which is evident in the comic strip.  It is specifically designed to present Schulz’s small–scale, original artwork.”

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