As of June 1, Ty Smith is the new City Historian for Sacramento, bringing more than two decades of experience in public history, museum leadership, interpretation and education through his work with California State Parks. Photo courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - A new chapter has begun at the Center for Sacramento History. As of June 1, Ty Smith is the new City Historian for Sacramento, bringing more than two decades of experience in public history, museum leadership, interpretation and education through his work with California State Parks.

Smith has served as museum director of the California State Railroad Museum and Old Sacramento State Historic Park, with previous leadership experience overseeing cultural destinations including Hearst Castle and the California State Capitol Museum.

As City Historian, Smith will oversee the Center for Sacramento History while helping shape a broader vision for how Sacramento preserves, shares and elevates its stories as California’s Capital City.

“Sacramento has an extraordinary opportunity to make history a more visible and meaningful part of civic life,” said Megan Van Voorhis, director of Convention and Cultural Services for the City of Sacramento. “This role is about more than preserving records and collections — it is about helping residents and visitors better understand the people, places and stories that shaped Sacramento, while strengthening culture, education and heritage tourism throughout the city.”

Ty Smith, incoming City Historian said, “Sacramento’s local history is world history. I am honored to be a part of gathering, holding and telling Sacramento’s stories. In Sacramento, the past didn’t go anywhere; it flows into our lives and expresses itself through our lived experiences.”

“The highest calling of a public historian is to help people see themselves in history and, in so doing, help people imagine their futures through understanding our collective past. I look forward to building on the previous success of the Center for Sacramento History and in serving my community,” Smith said.

The City Historian serves as both the steward of Sacramento’s historical collections and a civic leader helping shape how the city preserves, shares and connects its history to education, culture, tourism and community identity.

“Ty Smith has demonstrated throughout his career that history is not simply about preserving the past — it is about helping communities better understand themselves and envision their future,” said John Fraser, district superintendent for the Capital District of California State Parks and Smith’s former supervisor. “His transformative leadership at the California State Railroad Museum expanded both the audiences we reached and the stories we told, positioning the museum as one of California’s leading institutions for inclusive and forward-looking public history.”