New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) is proud to be celebrating 60 years of the Los Gatos Museum Association and 10 years of New Museum Los Gatos in 2025!

NUMU, formerly the Museums of Los Gatos, founded in 1965, is a public non-profit art and history museum located in the Civic Center Plaza in downtown Los Gatos. NUMU has gone through many transformations throughout our history as part of the Los Gatos community. The Museums of Los Gatos sprang from the inspiration of resident, Dr. Ethel Dana, who felt that no town could be complete without a museum. The Town of Los Gatos agreed to lease the vacated firehouse at the corner of Main Street and Tait Avenue to the Los Gatos Museum Association for $1 per year which opened its doors on May 20, 1967. The Museum celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2015, which culminated in its opening in June as New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) at the Los Gatos Civic Center Plaza. Learn more about our history.

Stay tuned for updates as we plan a year of celebration!

Peace, Love + Art Benefit Auction Bash

Sat, Nov 15, 2025, 6-10 PM

We are proud to host the first Peace, Love + Art Benefit on November 15 at La Rinconada Country Club. The evening will feature a live art auction, dinner, an awards celebration, dancing, and fun! The theme is groovy ‘60s as we celebrate our 60th Anniversary.

Awards

NUMU is proud to announce the establishment of several awards which will be presented to award recipients on Saturday, November 15th at our Peace, Love + Art Benefit Auction Bash! We are calling for nominations from anyone who believes they have a candidate who is deserving of one of the award categories.

Dr. Ethel Dana Award

The Dr. Ethel Dana Award recognizes members of the Los Gatos Museum Association community who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the museum and community by giving generously of their time, energy, and leadership. This award celebrates those members whose outstanding accomplishments have brought honor and recognition to themselves and New Museum Los Gatos.

Mike Parsons
2025 Dr. Ethel Dana Achievement Award Recipient

Michael Parsons, a Monte Sereno resident, has been an influential figure in the growth and success of New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU). Serving on the museum’s Board of Directors from 2006 to 2018, and as board president in 2012, Michael played a pivotal role in guiding NUMU through its transition from the former locations the firehouse (art museum) and Forbes Mill Flour Annex (history museum) to to its current larger home at the Los Gatos Civic Center. He was also a founding member of ArtNow, NUMU’s award-winning juried exhibition for high school students, which has expanded from a local Los Gatos program into a county-wide initiative serving more than 50 schools. His vision and unwavering commitment helped shape NUMU into a dynamic center for art, history, and culture in Santa Clara County.

Alongside his wife of 63 years, Alyce, Michael has been a steadfast supporter of the museum for nearly two decades. Together, they established the Mike and Alyce Parsons Art Endowment, a permanent fund that ensures NUMU’s long-term sustainability and continued ability to serve future generations. Michael has often expressed how meaningful it is to see ArtNow students go on to prestigious colleges and careers in the arts, inspired by the opportunities NUMU provided. His legacy at the museum is both structural and deeply personal—ensuring that young artists are nurtured, community culture is celebrated, and NUMU remains a vital cornerstone of Los Gatos for years to come.

Beyond the museum, Michael built a distinguished and multifaceted career. A periodontist by training, he earned his dental degree from Marquette University and completed advanced studies at UC San Francisco before opening a private practice in Sunnyvale. His entrepreneurial spirit led him into winemaking, ranching, and real estate development, pursuits that reflected his curiosity, hard work, and deep ties to the region. Whether in dentistry, business, or community service, Michael’s endeavors have always been guided by a commitment to excellence and a passion for giving back.

Leo & Leona History and Art Awards

The Leo and Leona Awards for art and history recognize those members of the museum community who have demonstrated a meaningful contribution to preserving or presenting Bay Area History or a commitment to fostering the arts in the community through exhibitions, mentorship, education, or public engagement. The awards are named for “the cats” statues which have stood along Highway 17 guarding the entrance of a renowned estate since 1922 and stand as a symbol of the Town of Los Gatos and the more than 100-year history of our residents' deep commitment to the arts.

Marie Cameron
2025 Leona Award Recipient for Art

Marie Cameron is a contemporary imaginative realist artist known for her oil paintings, mixed media assemblages, and embroidery. Born in New York City, she grew up in Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) with distinction from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, where she majored in painting and minored in sculpture.

Her artistic career has included work in giftware design and children's book illustration. After moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1997, she became an active member of the local arts community and currently works from her studio in Los Gatos, California.

