Merced County Courthouse Museum will open “Our Stories: Mexican American Experience in Merced” exhibit on Thursday, October 16 at 5:00 p.m. As the different Spanish-named towns and roads evoke, the Mexican American community has a long and rich presence in Merced County. Through thirty personal narratives, this exhibit will explore Mexican Americans’ search for political, social, and economic opportunities while celebrating their lasting contribution in building Merced County from the 1820s to the 1960s. At the exhibit opening reception on October 16, the museum will present a program of music, dance, storytelling and poetry reading, titled “Our Roots, Our Culture, Our Heritage,” at 6 p.m. For more information about the exhibit, please contact the Courthouse Museum at 723-2401. The exhibit is free to the public and will run through February 23, 2015.