Museums, Modesto

The Haggin Museum, an art and history museum, has been referred to by Sunset magazine as “one of the undersung gems of California.” Its art collection features works by such noted 19th-century painters as Albert Bierstadt, Rosa Bonheur, and William-Adolphe Bouguereau, J.C. Leyendecker, as well as many other American and European artists. https://www.visitstockton.org/directory/haggin-museum/

On the forefront of astronomical research since 1888 (before there was even a road up Mount Hamilton) the Lick Observatory is nothing short of an icon, with its foundation set firmly in Silicon Valley innovation and technological prowess. Beyond the stunning views from 4,209 feet above the valley, the brilliant history of how these giant telescopes were even dreamed up (let along how they came to be) and the mind blowing discoveries that have taken place with them, just being able to see light years away through the lens is enough to send one into orbit. Add in tours, music series, lectures by leading researchers doing cutting edge work, and other special events and you have one of the most unique and powerful experiences of the city. https://www.ucolick.org/main/visit/info.html

The San Jose Museum of Art celebrates new ideas, stimulates creativity, and inspires connection with every visit. Welcoming and thought provoking, the Museum delights visitors with it’s surprising and playful perspective on the art and artists of our time. https://sjmusart.org/about

Featured by Good Morning America in 2010, this is the house that Sarah, the troubled Winchester rifle heiress, built. Seeking a way to rid herself of the spirits of those killed by the “Gun that Won the West” Sarah sought the advice of a medium. That consultation resulted in Sarah spending decades, as well as her $20 million inheritance, obsessively building onto the house. But what a house it is and don't miss the gardens and grounds either. Spooky? Yes, but beautiful from the wood work to the stained glass. Flashlight tours on Friday the 13th and during October are a trick and a treat, while the Victorian spirit is alive in special light during the December holiday season. https://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/

The California Museum educates visitors on the Golden State’s history and unique influence on the world through ideas, innovation, the arts and culture. Through interactive exhibits and engaging programs, the Museum inspires visitors to make their own mark on history. http://www.californiamuseum.org/

Open to visitors in 1869, the State Capitol features changing museum exhibits and historical rooms offering a view into California's political past while the rest of the building acts as a ''living museum''. https://www.visitsacramento.com/listing/california-state-capitol-museum/369/

The Crocker Art Museum was founded in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the Sacramento Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a wide spectrum of special exhibitions, events, and programs to augment its collections of Californian, European, and Asian works. https://www.crockerart.org/

First opened to the public in 1976, the California State Railroad Museum complex is one of Sacramento’s largest and most popular visitor destinations. Over 500,000 visit the Museum annually, with guests traveling from throughout the world to experience this world-renowned facility. https://www.californiarailroad.museum/visit

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History (SCMNH) has been connecting people to the wonders of nature for over 100 years. Located above Seabright Beach, the Museum highlights the region’s diverse plant, animal, and human communities from the shoreline of Monterey Bay to the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We strive to fulfil our mission to connect people to nature and inspire stewardship of the natural world through an array of educational programs and exhibits focused on the natural and cultural history of the region. http://www.santacruzmuseum.org/

Overlooking internationally renowned surfing hotspot Steamer Lane, this little gem of a museum has photographs, surfboards, and other interesting artefacts tracing over 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz. The museum shop specializes in great surfing books and surfing-related items. http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreation/facilities/surfing-museum

The Aerospace Museum of California is one of aviation's greatest showcases with over 40 military and civilian aircraft and a world-class engine exhibit. Located 15 minutes from Cal Expo, the Museum has STEM activities from building block competitions and scavenger hunts to a motion movie ride and realistic Flight Zone simulators. Experience every era of aviation from a fully restored 1932 Curtiss Wright speed wing biplane to the Titan IV LR87 space booster engine. Come experience the amazing innovation of flight! https://aerospaceca.org/

The Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers hands-on immersion into the world of ocean exploration and discovery. With a 20,000-square-foot visitor center, guests can touch a shark, explore the latest discoveries in ocean science, and take in the spectacular Monterey Bay, called the “Serengeti of the sea,” for its incredible diversity of marine life. Powered by the Long Marine Laboratory, a world-renowned university research facility, our exhibit hall offers a deeper dive into the fascinating and varied work of scientists studying the oceans here in Santa Cruz and around the world. https://seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/

SFMOMA is dedicated to making the art for our time a vital and meaningful part of public life. For that reason we assemble unparalleled collections, create exhilarating exhibitions, and develop engaging public programs. https://www.sfmoma.org/about/

