List of museums in California facts for kids
This list of museums in California is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.
To use the sortable tables: click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.
Contents
Central Coast and Monterey Bay Area
Includes Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties
Inland Empire
Main page: List of museums in the Inland Empire (California)
Riverside County and San Bernardino County (includes Ontario)
Los Angeles County
Main page: List of museums in Los Angeles, California
North Coast
Includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino counties
Orange County
Main page: List of museums in Orange County, California
San Diego County
San Francisco Bay Area
Includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties
San Joaquin Valley
Main page: List of museums in the San Joaquin Valley
Includes Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties
Shasta Cascade
Main page: List of museums in the Shasta Cascade
Includes Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties
Elsewhere
The museums below are found in the following counties, which may be split over different regions:
- Gold Country - includes Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Sierra and Tuolumne counties.
- High Sierra - includes Amador, El Dorado, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono and Placer counties
- Imperial Valley - Imperial County
- Napa Valley - Napa County
- Sacramento Valley - includes Colusa, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties
| Name | Town/City | County | Region | Type | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Museum of California | North Highlands | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Aviation | Located on the grounds of the former McClellan Air Force Base, displays of military and civilian aircraft as well as space vehicle replicas |
| Alpine County Museum | Markleeville | Alpine | High Sierra | Open air | website, complex includes the main museum building with local history exhibits, Old Webster Schoolhouse, Markleeville Log Jail, carriage shed, and historic silver ore stamp mill |
| Amador County Museum | Jackson | Amador | Gold Country | Local history | Operated by the Amador County Historical Society, mid 19th-century home with local history displays including gold mining, clothing, period rooms, Native American and Chinese American collections, Kenndy and North Star Mines models |
| Amador Whitney Museum | Amador City | Amador | Gold Country | Local history | website |
| Angels Camp Museum | Angels Camp | Calaveras | Gold Country | Local history | Includes carriages, mining equipment, minerals, household items |
| Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park | St. Helena | Napa | Napa Valley | Mill | The historic mill is open on weekends |
| Bernhard Museum Complex | Auburn | Placer | Gold Country | Historic house | Includes the Victorian Bernhard residence with period rooms, wine storage building and wine processing building with wine-making exhibits, and a barn with horse-drawn vehicles and blacksmith area |
| Blue Line Arts | Roseville | Placer | Sacramento Valley | Art | website, art center with galleries, works of regional and national artists |
| Bodie State Historic Park | Bodie | Mono | High Sierra | Open air | Ghost town mining camp |
| Bohart Museum of Entomology | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Natural history | Live and mounted insect displays, also a research museum of the University of California, Davis |
| Borax Museum | Furnace Creek | Inyo | High Sierra | Mining | Located at the Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort, borax mining tools and equipment, minerals, models of Twenty-mule team wagon trains |
| Calaveras County Museum | San Andreas | Calaveras | Gold Country | Local history | Operated by the Calaveras County Historical Society, located in the former Calaveras County Courthouse, Jail Yard, and Hall of Records |
| California Automobile Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Automobile | Formerly the Towe Auto Museum, over 170 classic cars, race cars, muscle cars, hot rods, early models and automotive memorabilia |
| California Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | History | Formerly known as the Golden State Museum, includes the California Hall of Fame, exhibits on important people and aspects of California including California Indians, missions, women, California Constitution, health |
| California State Capitol Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Capitol | Museum in the Capitol, tours, history of the state government |
| California State Indian Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Native American | Themes of nature, spirit and family |
| California State Mining and Mineral Museum | Mariposa | Mariposa | Gold Country | Mining | Located at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, gold mining |
| California State Railroad Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Railroad | Features 21 restored locomotives and railroad cars, exhibits, summer heritage railroad rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad |
| Carnegie Museum (Roseville, California) | Roseville | Placer | Sacramento Valley | Local history | website, operated by the Roseville Historical Society, located in a Carnegie library building |
