Exhibit chronicles a quarter century of work by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District.

The exhibit opening at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History this week is part art, part history lesson and part call to action.

The exhibit, titled "Open Space, Open Minds," is a collection of photographs taken by various photographers chronicling the history and good works of the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. Featured in the exhibit are photos taken at 11 of the 20 parks and open spaces acquired by the MPRPD since 1975.

"It''s a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District," says Paul Finnegan, the museum''s assistant curator. "What we do is give a history of the parks and then take a look at 11 of the parks in the district."

The MPRPD owns an impressive 7,385 acres of open space throughout the Peninsula, including properties in Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Sand City and Seaside.

Finnegan describes the park district as "one of the threads between our cities" and that people are often surprised to find that some of the county''s finest parks are owned by the district rather than a city or the county. And while the park district may be one of the ties that binds our communities together, it also represents a widespread diversity. The park district not only is the parent to the sprawling 3,393-acre Garland Ranch in Carmel Valley, it''s also the proud possessor of the quarter-acre Elmarie Dyke Open Space in Pacific Grove; Laguna Grande Park in Seaside is a jewel in the district''s crown, as is Los Arboles Community Park in Marina, the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve in Del Rey Oaks and San Carlos Beach Community Park on Cannery Row.

According to Finnegan, this exhibit is part of the museum''s ongoing efforts to provide attention and exhibition space to organizations that don''t normally have a venue for exhibiting their works. Generally, the exhibits focus on the groups'' environmental mission and msessage. Past organizations that have taken advantage of the museum''s generosity include the Big Sur Land Trust, Friends of the Sea Otter and the Pebble Beach Corporation.

The exhibits offer the groups a chance to blow their own horns and look for help from the general public. In this particular instance, says Finnegan, the MPRPD is looking for park docents as well as other volunteers to help in their efforts to maintain open space throughout the Peninsula.

In addition to the exhibit, a series of talks are slated during the exhibition period. On Sept. 20, Sean Flavin will discuss the "History of MPRPD;" on Oct. 4, MPRPD''s recently retired general manager Gary Tate will reminisce on "What We Have Accomplished in 25 Years;" on Oct. 11, MPRPD''s board members will talk about "The Role and Vision of MPRPD''s Board of Directors;" and on Nov. 1, current general manager Joe Donofrio will peer into the crystal ball to see "The Future of MPRPD."

An opening reception on Friday, at 7pm heralds the opening of "Open Space, Open Minds" at the PG Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 648-3116.

Openings

Pajaro Valley Gallery "Harvest Home: Farm Works by Local Women Artists." Works "that have something to say about this fertile valley from ancient times to the present" by 12 women artists. 37 Sudden St., Watsonville. 723-3062. Reception: 9/11, 5pm. Through: 10/17.

Parking Lot Gallery "Parked in the Past." An assemblage resembling a car, created from 213 items on loan from Last Chance Mercantile. Parking lot in front of WWII hospital, 3rd Street, California State University Monterey Bay. 373-0823. Reception: 9/11, 4pm. Through: 10/10.

Art Listings

Ansel Adams Gallery "Landscapes of the Spirit." Color landscape photographs by William Neill. Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach. 375-7215. Through: 9/15.

Back Porch Fabrics "Quilts and Paintings." Works by Wilda Northrop. 157 Grand Ave., Pacific Grove. 375-4453. Through: 10/15.

Bytes Internet Cafe "The Invisible World." Photographs by Helene Constant. 403 Calle Principal, Monterey. 372-2987. Through: 9/30.

Carl Cherry Center for the Arts "The Language of the Body." Group exhibit surveying contemporary themes and techniques in figure painting. Guadalupe Street and 4th Avenue, Carmel. 624-7491. Reception: 9/18, 5pm. Through: 10/11.

Carmel Art Association "Fin de Siecle." Mixed media on paper by Robert Bradshaw. Dolores Street between 5th and 6th, Carmel. 624-6176. Through: 10/7.

Carmel Art Association "European Travels." Oil paintings of scenes from Italy, England, France, Switzerland and Germany. Dolores between 5th and 6th, Carmel. 624-6176. Through: 10/7.

Carmel Art Association "Gallery Showcase." Oil paintings by Reed Farrington, Brenda Morrison, Philip Thorngate and sculptures by Ken Wiese. Dolores between 5th and 6th, Carmel. 624-6176. Through: 10/7.

Center for Photographic Art "Roadworks." Photographs by Linda McCartney, the late wife of Paul McCartney. Sunset Cultural Center, San Carlos Street and 8th Avenue, Carmel. 625-5181. Through: 9/11.

Forest Hill Manor Vest Pocket Gallery "Artistry in Wood Carving." 551 Gibson Avenue, Pacific Grove. 649-5215. Through: 9/30.

Henry Miller Library "Sculpture ''98." Sculptural works by 21 members of the Pacific Rim Sculptors Group. Highway 1, Big Sur. 667-2574. Through: 11/5.

National Steinbeck Center "This Side of Eden." Paintings that reflect California in the 1920s, ''30s and ''40s. One Main St., Salinas. 796-3833. Through: 9/13.

Pacific Grove Art Center "Artists Studio Tour ''98." Works by local members of Artists Equity who will participate in the annual studio tour on 9/26-27; "The Unknown Sculptor," works by Dick Iverson; "The Silk Road," photographs by Meredith Mullin. 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 375-2208. Through: 9/27.

Santa Catalina School Gallery "South Mountain/North Mountain." Landscape scrolls by Joan Larkey. 1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey. 655-9350. Through: 10/18.

Searle Art "2D and Not 2D." Works by the Monterey Peninsula College Art Club. 639 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 373-0126. Through: 10/2.

Valley Art Gallery "Color Your Life." Watercolors by Grace Bryan. 218 Main Street, Salinas. 455-1706. Through: 9/26.

Vehicle Gallery "AutoRotica." Auto racing art photography by Alan Olmstead; "Otterly Motor Sport Surrealistic Paintings" by Lola Disco Volante; photographs taken at Laguna Seca by Lola Disco Volante and Spyder McLaren. 551 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 373-0448. Through: 9/28.

Vehicle Gallery "Otterly Motor Sport Surrealistic Paintings." Photographs and paintings by Lola Disco Volante and Spyder McLaren. Also, "Autorotica," photographs by Alan Olmsted. In the Camera Exchange, 551 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. 373-0448, 646-0611. Through: 9/26.

Venture Art Gallery Watercolors by Bobie Osterdock. 260 Alvarado Mall, in the DoubleTree Inn, Monterey. 372-6279. Through: 9/30.

Zantman Art Galleries Seascapes by E. John Robinson. 6th Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel. 624-8314. Through: 9/11.