List of museums in the San Joaquin Valley facts for kids

The San Joaquin Valley is a big area in the middle of California. It's the southern part of the Central Valley, starting south of Stockton. This article will tell you about some cool museums you can visit in this area!

Museums are places where you can explore and learn about all sorts of interesting things. They collect and take care of objects that teach us about history, art, science, and different cultures. Then, they show these collections to the public through exhibits. This list includes museums run by non-profit groups, government, and even some private businesses, as well as art galleries from universities.

Museums to Explore

Here's a list of museums in the San Joaquin Valley. Each one offers a unique adventure!

• African-American Historical and Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, African American History): Discover the rich history and culture of African Americans in the San Joaquin Valley.
• Air Force Flight Test Center Museum (Edwards Air Force Base, Aviation): See historic military aircraft and learn about flight testing at this important base. They also have a spot in Palmdale.
• Arte Américas (Fresno, Art): This cultural arts center has amazing exhibits focusing on art from Mexico, Latin America, and the American Southwest.
• Bakersfield Museum of Art (Bakersfield, Art): Check out art from local and regional artists.
  

  The sign for the Bakersfield Museum of Art.
• Billy Creek Museum (Huntington Lake, Local History): Learn about the history of the Huntington Lake area, deep in the Sierra National Forest.
• Borax Visitor Center (Boron, Mining): Find out how Borax is mined and processed. You can even see the huge open pit mine!
• Bloss House Museum (Atwater, Historic House): Step back in time in this beautifully restored early 20th-century mansion.
  

  The historic Bloss House in Atwater.
• Buck Owens Crystal Palace (Bakersfield, Biographical): This isn't just a music hall; it's also a museum about the famous country music star Buck Owens.
  

  The front of the Buck Owens Crystal Palace.
• Buena Vista Museum of Natural History (Bakersfield, Natural History): Explore exhibits on anatomy, astronomy, archeology, biology, geology, and even dinosaurs!
  

  The exterior of the Buena Vista Museum.
• California Foundry History Museum (Lodi, Industry): Learn about the history of metal foundries in the Lodi area, including Lodi Iron Works.
• Castle Air Museum (Atwater, Aviation): See a fantastic collection of vintage aircraft.
  

  A Boeing B-29 Superfortress at the Castle Air Museum.
• Central Sierra Museum (Shaver Lake, Local History): Discover the history of the Central Sierra region.
• Cesar E. Chavez National Monument (Keene, Biographical): Learn about the life and work of Cesar Chavez and the important farm worker movement.
• Children's Museum of Stockton (Stockton, Children's): A fun, hands-on museum designed just for kids!
• Clovis Museum (Clovis, Local History): Explore the history of Clovis and the surrounding Big Dry Creek area.
  

  The Clovis Museum building.
• Coarsegold Historic Museum (Coarsegold, Open Air): This outdoor museum has an old freight station, a one-room school, and a barn filled with local history displays.
• Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park (Allensworth, African American History): Visit a historic farming town that was founded, funded, and run by African Americans. You can see nine restored buildings.
  

  A restored building at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.
• Community Heritage Center (Clovis, Local & Military History): This center teaches about Clovis history and honors veterans from the region and the nation.
• Dinuba Southern Pacific Depot Museum (Dinuba, Local History): Learn about the history of Dinuba, housed in an old train depot.
• Discovery Center (Fresno, Science): An educational science center with cool natural history exhibits.
• Eagle Field AAF (Firebaugh, Military): Explore the history of this World War II army airfield, also known as the Central California Historical Military Museum.
• Eastern Fresno County Historical Museum (Auberry, Local History): Discover the history of Eastern Fresno County.
• Escalon Historical Museum (Escalon, Local History): Learn about the history of Escalon.
• Exeter Historical Museum (Exeter, Local History): Dive into the history of Exeter.
  

  The Exeter Historical Museum.
• Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County (Chowchilla, Natural History): See fossils and learn about prehistoric life in the San Joaquin Valley during the last Ice Age. They also have rocks, minerals, and Native American artifacts.
• Forestiere Underground Gardens (Fresno, Historic House): Explore a unique, hand-built network of underground rooms, courtyards, and even fruit-bearing plants!
• Fort Tejon Historic Park (Grapevine, Military): Visit a restored U.S. Army fort from the mid-1800s. They often have living history programs on Saturdays.
  

