The Del Webb Sun Cities Museum hosted a celebration for the founder of Sun City’s 126th birthday May 17.

Beginning at 10 a.m., visitors gained free access to the museum event, which showcased a walk-through timeline of Del Webb’s life.

Webb, born in 1899, founded Sun City Jan. 1, 1960. The museum detailed Webb’s life story from childhood to his construction of the community. It included facts about his love for baseball, his purchase of the Yankees and his journey in the construction business. 

Along the way, museum goers could also see the original model home, which the museum was built in, featuring a preserved bathroom and kitchen, fully furnished with items from the 1950s and 60s.

Museum docents aided in telling Webb’s life story, with the help of audio clippings of him speaking and videos played in the Sundome Jr. Theater. It is considered the smallest theater in Arizona and holds six of the remaining seats from the Sundome Theater, which was torn down.

“The original Sundome Theater was about the size of two football fields,” said Gary Greer, a museum docent.

The celebration continued into the rest of the museum, which showcased several boards of Sun City history, including portions about the Sun City Poms and the Sun City Rays, which were a professional baseball team in 1990.

Cupcakes were offered to visitors, which were provided by The Nixon Group.