| Carolyn Parr Nature Center | Napa | Napa | Napa Valley | Natural history | website, located in Westwood Hills Park, features natural history museum |
| Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Art | website |
| Chew Kee Store Museum | Fiddletown | Amador | Gold Country | History | 1855 Chinese herb shop, operated by the Fiddletown Preservation Society |
| Chinese American Museum of Northern California | Marysville | Yuba | Sacramento Valley | Ethnic - Chinese | website, Chinese participation in the gold rush |
| Chinese Association Museum | Locke | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Ethnic - Chinese | History of the Chinese in Locke, culture |
| C.N. Gorman Museum | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Art | website, contemporary Native American and indigenous art, part of the University of California, Davis, also known as Carl M. Gorman Museum |
| Columbia State Historic Park | Columbia | Tuolumne | Gold Country | Living | California Gold Rush town with living history demonstrations |
| Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County | Yuba City | Sutter | Sacramento Valley | Local history | |
| Crocker Art Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Art | Early California art, Old Master drawings, Asian art, international ceramics |
| Dai Loy Museum | Locke | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | History | Former Chinese gambling house |
| di Rosa | Napa | Napa | Napa Valley | Art | website, art galleries and outdoor sculpture on a nature preserve |
| Discovery Museum Science & Space Center | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Science | website, themes include space, solar system, nature, building new facility to be known as the Powerhouse Science Center |
| Don & June Salvatori California Pharmacy Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Medical | Pharmacy artifacts, located at the California Pharmacists Association headquarters |
| Donner Memorial State Park | Truckee | Nevada | Gold Country | History | Includes the Emigrant Trail Museum with exhibits on local Native Americans, the Donner Party and builders of the transcontinental railroad |
| Downieville Museum | Downieville | Sierra | Gold Country | Local history | |
| Eastern California Museum | Independence | Inyo | High Sierra | Local history | website, includes Native American baskets and artifacts, fossils and exhibits of local history, artifacts from the Manzanar World War II Internment Center |
| El Dorado County Historical Museum | Placerville | El Dorado | Gold Country | Local history | website, Native American baskets, gold mining equipment, farm tools, household items |
| Elmshaven | St. Helena | Napa | Napa Valley | Religious | Home of Ellen G. White whose ministry was instrumental in founding the seventh-day Sabbatarian Adventist movement |
| Empire Mine State Historic Park | Grass Valley | Nevada | Gold Country | Mining | Attractions include a mining museum, an Edwardian estate house, and a mine with living history demonstrations |
| Explorit | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Science | website, regional hands-on science center |
| Folsom History Museum | Folsom | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Local history | website, operated by the Folsom Historical Society, exhibits about Folsom's native people, the discovery of gold and the formation of mining camps, ethnic groups who contributed to this area, the formation of the town, railroad, prison, powerhouse, and later efforts at gold mining |
| Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park | Folsom | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Technology | Historic 1890s hydroelectric power plant |
| Folsom Prison Museum | Folsom | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Law enforcement | website, history of Folsom Prison |
| Folsom Railroad Museum | Folsom | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Railroad | website, operated by the Folsom, El Dorado & Sacramento Historical Railroad Association |
| Forest Hill Divide Museum | Foresthill | Placer | Gold Country | Mining | website, includes mining museum, a reconstructed livery stable/blacksmith shop, and the original Foresthill Jail |
| Fountain & Tallman Museum | Placerville | El Dorado | Gold Country | Local history | Operated by the El Dorado County Historical Society |
| Gatekeeper’s Museum | Tahoe City | Placer | High Sierra | Local history | website, operated by the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society, includes Marion Steinbach Indian Basket Museum |
| Gold Bug Park & Mine | Placerville | El Dorado | Gold Country | Mining | website, includes Hattie's Museum with mining exhibits, Gold Bug Mine to tour, Meagher House for natural history education, Hendy Stamp Mill |
| Gold Country Museum | Auburn | Placer | Gold Country | Mining | Area gold mining and local history |
| Golden Drift Museum | Dutch Flat | Placer | Gold Country | Local history | website, influence of hydraulic mining, lumber and railroads in the area |
| Governor's Mansion State Historic Park | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Historic house | Former mansion of the governors of California |