Cameron's work is driven by a strong narrative focus, often exploring the relationship between humans, other species, and the environment. Her series "Critical Masses" addresses the impact of humanity on ocean ecosystems, while her "Birds & Teacups" series reflects her love of birding. During the pandemic, she began her #morerainbows series, embroidering colorful silk rainbows onto vintage photographs to convey a sense of hope. Her art has been exhibited and collected internationally and is featured in a number of museums, including the New Museum Los Gatos.

Alan Feinberg
2025 Leo Award Recipient for History

Alan Feinberg and his wife Joan Weber relocated to Los Gatos from Concord, Massachusetts 35 years ago and they love their adopted home town. Feinberg spent the majority of his 20-year corporate career in sales, marketing, and business development at startup companies in the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industry, followed by ten years as a business advisor, interim executive, and consultant to entrepreneurs and early stage investors. He holds BSEE and MBA degrees. He is a former partner at the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2), a venture philanthropy organization, and the former Board Chair at Teenforce (now Pivotal) which helps at-risk foster youth.

As an amateur local historian, Alan has become widely known for his dedication to sharing and preserving our town's rich history. In 2015, he founded the "LOST Gatos Project" to generate awareness about the mostly forgotten people, places, and events that have shaped Los Gatos over the past 200 years. It features a free mobile app called "Discover LOST Gatos," which offers three self-guided walking tours of our historic downtown, complete with narration and restored vintage photographs.

Alan has published over 40 stories on Los Gatos history as a longtime contributor to the Los Gatan. He has written articles for Los Gatos Living and created a “Highlights of Los Gatos History” section for the Los Gatos Destination Guide published by the Chamber of Commerce. Alan is also a Distinguished Toastmaster and accomplished storyteller whose entertaining and informative talks about town history have been in demand by the Los Gatos Library, NUMU, the Los Gatos High School, Kiwanis, Lions, and both Rotary clubs.

Feinberg is a founding Director of Los Gatos Thrives, a nonprofit foundation whose long-term goal is the creation of an Intergenerational Community Center. His community involvement also includes serving on our town’s Historic Preservation Committee.

A huge thank you to the generous sponsors of the Peace, Love + Art Benefit!

Premier

Mike + Alyce Parsons
Wanda Kownacki

Lead

Shari Flick
Dani & Graydon Hinsche
Julie & Andrew Micallef

Benefactor

Rick & Carol Tinsley
McManis + Faulkner
Barney & Mary Davidge

Partner

The Waitte Foundation
The Kirkorian Foundation
West Valley College

Additional Support

McCarthy Development

In-kind sponsors

Tasting House
Allison & Matt Railo
University Art
Centerpiece

Sponsor the Benefit

$1,500 PARTNER SPONSOR

• 2 complimentary tickets to the Peace, Love, & Art Benefit Auction Bash on November 15, 2025 (Value: $500)

• Complimentary Patron membership (Value: $150)

• Recognition on all event materials including event program, invitations, website and marketing materials

$2,500 BENEFACTOR SPONSOR

• 2 complimentary tickets to the Peace, Love, & Art Benefit Auction Bash on November 15, 2025 (Value: $500)

• Complimentary Benefactor membership (Value: $500)

• Exclusive private preview of the auction artwork

• Recognition on all event materials including event program, invitations, website and marketing materials

• Quarter page advertisement in event program

$5,000 LEAD SPONSOR

• 4 complimentary tickets to the Peace, Love, & Art Benefit Auction Bash on November 15, 2025 (Value: $1000)

• Complimentary Curators Circle membership (Value: $1000)

• Private Exhibition Tour for up to 15

• Exclusive private preview of the auction artwork

• Recognition on all event materials including event program, invitations, website and marketing materials

• Half page advertisement in event program

$10,000 PREMIER PRESENTING EVENT SPONSOR

• 10 complimentary tickets to the Peace, Love, & Art Benefit Auction Bash on November 15, 2025 (Value: $2500)

• Complimentary Directors Circle Membership (Value: $2500; $2250 tax deductible)

• Listing as an exhibition sponsor for a current or upcoming exhibition

• Private champagne tour of a 2026 exhibition for up to 20

• Exclusive private preview of the auction artwork

• Recognition on all event materials including event program, invitations, website, marketing materials and press releases

• Full page advertisement in event program

BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP

Interested in business sponsorship? In addition to the above benefits associated with each Sponsorship level, auction business sponsors will have their company’s logo featured on all marketing materials, including all digital marketing platforms, any print advertising, signage at the event, and at the museum.

• Social Media Post Mention & tag (3.4k IG, & 2.9k Facebook followers. Rising LinkedIn, TikTok & YouTube channels)

• Inclusion on select e-newsletters (5.8k subscribers)

Past Events