Lost City of DeMille Unveiling

Join the Dunes Center as we unveil the latest artifacts that will be on display as part of our exhibit entitled “The Lost City of DeMille” during the 90th anniversary of Cecil B. DeMille’s filming of the epic Ten Commandments in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. The Ten Commandments is the only surviving movie set from the era of early movie production and represents a film that revolutionized special effects during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Last October the Dunes Center embarked on an archaeological excavation to extract the pieces of DeMille’s movie set that he ordered buried once he completed filming. After going through the restoration and preservation process, the unearthed artifacts are making their way back to the Dunes Center and will be unveiled at our June 14th event.

Peter Brosnan, a documentarian, spearheaded the Ten Commandments excavation project after thirty years of research. Brosnan collected valuable oral histories from many Guadalupe natives who helped work on the movie so that the community’s history can be preserved for future generations. Brosnan also created a booklet that tells the story of the many movies that have been filmed in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes and will be for sale at the Dunes Center.

Guests are invited to dress in their favorite 1920s clothing to commemorate the Ten Commandments filming that took place in 1923.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts and Education Center has announced that it will be open in conjunction with the Dunes Center for this event. Parking will be available behind their green building.