  The Commanding Officer's Quarters at Fort Tejon.
• Fresno Art Museum (Fresno, Art): This museum has a large collection of modern and contemporary art, including paintings, sculptures, and photographs. They also have a great Pre-Columbian collection.
  

  The Fresno Art Museum building.
• Fresno Flats Historic Village and Park (Oakhurst, Open Air): This complex includes restored homes, old one-room schools, 19th-century jails, and farm buildings.
• Giant Forest Museum (Tulare, Natural History): Learn all about the giant sequoia trees, the Giant Forest, and the human history of Sequoia National Park.
• Great Valley Museum of Natural History (Modesto, Natural History): Part of Modesto Junior College, this museum focuses on the natural world of the Great Valley.
• Gustine Museum (Gustine, Local History): Housed in a former courthouse and jail, this museum tells the story of Gustine.
• Haggin Museum (Stockton, Multiple): This museum combines art and history, with paintings from the late 1800s and artifacts from local and regional history.
• Hanford Carnegie Museum (Hanford, Local History): Explore the history of Hanford in this beautiful old Carnegie library building.
• Hill House Museum (Lodi, Historic House): Visit a lovely Victorian mansion operated by the Lodi Historical Society.
• ImagineU Children's Museum (Visalia, Children's): A fun, interactive museum designed for kids to learn and play.
• International Agri-Center (Tulare, Agriculture): Learn about dairy farming and agriculture. It includes the Antique Farm Equipment Museum, with old tractors, farm tools, and steam engines.
• Kearney Mansion Museum (Fresno, Historic House): Located in Kearney Park, this historic mansion is operated by the Fresno Historical Society.
• Kern County Museum (Bakersfield, Open Air): This outdoor museum has over 50 historic buildings, including the Bakersfield Country Music Museum.
• Kern Valley Museum (Kernville, Local History): Discover the history of the Kern Valley, including rocks, fossils, mining, ranching, and even movie-making in the area.
• Madera County Museum (Madera, Local History): Located in the old county courthouse, this museum tells the story of Madera County.
• Manteca Historical Museum (Manteca, Local History): Learn about the history of Manteca.
• McHenry Mansion (Modesto, Historic House): Tour this beautiful Victorian Italianate mansion.
  

  The historic McHenry Mansion.
• McHenry Museum (Modesto, Local History): See a recreated general store, blacksmith shop, gold mining tools, and more from local history.
• Maturango Museum (Ridgecrest, Local History): Explore the cultural history, natural history, and geology of the Northern Mojave Desert.
  

  The Maturango Museum building.
• Merced Agricultural Museum (Merced, Agriculture): See antique farming equipment, old gas engines, and household appliances.
• Merced County Courthouse Museum (Merced, Local History): Located in the county's historic three-story courthouse built in 1875.
• Meux Home Museum (Fresno, Historic House): Visit this beautiful Victorian mansion.
• Milliken Museum (Los Banos, Local History): Learn about the history of Los Banos.
• Minter Field Air Museum (Shafter, Aviation): Discover the history of Minter Army Airfield during World War II.
• Naval Museum of Armament & Technology (Ridgecrest, Military): Also known as the China Lake Museum, this museum showcases naval air weapons and technology.
  

  Inside the U.S. Naval Museum of Armament & Technology.
• Newman Museum (Newman, Local History): Housed in a former Carnegie Library building, this museum tells the story of Newman.
• Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural Center (Lake Isabella, Native American): Learn about the culture and history of Native American tribes in the area.
  

  The exterior of the Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural Center.
• Oakdale Cowboy Museum (Oakdale, History): See saddles, branding irons, boots, and learn about ranching, rodeo cowboys, and cowgirls.
  

  The Oakdale Cowboy Museum.
• Oakdale Museum and History Center (Oakdale, Local History): Located in the historic Sydnor-Prowse House, this museum covers Oakdale's history.
• Patterson Township Historical Society Museum (Patterson, Local History): Explore the history of Patterson Township.
• Porterville Historical Museum (Porterville, Local History): Discover the history of Porterville.
  