| Grass Valley Museum | Grass Valley | Nevada | Gold Country | Local history | Includes furniture, art, objects d’art, clothing, musical instruments and artifacts of the Victorian era |
| Grass Valley Video History Museum | Grass Valley | Nevada | Gold Country | Local history | Historical film footage locally and from around the world |
| Griffith Quarry Museum | Penryn | Placer | Gold Country | Industry | Local granite industry |
| Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum | Groveland | Tuolumne | Gold Country | Local history | website, operated by the Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society |
| Hattie Weber Museum | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Local history | website, operated by the Yolo County Historical Society, includes dolls from many countries and eras, textiles, books |
| Hayden Cabin | Mammoth Lakes | Mono | High Sierra | Historic house | website, operated by the Southern Mono Historical Society, also known as Mammoth Museum, four-room log cabin with original 1930s furnishings |
| Heidrick Ag History Center | Woodland | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Agriculture | website, antique agricultural equipment |
| Hellman-Ehrman Mansion | Tahoma | El Dorado | Gold Country | Historic house | website, located in Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, early 20th-century summer lodge house |
| Historic Firehouse No. 1 Museum | Nevada City | Nevada | Gold Country | Local history | Operated by the Nevada County Historical Society |
| Home of Lola Montez | Grass Valley | Nevada | Gold Country | Local history | Houses the town's chamber of commerce, visitor center and local history museum |
| Imperial Valley College Art Gallery | Imperial | Imperial | Imperial Valley | Art | Juanita Salazar Lowe Gallery |
| Imperial Valley Desert Museum | Ocotillo | Imperial | Imperial Valley | Multiple | website, Native American, archaeological and historic artifacts |
| Inyo Council for the Arts Gallery | Bishop | Inyo | High Sierra | Art | Changing exhibits of area art |
| Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park | Pine Grove | Amador | High Sierra | Native American | Includes Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum |
| James Calvin Sly Museum | Pollock Pines | El Dorado | Gold Country | Local history | Located in Sly Park Recreation Area, named for James Calvin Sly |
| Kennedy Mine | Jackson | Amador | High Sierra | Mining | Gold mine structures |
| Kentucky Mine Museum | Sierra City | Sierra | Gold Country | Mining | website, operated by the Sierra County Historical Society, working gold mine with operating stamp mill |
| KidZone Museum | Truckee | Nevada | Gold Country | Children's | website, formerly the Sierra Nevada Children's Museum |
| Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum | South Lake Tahoe | El Dorado | High Sierra | Local history | website |
| Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site | Bishop | Inyo | High Sierra | Open air | Operated by the Bishop Museum & Historical Society, collection of 19th century buildings with historical exhibits, railroad cars and equipment |
| Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Historic house | Victorian mansion restored to 1872 appearance |
| Locke Boarding House and Visitor's Center | Locke | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Local history | Offers tours of the historic community |
| Locke Chinese School | Locke | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | School | Former Chinese school |
| Lone Pine Film History Museum | Lone Pine | Inyo | High Sierra | Media | website, movie history of Lone Pine, Death Valley and the Eastern Sierra areas; officially known as the Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History |
| Maidu Museum & Historic Site | Roseville | Placer | Sacramento Valley | Multiple | Natural and cultural history, including exhibits on Native Californians and the interdependence of nature and culture |
| Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park | Nevada City | Nevada | Gold Country | Mining | Includes mining museum and deserted mining town |
| Mammoth Ski Museum | Mammoth Lakes | Mono | High Sierra | Sports | Art, culture and artifacts related to skiing |
| Manzanar National Historic Site | Independence | Inyo | High Sierra | History | Site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II |
| Mariposa Museum & History Center | Mariposa | Mariposa | Gold Country | Local history | website, cultural history of Mariposa County, including Miwok display, gold mining equipment, miner's cabin, saloon, one-room school |
| Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park | Coloma | El Dorado | Gold Country | Open air | Includes Gold Discovery Museum and Visitor Center, 20 historic buildings including mining, house, school, and store exhibits |
| Mary Aaron Museum | Marysville | Yuba | Sacramento Valley | Historic house | Victorian-era house, exhibits of local history |
| Milton Gottardi Loyalton Museum | Loyalton | Sierra | Gold Country | Local history | Includes displays on logging, agriculture, Washoe Indians, fraternal organizations |
