Three iconic sites in San Luis Obispo are open to visit as part of Doors Open California, a month-long celebration of historic places in California that takes place across four weekends every September.
During the weekend of September 12-13, you can visit the Rosa Butron Adobe in downtown SLO, the historic Monday Club, and Mission San Luis Obispo.
Doors Open California, a program of the California Preservation Foundation, is a statewide program that unlocks rare access to historic places, hidden interiors, archives, adobes, theaters, private homes, and landmarks. It showcases cultural landmarks and offers behind-the-scenes experiences rarely available to the public.
Now in its fifth year, the program gives enthusiasts of historic architecture, design, and cultural heritage access to more than 60 sites across the state for a flat registration fee of $20 per person for a selected weekend (children and students are free). Once registered, you can select the sites you’d like to visit in order to secure your spots.
The Rosa Butron de Canet adobe, built between 1845 and 1860, is not usually open to the public, but during an outdoor open house on September 12 you can discover the women who lived there, the planned Waterman Village affordable tiny home community, and Mary Gail Black Neighborhood Park.
On September 13, a docent tour of the 1934 Julia Morgan-designed Monday Club includes a scheduled lecture by noted Morgan historian Victoria Kastner and a screening of the film The Monday Club and the Women Who Built It.
On either day the weekend of September 12-13 you can explore Mission San Luis Obispo with docents and enjoy special access to the bell tower where five bells are still rung by hand. Visitors learn about the mission’s architecture, art, courtyard, and long role as a gathering place at the heart of San Luis Obispo.
A different area of the state is featured each weekend, with opportunities organized by region so you can explore close to home or plan a preservation-minded road trip:
- September 5-6: Bay Area & Sierra Foothills
- September 12-13: North Coast & Central Coast
- September 19-20: Monterey & Sacramento
- September 26-27: LA, High Desert & Inland Empire