Alcatraz reveals stories of American incarceration, justice, and our common humanity. This small island was once a fort, a military prison, and a maximum security federal penitentiary. In 1969, the Indians of All Tribes occupied Alcatraz for 19 months in the name of freedom and Native American civil rights. We invite you to explore Alcatraz's complex history and natural beauty. In 1969, a group of Native American activists calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes arrived on Alcatraz Island. They spoke out against the U.S. Government's Termination Policy and the broader plight of Native Americans. Golden Gate National Recreation Area commemorates this moment in history, with 19 months of special events and an exhibition: Red Power on Alcatraz, Perspectives 50 Years Later. https://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm

Van Nuys Airport (VNY) has all the elements of a blockbuster film—action, adventure, war, world records, movie stars, mystery, and suspense. It’s the story of success, defeat, and reinvention—the ultimate "little engine that could" —and yet it can be considered one of the largest "hidden gems" in Los Angeles because there is so much to learn and experience—and much of it is free. https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/things-to-do/van-nuys-airport-the-story-of-an-la-icon

A visit to the Getty Villa offers an experience of ancient Greek and Roman art in a setting that recreates a first-century Roman villa. Home to the J. Paul Getty Museum antiquities collection, the two-floor museum displays art that spans the 7,000 years from the end of the Stone Age to the fall of the Roman empire. The presentation of the collection focuses on the development of art among the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean. Visitors are invited to explore how and why the styles, subjects, and ways of making art resemble each other and differ across cultures and times. The Getty Villa has four gardens that blend Roman architecture with open air spaces and Mediterranean plants. In ancient times, gardens served both practical and aesthetic purposes at Roman country homes. They let fresh air and light enter the home, and also acted as gathering places to have conversations or to escape the heat. https://www.getty.edu/visit/villa/

Gone are the glory days of the Wild West, but you can still get in on the action at the Autry Museum of the American West. Just across from the entrance to the L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park, you’ll find this 3,345 sqm complex with over 500,000 works of art and artifacts from the American frontier. Co-founded by musical western star Gene Autry in 1988, it’s natural that the museum would dedicate space to cool Western film memorabilia, from the pistols used by Steve McQueen to costumes from 2005’s Brokeback Mountain. There’s even a replica movie set of an Old Western town with storefronts. (Little-known fact: The first-ever feature-length movie filmed in Hollywood was a Western—the 1914 silent film The Squaw Man, directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The camera used to film it is here, too.) A bronze statue of “the singing cowboy” Autry greets you at the entrance, but the museum covers much more than just Hollywood gunslingers—you’ll learn all about the real Old West, too. You’ll find engraved golden pistols given to Annie Oakley by her husband Frank Butler. There’s an extensive saddle display, a mail stage coach from 1855, Smith & Wesson revolvers, pioneer portraits, cowboy hats, buckskin jackets—even a saloon with a mahogany bar and roulette wheel. https://www.visitcalifornia.com/au/attraction/autry-museum-american-west

Griffith Observatory is a Southern California’s gateway to the cosmos! Since opening in 1935, Griffith Observatory has been a world leader in public astronomy, an icon of Los Angeles, a beloved civic gathering place, and one of southern California’s most popular attractions. Visitors can look through a telescope, see a live show in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, explore the exhibits, and enjoy the spectacular views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. In addition, its iconic façade has been featured in more than 300 films and television shows. The Observatory is a Los Angeles landmark and worldwide tourist destination for over a million visitors a year. http://griffithobservatory.org/

Today LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of over 135,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of art history from new and unexpected points of view. A museum of international stature as well as a vital cultural center for Southern California, LACMA shares its vast collection with the Greater Los Angeles County and beyond through exhibitions, public programs, and research facilities that attract over 1.5 million visitors annually, in addition to serving millions more through community partnerships, school outreach programs, and creative digital initiatives. http://www.lacma.org/

Music is power. And at the GRAMMY Museum you can experience that power first-hand through four floors of exciting interactive exhibits in vibrant downtown Los Angeles. On the fourth floor our touch-screen Crossroads table allows you to explore over 160 genres of music. On the third floor, you can pretend you’re a rock star in our Roland Live corner. And on the second floor you’ll find our latest special exhibit, along with our Clive Davis Theater, where both Taylor Swift and Ringo Starr have performed, plus many others. https://www.grammymuseum.org/exhibits