| Mono Basin History Museum | Lee Vining | Mono | High Sierra | Local history | website, operated by the Mono County Historical Society, located in a historic schoolhouse, Native American artifacts, gold mining implements, local history and culture, Nellie Bly's legendary Upside-Down House, farming and mining equipment |
| Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center | Lee Vining | Mono | High Sierra | Natural history | Geology and wildlife of Mono Lake |
| Mono County Museum | Bridgeport | Mono | High Sierra | Local history | Operated by the Mono County Historical Society |
| Monteverde Store Museum | Sutter Creek | Amador | Gold Country | History | Historic country store with historic items, open by appointment |
| Murphys Old Timers Museum | Murphys | Calaveras | Gold Country | Local history | website |
| Museum of History in Granite | Felicity | Imperial | Imperial Valley | History | website, outdoor granite panels depicting humanity's history |
| Museum of Medical History | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Medical | website, collections in the fields of surgery, clinical diagnosis, infectious disease, pharmacy, radiology, Chinese medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, medical quackery, operated by the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society |
| Museum of Sierra Ski History and 1960 Winter Olympics | Tahoe City | Placer | High Sierra | Sports | Area ski history from its beginnings through the 1960 Winter Olympics |
| Museum of the Forgotten Warriors | Marysville | Yuba | Sacramento Valley | Military | website, uniforms, helicopters, photographs, medals, military memorabilia |
| Napa County Historical Society | Napa | Napa | Napa Valley | Local history | Located in the Goodman Library; Jess Doud Memorial Room hosts several exhibitions each year |
| Napa Firefighters Museum | Napa | Napa | Napa Valley | Firefighting | website |
| Napa Valley Museum | Yountville | Napa | Napa Valley | Multiple | website, art, history, natural history of Napa Valley, including local Native American and wine-making history |
| Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum | Nevada City | Nevada | Gold Country | Railroad | Operated by the Nevada County Historical Society |
| New Melones Visitor Center and Museum | Sonora | Calaveras | Gold Country | Local history | Historic, natural and cultural history of the area around New Melones Lake |
| North Star Mine and Powerhouse & Pelton Wheel Museum | Grass Valley | Nevada | Gold Country | Mining | Hundreds of mining artifacts and machinery, operated by the Nevada County Historical Society; also called the Grass Valley Mining Museum or the Northstar Mining Museum |
| Northern Mariposa County History Center | Coulterville | Mariposa | Gold Country | Local history | website, pioneers, mining, Chinese immigrants, John Muir |
| Old Jail Museum (Truckee, California) | Truckee | Nevada | Gold Country | Prison | website, operated by the Truckee - Donner Historical Society, 19th-century jail with exhibits of local history |
| Old Sacramento State Historic Park | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Multiple | Includes Old Sacramento Interpretive Center, Wells Fargo History Museum, Sacramento History Museum, Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, several historic buildings and more |
| Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | School | website, late 19th-century period one room schoolhouse |
| Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center-Museum | Bishop | Inyo | High Sierra | Native American | Artifacts and antiquities from the Numa (Paiute) and Newe (Shoshone) Nations |
| Pioneers' Park Museum | Imperial | Imperial | Imperial Valley | Local history | website, operated by the Imperial County Historical Society, exhibits include county history, ethnic groups, agriculture, cattle, military, culture |
| Pioneer Yosemite History Center | Wawona | Mariposa | High Sierra | Open air | Historic structures from different eras of Yosemite’s history |
| Placer County Museum | Auburn | Placer | Gold Country | Local history | website, includes courthouse and sheriff's exhibits, Native America art, gold country exhibits |
| Preston Castle | Ione | Amador | High Sierra | Prison | Tours of the former reform school |
| Rae House Museum | Galt | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Historic house | 19th-century house with period displays, dolls, local history exhibits, operated by the Galt Area Historical Society, open by appointment |
| Railtown 1897 State Historic Park | Jamestown | Tuolumne | Gold Country | Railroad | Seasonal steam and diesel-powered train rides, 1920s locomotive roundhouse, machine shop and related exhibits |
| Red Barn Museum | San Andreas | Calaveras | Gold Country | Local history | website, operated by the Calaveras County Historical Society, features agriculture, mining, logging, and ranching artifacts, tools and equipment |
| Reiff's Antique Gas Station Automotive Museum | Woodland | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Transportation | 1950s cars, automobile memorabilia, antiques and car culture |
| Richard Nelson Gallery | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Art | website, part of the University of California, Davis |
| Robert Louis Stevenson Museum | St. Helena | Napa | Napa Valley | Biographical | website, devoted to author Robert Louis Stevenson |
