A Picture Book, a Mini-Concert and the Big Oak on the Gamble House Lawn

The Gamble House is normally a place where children are told not to touch anything. On the third Saturday of the month, it is a place where they are told to move.

Musical Storytime returns Saturday, Aug. 15, at 11 a.m. with “Together” by Mona Damluji. The sessions run on the third Saturday of the month from May through September and are free drop-in events with no reservation required.

Visitors bring a blanket and snacks and gather under the big oak on the Gamble House lawn. The program is led by Rachael Denny, Young Musicians’ Department chair at Pasadena Conservatory of Music, and treats children’s books as vehicles for musical play. Featured books focus on seasons, nature and creativity — themes that tie back to the house itself.

“Together” centers on moments of teamwork within nature and among people. Children ages 3 to 9 and their caregivers are invited for story time, creative movement and a mini-concert.

The Gamble House, completed in 1908, is an internationally recognized masterpiece of the American Arts and Crafts movement, built for David and Mary Gamble of the Procter and Gamble Company. The house is jointly held by the City of Pasadena and the University of Southern California and is a National Historic Landmark.

The series is funded by a grant from the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. Sessions are canceled in rain or when temperatures exceed 100 degrees. Museum admission is separate; the lawn program is free.

Musical Storytime takes place Saturday, Aug. 15, at 11 a.m. The Gamble House lawn, 4 Westmoreland Place, in Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 793-3334 or visit gamblehouse.org. Admission is free. Drop-in; no reservation required. Museum admission is separate.