08-04-2025
Community rallies around Altadena's famous Bunny Museum that was destroyed in Eaton Fire
As they continue to rebuild in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, the owners of the beloved Bunny Museum in Altadena say they've received an outpouring of support, not only from their local community but from across the world.
The museum once held a Guinness World Record for the "most bunny items in a single location" before it
burned down in January
, when the massive flames ripped through Altadena, burning the museum and thousands of other buildings.
Now, three months after the devastation, the museum's owners are hopeful they can return to that same accomplishment.
"We were the 'hare-takers,'" said Candace Frazee, who ran the museum with her partner Steve Lubanski. "Not the caretakers, the 'hare-takers.'"
In the weeks since, they've already sprung back into action to try and replenish their bunny-themed antiquities. They say that the museum is the embodiment of their love story, which began more than three decades ago.
"I started calling Steve my hunny bunny when we were dating," Frazee said.
Since then, they've gifted each other a single bunny-themed gift every single day. Eventually, their collection grew so large — surpassing 60,000 items — that they decided to use their home as a public display.
It drew crowds and other bunny enthusiasts to Altadena for years, until the fire took everything.
Frazee and Lubanski are now in their fourth motel since January 7, when the fire erupted. Their two living rabbits have been re-homed, but they're determined to bounce back to their former glory, especially after receiving donations and well wishes from across the globe.
"It makes me cry, it's incredible," Frazee said.
They've received donated bunny memorabilia from the East Coast of the U.S., China and one 11,000 piece collection from a Northern California couple.
"They drove down a 20-foot utility truck, all the way filled," Lubanski said. "It's wonderful."
Though most of their inventory was destroyed in the flames, some pieces made of stoneware and ceramics survived, along with their will to continue fighting for their lifelong passion. The pieces that made it through the inferno will be featured in their new museum, which will be called the Eaton Fire Exhibit.
"We are going to build a steel, pre-fab building that will be fire resistant," Lubanski said.
They don't expect to reopen for at least three years, but already local artists have begun to offer their services to beautify the museum and the surrounding area.
In the meantime, Frazee and Lubanski say they've been touched by the donations and support. They plan to continue collecting and accepting items until they finally reopen.
"There's nothing like having more bunnies — they do multiply!" Lubanski said.