| Rocklin History Museum | Rocklin | Placer | Gold Country | Local history | website, operated by the Rocklin Historical Society, mining, railroads, ranching |
| Roseville Telephone Museum | Roseville | Placer | Sacramento Valley | Technology | website, antique telephones and memorabilia, open by appointment |
| Roseville Utility Exploration Center | Roseville | Placer | Sacramento Valley | Science | website, environmental learning center including energy efficiency, renewable technology, water conservation and recycling |
| Sacramento Children's Museum | Rancho Cordova | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Children's | |
| Sacramento History Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Local history | Includes California Gold Rush, agriculture, community, gold panning. Home of the Underground Tours of Old Sacramento. |
| Sacramento Valley Museum | Williams | Colusa | Sacramento Valley | Local history | Includes carriages, mining equipment, minerals, household items |
| San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus Art Gallery | Calexico | Imperial | Imperial Valley | Art | Steppling Art Gallery |
| Scotty's Castle | Inyo | High Sierra | Historic house | Also known as Death Valley Ranch, 1930s period mansion, located in northern Death Valley National Park | |
| Sharpsteen Museum | Calistoga | Napa | Napa Valley | Local history | website, history of the upper Napa Valley, along with the career memorabilia of founder Ben Sharpsteen (an animator for Walt Disney Studios) |
| Shenandoah Valley Museum | Plymouth | Amador | Gold Country | Agriculture | Wine-making and farming |
| Shoshone Museum | Shoshone | Inyo | High Sierra | Local history | Facebook site, area geology, wildlife, Native American culture and folklore |
| Sierra College Natural History Museum | Rocklin | Placer | Gold Country | Natural history | website, part of Sierra College, mammals mounts, animal skeletons, fossils, insects |
| Sierra Nevada Logging Museum | Arnold | Calaveras | Gold Country | Industry | History of logging in the Sierra Nevada area |
| Sutter's Fort State Historic Park | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | Military | Includes reconstructed mid 19th-century period Sutter's Fort and the California State Indian Museum |
| Tahoe Maritime Museum | Homewood | Placer | High Sierra | Maritime | Includes maritime craft in service at Lake Tahoe, history of boating at Lake Tahoe, outboard motor collection, aquaplanes, water skis, fishing exhibits |
| Tallac Historic Site | South Lake Tahoe | El Dorado | High Sierra | Open air | Former rustic resort, includes Baldwin Museum, a former estate with exhibits on the significance of the estate families and the Washoe Tribe, the Pope Estate, the Valhalla Estate and several outbuildings |
| Tuolumne City Memorial Museum | Tuolumne | Tuolumne | Gold Country | Local history | Exhibits on pioneers, household and kitchen items, clothing, gold mining, lumber company and model train layout |
| Tuolumne County Museum | Sonora | Tuolumne | Gold Country | Local history | website, housed in an old jail, operated by the Tuolumne County Historical Society |
| UC Davis Design Museum | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Design | website, includes architecture, costume, graphic design, textiles, new media and popular culture, part of the University of California, Davis |
| Underground Gold Miners Museum | Alleghany | Sierra | Gold Country | Mining | website, open by appointment and for events |
| United States Bicycling Hall of Fame | Davis | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Sports | Formerly located in New Jersey, bicycling history, photos, trophies, medals, books, catalogs |
| Vikingsholm | South Lake Tahoe | El Dorado | High Sierra | Historic house | 38-room mansion with Nordic influences |
| Watson Log Cabin | Tahoe City | Placer | High Sierra | Historic house | Operated by the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society, early 20th-century log cabin |
| Wells Fargo History Museum | Sacramento | Sacramento | Sacramento Valley | History | Two locations in Sacramento, one in the Pony Express Terminal, the other in the Wells Fargo Center; history of Wells Fargo Express, California Gold Rush |
| West Sacramento Historical Society History Gallery | West Sacramento | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Local history | Exhibits in the West Sacramento Community Center |
| Western SkiSport Museum | Soda Springs | Nevada | Gold Country | Sports | website, history of winter ski sports in the western United States, operated by the Auburn Ski Club in the winter |
| Yolo County Historical Museum | Woodland | Yolo | Sacramento Valley | Historic house | Also known as Gibson House, period rooms from the 1850s to the 1930s, also exhibits of local history |
| Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad | Fish Camp | Mariposa | High Sierra | Railroad | Heritage railroad and historic log cabin |
| Yosemite Museum | Yosemite National Park | Mariposa | Gold Country | Native American | Heritage and culture of the Ahwaneechee people who lived in the valley |
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List of museums in California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.