Founded in 1871, the California Historical Society (CHS) inspires and empowers Californians to make the past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives. With corporate offices in San Francisco, CHS fulfills its mission throughout the state by stimulating public exploration on the meaning of the past in daily life, fostering scholarship, and promoting and enhancing history education in California. Over the years, CHS exhibitions and public programs have pioneered the presentation and discussion of critical issues in history. CHS operates one of the four major research centers on California History and further supports scholarship through publication of books and a quarterly history journal. Accepting a recent challenge, CHS has become one of the leading organizations in a broad-based network addressing the needs of classroom history and social science educators. No matter who you are, you can find yourself at the California Historical Society.