Nevada State Museum, Carson City facts for kids
The Nevada State Museum in Carson City
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| Established | 1941 |
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| Location | Carson City, Nevada, United States |
| Type | History and natural history museum |
| Owner | Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs |
The Nevada State Museum in Carson City is a super cool place to learn about Nevada! It's one of seven museums run by the state. The main building used to be the old Carson City Mint, where coins were made.
Inside, you can see amazing things like:
- The biggest Columbian Mammoth skeleton ever shown, found in the Black Rock Desert.
- A fancy silver set from the USS Nevada battleship.
The museum helps visitors understand and enjoy Nevada's natural world and its history. It covers everything from ancient times to today. You can learn about Nevada's old geology, the prehistoric animals that once lived there, the exciting days of silver mining, and the rich culture of American Indian people.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's History
The Nevada State Museum in Carson City started by saving the historic Carson City Mint building. This mint made coins from 1870 to 1893. But guess what? One of its very first coin presses, called Coin Press No. 1, still works today! It makes special medallions with the famous "CC" mark, which stands for Carson City.
The museum officially opened its doors in 1941. It has some really rare and interesting collections about the history of the American West. These include:
- Beautiful baskets made by Native American people from the Great Basin area.
- A collection of old slot machines, including some made by Charles Fey.
- Guns from the Old West.
- Cultural items from the old Chinatown in Carson City.
- And, of course, that amazing silver service set made for the USS Nevada battleship.
What You Can Explore: Museum Exhibits
The Nevada State Museum has many exciting exhibits for you to discover:
The Old Coin Mint
This exhibit focuses on the historic Carson City Mint. You can see Coin Press No. 1 in action and learn about the "CC" (Carson City) marked silver dollars that were made there from Comstock Lode silver.
Nevada's Earth Story
In this exhibit, you'll learn all about "Nevada's Changing Earth." It shows how the land of Nevada has changed over millions of years, including its interesting geology.
People and Places Through Time
This exhibit, called "Nevada: A People and Place through Time," takes you on a journey through Nevada's entire history. A major highlight here is the silver service from the USS Nevada battleship. This incredible set was made from 5,000 ounces of pure silver and even has gold lining from Goldfield!
Under One Sky: Native American Culture
The "Under One Sky" exhibit tells the story of Nevada's very first inhabitants. It shows artifacts that are over 10,000 years old! Located in a newer part of the museum, this exhibit shares the rich American Indian culture from their own point of view.
See also
