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Time & Location

Sep 09, 2025, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Newport Beach, 210 Marine Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92662, USA

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David Kuntz's incredible walk began with a single step and a dream.
From a simple idea… to walking around the world.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.

David Kuntz's incredible walk began with a single step and a dream.
From a simple idea… to walking around the world.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.

Dave Kunst Oral History
The plan was simple… walk across Russia.
Then they said no.
So they changed everything… and kept going.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.

Dave Kunst Oral History
The plan was simple… walk across Russia.
Then they said no.
So they changed everything… and kept going.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.

Jenni Samuel Oral History
“Believe in who you are… you can do it.”
Most people dream about it. They actually walked around the world.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#JenniSamuel #BelieveInYourself #TrueStory #Adventure

Jenni Samuel Oral History
“Believe in who you are… you can do it.”
Most people dream about it. They actually walked around the world.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#JenniSamuel #BelieveInYourself #TrueStory #Adventure

Dave Kunst Oral History
They didn’t just walk around the world…
They made history doing it.
Years on the road. Multiple records. A “crazy idea” that turned into a Guinness World Record story.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #GuinnessWorldRecord #Adventure #TrueStory

Dave Kunst Oral History
They didn’t just walk around the world…
They made history doing it.
Years on the road. Multiple records. A “crazy idea” that turned into a Guinness World Record story.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #GuinnessWorldRecord #Adventure #TrueStory

In 1970, Dave Kunst Oral History
It started as a random idea between brothers…
“What if we just walked around the world?”
No plan. No roadmap. Just a decision that changed everything.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #Adventure #TrueStory #WalkTheWorld

In 1970, Dave Kunst Oral History
It started as a random idea between brothers…
“What if we just walked around the world?”
No plan. No roadmap. Just a decision that changed everything.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #Adventure #TrueStory #WalkTheWorld

Dave Kunst Oral History
Afghanistan wasn’t part of the plan… but it nearly ended everything.
Bandits. A sudden attack. A fight just to stay alive in a place where no one was coming to save you.
This is where the journey turned deadly.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #Afghanistan #SurvivalStory #TrueStory

Dave Kunst Oral History
Afghanistan wasn’t part of the plan… but it nearly ended everything.
Bandits. A sudden attack. A fight just to stay alive in a place where no one was coming to save you.
This is where the journey turned deadly.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #Afghanistan #SurvivalStory #TrueStory

Today we celebrate a young talent bringing music to life right here inside the museum.

Happy Birthday, Christopher Palmese! @Chris_palmese

Keep playing, keep creating, and keep sharing your gift with the world.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more local stories, talent, and history.

Today we celebrate a young talent bringing music to life right here inside the museum.

Happy Birthday, Christopher Palmese! @Chris_palmese

Keep playing, keep creating, and keep sharing your gift with the world.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more local stories, talent, and history.

Dave Kunst Oral History
Walk around the world… seriously?
From Minnesota to the Atlantic, across Europe, all the way to the Indian Ocean.
He actually did it.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #Adventure #WalkTheWorld #TrueStory

Dave Kunst Oral History
Walk around the world… seriously?
From Minnesota to the Atlantic, across Europe, all the way to the Indian Ocean.
He actually did it.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#DaveKunst #Adventure #WalkTheWorld #TrueStory

Dave Kunst, left for dead in the Afghan wilderness… and still made it out alive.
Wounded, alone, watching caravans pass in the dark… not knowing if help would ever come.
This isn’t a movie. It actually happened.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more stories like this.
#Afghanistan #SurvivalStory #TrueStory #WoundedWarrior

Dave Kunst, left for dead in the Afghan wilderness… and still made it out alive.
Wounded, alone, watching caravans pass in the dark… not knowing if help would ever come.
This isn’t a movie. It actually happened.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more stories like this.
#Afghanistan #SurvivalStory #TrueStory #WoundedWarrior

Tim Mang Oral History
From early lessons on and off the court to life along the Newport shoreline, his path into coaching became something bigger, a deep connection to community.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#NewportBeach

Tim Mang Oral History
From early lessons on and off the court to life along the Newport shoreline, his path into coaching became something bigger, a deep connection to community.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.
#NewportBeach

Tim Mang Oral History
From P.E. major to high school tennis coach… to 16 years at CDM shaping elite players.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.

Tim Mang Oral History
From P.E. major to high school tennis coach… to 16 years at CDM shaping elite players.
Follow Balboa Island Museum for more local history.

