The original Golden Bear mascot costume, created in 1970 by the mother of a student, has been in our archival collection for almost five years now. The bear head has made the occasional appearance in the library’s display case, but for the most part, it has been safely stowed away in our climate controlled storage space.

The costume, made out of a combination of papier mache and synthetic fleece, has been in decent but not great condition since its arrival. Stored in an attic for over forty years, the costume is musty, dusty, and in need of some TLC.

Thanks for a generous grant from the Alumni Association, our original bear is finally getting the care it needs! The bear costume has been dropped off in New York and is being taken care of by an expert textile conservator. When he returns in a few months he will be cleaned and professionally boxed up for storage so that generations to come will be able to see this original piece of University history!

Check back throughout the next couple of months for updates on our Golden Bear’s progress!