  The Porterville Historical Museum.
• Rand Desert Museum (Randsburg, Local History): Learn about the history of the Randsburg area, especially its mining past.
• Raymond Museum (Raymond, Local History): Also known as the Charles Miller House, this museum shares Raymond's history.
• Reedley Museum (Reedley, Local History): Operated by the Reedley Historical Society, this museum tells the story of Reedley.
• Ridge Route Communities Museum and Historical Society (Frazier Park, Local History): Learn about the history of the communities along the Ridge Route.
  

  The Ridge Route Communities Museum and Historical Society building.
• Riverbank Historical Museum (Riverbank, Local History): Discover the history of Riverbank.
• Sanger Depot Museum (Sanger, Local History): Housed in an old train depot, this museum covers Sanger's history.
  

  The Sanger Depot Museum.
• San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum (Lodi, Open Air): This museum has exhibits on San Joaquin County's agriculture and history, with farm equipment, old tools, and even a one-room schoolhouse.
• Saxon Aerospace Museum (Boron, Aviation): Explore the world of aerospace at this museum.
  

  The Saxon Aerospace Museum.
• Shafter Depot Museum (Shafter, Local History): Learn about railroad, agriculture, and local history in Shafter.
• Sierra Mono Museum (North Fork, Native American): See beautiful Mono tribe baskets and artifacts, plus nature dioramas with over 100 taxidermy animals.
• Silver City Ghost Town (Bodfish, Open Air): Step into a historic mining town with old saloons, country stores, miner's cabins, and a church.
• Springville Museum (Springville, Local History): Operated by the Tule River Historical Society, this museum shares Springville's history.
• Stockton Field Aviation Museum (Stockton, Aviation): This museum is still growing, but it focuses on the history of Stockton Field in World War II, with aircraft and artifacts.
• Taoist Temple & Museum (Hanford, Culture): Part of historic China Alley, this temple and museum tell the story of Hanford's Chinese history.
• Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum (Tehachapi, Railroad): Visit a rebuilt train depot filled with railroad artifacts.
• Tehachapi Heritage Museum (Tehachapi, Local History): This museum, which includes the Errea House, explores Tehachapi's history.
  

  The Errea House, part of the Tehachapi Heritage Museum.
• Thornberry Museum (Fish Camp, Local History): See actual tools used nearly a century ago and learn about life for the first European settlers in the region.
• Three Rivers Historical Museum (Three Rivers, Local History): Located at the entrance to Sequoia National Park, this museum shares local history.
• Tracy Historical Museum (Tracy, Local History): Operated by the West Side Pioneer Association, this museum covers Tracy's history.
• Tulare County Museum (Visalia, Local History): Located in Mooney Grove Park, this museum has Native American baskets, pioneer artifacts, agriculture equipment, and restored buildings.
• Tulare Historical Museum (Tulare, Local History): Discover the history of Tulare.
• Twenty Mule Team Museum (Boron, Local History): Learn about local history and the famous twenty mule teams that transported borax from Death Valley and Boron.
• UC Merced Art Gallery (Merced, Art): Check out art exhibits at the University of California, Merced.
• Veterans Memorial Museum (Fresno, Military): See uniforms, medals, weapons, photos, and models, honoring members of the Legion of Valor.
• Wasco Historical Museum (Wasco, Local History): Learn about the history of Wasco.
• Wassama Round House State Historic Park (Oakhurst, Native American): This historic site was used by local Native Americans as a special meeting place for ceremonies.
• West Kern Oil Museum (Taft, Local History): Explore the history of oil in the West Kern area.
  

  The West Kern Oil Museum.
• William Saroyan House Museum (Fresno, Historic House): Visit the home of William Saroyan, a famous writer who won a Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar.
  

  The William Saroyan House-Museum.
• Zalud House (Porterville, Historic House): Tour this beautiful Victorian-era house.
  

  The historic Zalud House.

Past Museums

Sometimes museums close. Here are a few that used to be in the San Joaquin Valley:

• Castle Science and Technology Center, Atwater (closed in 2012)
• Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture, Hanford (closed in 2015, its collections moved to other museums)
• Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science, Fresno (closed in 2010)

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Fresno County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kern County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kings County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Madera County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Merced County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in San Joaquin County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Stanislaus County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Tulare County, California