The Swift of Ipswich, owned by Bill and James Cagney

Ever seen this ship in Newport Harbor?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

The Swift of Ipswich, owned by Bill and James Cagney

Ever seen this ship in Newport Harbor?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Vacationers in front of the Collins Island cottages

Did your family ever stay here?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Vacationers in front of the Collins Island cottages

Did your family ever stay here?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

313 & 311 Marine Ave, 1942
Home of Ethel Taylor, owner of Taylor’s Cafe

Anyone remember Taylor’s Cafe?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

313 & 311 Marine Ave, 1942
Home of Ethel Taylor, owner of Taylor’s Cafe

Anyone remember Taylor’s Cafe?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Traffic Violation, Newport Beach 1965 by Robert Von Sternberg

Ever gotten a ticket in Newport back in the day?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Traffic Violation, Newport Beach 1965 by Robert Von Sternberg

Ever gotten a ticket in Newport back in the day?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

318 Marine Ave. between 1930 and 1945

Whats your favorite place on Marine Ave?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

318 Marine Ave. between 1930 and 1945

Whats your favorite place on Marine Ave?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Village Inn 1958

What’s your best Village Inn memory?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Village Inn 1958

What’s your best Village Inn memory?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

From the McNamara photo collection is the bridge to Collins Island

From the McNamara photo collection is the bridge to Collins Island

Vietnam War Veterans Day Pinning Ceremony tomorrow

Join us as we honor and recognize our Vietnam War veterans.

Sunday, March 29 | 10 AM
Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Ave, Balboa Island

All veterans, families, and friends are invited
Coffee & donuts will be served

Held in honor of Bill Stewart, whose work helped the museum recognize and celebrate Vietnam veterans and their families.

A meaningful morning of remembrance, recognition, and community.

Vietnam War Veterans Day Pinning Ceremony tomorrow

Join us as we honor and recognize our Vietnam War veterans.

Sunday, March 29 | 10 AM
Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Ave, Balboa Island

All veterans, families, and friends are invited
Coffee & donuts will be served

Held in honor of Bill Stewart, whose work helped the museum recognize and celebrate Vietnam veterans and their families.

A meaningful morning of remembrance, recognition, and community.

AirCal – OUR HOMETOWN AIRLINE

Ask a local for AirCal memories and you may hear this…
. If a gate agent noticed that a regular commuter had yet to arrive, they’d slow down
the boarding process.
. In the 1970s, Air California offered $25 tickets to school classes so we could fly to
Sacramento and tour the State Capitol. For many, our first airplane flight!
. We loved that the AirCal Magazine cartoons were by our local “king of mischief”,
Dick Shaw.
And maybe the best memory of all…
. Hopping a 7AM flight to SFO, running off the plane to grab a loaf of sourdough
bread, re-boarding the same plane and being back home by 9AM.

The original company, Air California, was the brainchild of five local businessmen who gathered in Corona del Mar, in 1965, to explore the possibility of an airline to service passengers from Orange County to San Francisco. Flights began in 1967 with two, California made, Lockheed L-188 Electra “short runway” turbo prop commuter airplanes. Offering 5 round-trip flights a day, the fare was a whopping $14.85 plus tax. More Electras were added and, in 1973, the corporate office was opened on Birch Street in Newport Beach. By 1980, departures to and from Oakland, San Jose, Burbank, Palm Springs, San Diego, Ontario, Lake Tahoe and Reno had been added to the mix along with several new Boeing 737 and DC-9 Super 80 jets.

In 1981, the airline was purchased for $61.5 million, by AirCal Investments, owned by Orange County businessmen, George Argyros and William Lyon. The name was changed to AirCal and new corporate colors, to evoke the warmth of a California sunrise, were chosen. Designer Mary McFadden developed new fashions for staff. More DC-9 Super 80s were added to the fleet, along with destinations to Vancouver, Canada and Chicago. The addition of six, short-haul British Aerospace 146 “Whisperjets” rounded out the fleet to 39 jets.

In 1987, American Airlines acquired AirCal for $225 million and, after 20 years of “personal” service to the Orange County community, our “hometown airline” became a memory. And, if you ask a local, it’s a great memory.

AirCal – OUR HOMETOWN AIRLINE

Ask a local for AirCal memories and you may hear this…
. If a gate agent noticed that a regular commuter had yet to arrive, they’d slow down
the boarding process.
. In the 1970s, Air California offered $25 tickets to school classes so we could fly to
Sacramento and tour the State Capitol. For many, our first airplane flight!
. We loved that the AirCal Magazine cartoons were by our local “king of mischief”,
Dick Shaw.
And maybe the best memory of all…
. Hopping a 7AM flight to SFO, running off the plane to grab a loaf of sourdough
bread, re-boarding the same plane and being back home by 9AM.

The original company, Air California, was the brainchild of five local businessmen who gathered in Corona del Mar, in 1965, to explore the possibility of an airline to service passengers from Orange County to San Francisco. Flights began in 1967 with two, California made, Lockheed L-188 Electra “short runway” turbo prop commuter airplanes. Offering 5 round-trip flights a day, the fare was a whopping $14.85 plus tax. More Electras were added and, in 1973, the corporate office was opened on Birch Street in Newport Beach. By 1980, departures to and from Oakland, San Jose, Burbank, Palm Springs, San Diego, Ontario, Lake Tahoe and Reno had been added to the mix along with several new Boeing 737 and DC-9 Super 80 jets.

In 1981, the airline was purchased for $61.5 million, by AirCal Investments, owned by Orange County businessmen, George Argyros and William Lyon. The name was changed to AirCal and new corporate colors, to evoke the warmth of a California sunrise, were chosen. Designer Mary McFadden developed new fashions for staff. More DC-9 Super 80s were added to the fleet, along with destinations to Vancouver, Canada and Chicago. The addition of six, short-haul British Aerospace 146 “Whisperjets” rounded out the fleet to 39 jets.

In 1987, American Airlines acquired AirCal for $225 million and, after 20 years of “personal” service to the Orange County community, our “hometown airline” became a memory. And, if you ask a local, it’s a great memory.

Meet the Mayor of Newport Beach

Comment EVENT

Join us for an evening with Mayor Lauren Kleiman as she shares what’s happening in our city and what’s ahead for Newport Beach.

Thursday, April 23
6:00 PM
Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Ave, Balboa Island

Wine & bites included

RSVP: 949-675-3952

Members: $20
Non-members: $25

A rare chance to hear directly from your local leadership in an intimate setting.

Comment EVENT

#BalboaIslandMuseum #NewportBeach #OrangeCountyEvents #NewportBeachEvents #CommunityEvent #MeetTheMayor

Meet the Mayor of Newport Beach

Comment EVENT

Join us for an evening with Mayor Lauren Kleiman as she shares what’s happening in our city and what’s ahead for Newport Beach.

Thursday, April 23
6:00 PM
Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Ave, Balboa Island

Wine & bites included

RSVP: 949-675-3952

Members: $20
Non-members: $25

A rare chance to hear directly from your local leadership in an intimate setting.

Comment EVENT

#BalboaIslandMuseum #NewportBeach #OrangeCountyEvents #NewportBeachEvents #CommunityEvent #MeetTheMayor

Vietnam War Veterans Day Pinning Ceremony

Comment EVENT

Join us as we honor and recognize our Vietnam War veterans.

Sunday, March 29 | 10 AM
Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Ave, Balboa Island

All veterans, families, and friends are invited
Coffee & donuts will be served

Held in honor of Bill Stewart, whose work helped the museum recognize and celebrate Vietnam veterans and their families.

A meaningful morning of remembrance, recognition, and community.

Comment EVENT

#BalboaIslandMuseum #VeteransDay #NewportBeach

Vietnam War Veterans Day Pinning Ceremony

Comment EVENT

Join us as we honor and recognize our Vietnam War veterans.

Sunday, March 29 | 10 AM
Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Ave, Balboa Island

All veterans, families, and friends are invited
Coffee & donuts will be served

Held in honor of Bill Stewart, whose work helped the museum recognize and celebrate Vietnam veterans and their families.

A meaningful morning of remembrance, recognition, and community.

Comment EVENT

#BalboaIslandMuseum #VeteransDay #NewportBeach

318 Marine Ave. between 1930 and 1945

318 Marine Ave. between 1930 and 1945

Village Inn 1958

Village Inn 1958

Tonight at Balboa Island Museum

Join us for a special Gallery Open House celebrating our new exhibit featuring Rex Brandt original watercolors from the personal collection of Mark Hilbert.

Come meet Mark Hilbert, founder of the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University and one of California’s most dedicated collectors of California art.

Tonight, March 19, 2026
5 PM to 7 PM
210 Marine Avenue, Balboa Island, CA 92662

Enjoy wine & bites
RSVP: 949-675-3952

We hope to see you tonight for this beautiful evening of art, history, and community.

#BalboaIslandMuseum #NewportBeach #BalboaIsland #CaliforniaArt #RexBrandt #MarkHilbert #GalleryOpenHouse #ArtExhibit #OrangeCountyEvents #NewportBeachEvents

Tonight at Balboa Island Museum

Join us for a special Gallery Open House celebrating our new exhibit featuring Rex Brandt original watercolors from the personal collection of Mark Hilbert.

Come meet Mark Hilbert, founder of the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University and one of California’s most dedicated collectors of California art.

Tonight, March 19, 2026
5 PM to 7 PM
210 Marine Avenue, Balboa Island, CA 92662

Enjoy wine & bites
RSVP: 949-675-3952

We hope to see you tonight for this beautiful evening of art, history, and community.

#BalboaIslandMuseum #NewportBeach #BalboaIsland #CaliforniaArt #RexBrandt #MarkHilbert #GalleryOpenHouse #ArtExhibit #OrangeCountyEvents #NewportBeachEvents

From the McNamara photo collection is the bridge to Collins Island

From the McNamara photo collection is the bridge to Collins Island

Photo taken in 1957 of the Village Inn being remodeled, developed in 1958.

Photo taken in 1957 of the Village Inn being remodeled, developed in 1958.

A sheet film negative of Norton’s Hardware Store at 301 Marine Ave taken at an unknown date.

A sheet film negative of Norton’s Hardware Store at 301 Marine Ave taken at an unknown date.

Image of surfer Michael Haley taken in Newport Beach in 1963 by photographer Robert Von Sternberg.

Image of surfer Michael Haley taken in Newport Beach in 1963 by photographer Robert Von Sternberg.

Villa Marina from Bird Club Tricycle Race taken in the 60’s

Villa Marina from Bird Club Tricycle Race taken in the 60’s

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