The Bradbury Building is the oldest commercial building remaining in the central city and one of Los Angeles’ unique treasures and make this one of downtown's most photographed icons. Built in 1893, this building’s light-filled Victorian count rises 50 feet with open-cage elevators, marble stairs and ornate iron railings. In the true spirit of Los Angeles, it has been featured in many movies, from DOA to Blade Runner. https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/bradbury-building

At the Natural History Museum discover your world past and present. Encounter dinosaurs, experience nature, explore our dioramas, marvel at one of the most impressive gem and mineral collections in the world, and learn how L.A. went from tiny pueblo to sprawling metropolis in our Becoming Los Angeles exhibit. Seasonally, take stroll through our Butterfly and Spider Pavilions, or check out one of our upcoming special exhibitions. https://nhm.org/site/

The House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as a California Historic Point of Interest, and as a landmark building on the City of Santa Ana's Historic Register. http://www.santaanahistory.com/dr_howe-waffle.html

For more than 60 years, the Catalina Island Museum has collected, preserved and presented the rich cultural heritage of Catalina Island for visitors from all over the world to enjoy. Located in the brand new Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building on Metropole Avenue, the Catalina Island Museum invites you to discover more than 7,000 years of Catalina history through dozens of engaging and visually exciting exhibits. Ever wondered what it's like to live on an island? Who discovered Santa Catalina Island? What rich-and-famous people have lived on Catalina throughout the decades? Catalina Island Museum’s knowledgeable staff and guides will help lead you through the unique history of our special island so you can get the most out of your visit. Attend a lecture, workshop or special event to get a personal perspective of Catalina island history. Take a piece of Catalina home with you from the Museum gift shop. Discover Catalina at the Catalina Island Museum! https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/about-the-island/points-of-interest/catalina-island-museum/

Maritime Museum features historic ships that display both permanent and temporary exhibits on board. You can see what it was like to live and work on these vessels at Maritime Museum of San Diego. Look into the cabins where ship crew mates would sleep, walk by the kitchen and dining areas to see where they had meals and satisfy your curiosity by seeing the very small bathrooms and showers. San Diego Maritime Museum offers daily public tours so that you and your friends or family can explore this place often - and learn plenty about ship life. Maritime Museum San Diego has public events that make for great experiences and quality bonding time with family and friends. During the Family Overnight Adventure at San Diego Maritime Museum, you and your loved ones can spend a night on the Star of India. Maritime Museum will tell you all about how the immigrants and crew lived and worked on this ship. Guests can participate in ship chores. You might raise the sail or rig a bosun's chair at Maritime Museum of San Diego. Your kids will know how to hoist cargo and sing sea chanteys like they were the original passengers on this ship after a fun day at the Maritime Museum. https://www.sandiego.com/maritime-museum

The Railroad Museum in San Diego in Balboa Park presents one of the largest indoor train models in the world, and it is also the only accredited railway-themed museum in the United States. San Diego Model Railroad Museum is educational, exciting and interesting for adults and children of all ages. Whether you grew up creating and playing with your own train models or you are a railway connoisseur, the Railroad Museum San Diego will provide you with entertainment as you admire the impressive designs and learn about the history of the railway systems in California. Guests will witness the transformation of trains and the railways through time and gain facts about the early railroad women in history. Visitors at the San Diego Railroad Museum will recognize the miniature version of famous San Diego sites and landmarks while trains zoom through the landscapes. The San Diego Railroad Museum features imaginary prototypes and the hypothetical design of the Pacific Desert Lines that were surveyed but constructed. The Railroad Museum San Diego also presents the real-life mountain scenes in the Tehachapi Loop and the Goat Canyon trestle on the San Diego and Arizona Eastern line, as train history and authenticity is preserved in each exhibit. The toy train gallery is also an exciting must-see attraction as it has four tracks and operating accessories. The kids will enjoy pressing the buttons to operate the coal trains, which blow horns, whistles and even smoke at the San Diego Railroad Museum. https://www.sandiego.com/san-diego-railroad-museum

The William B. Kolender Sheriff’s Museum in Old Town, San Diego preserves and promotes the history of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for the enlightenment and education of visitors of all ages http://sheriffsmuseum.org/sheriffs-museum-san-diego/

Desert View is a small settlement on the South Rim located 25 miles/ 41 km east of Grand Canyon Village, and near the eastern edge of Grand Canyon. Arizona Highway 64, Also known as Desert View Drive, is a scenic road that connects Desert view with Grand Canyon Village. Also discover The Tusayan Ruin, is the remains of a small Ancestral Puebloan village located 3 miles (5 km) west of Desert View. This was a thriving community that created pottery, arrowheads and other household artifacts. https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/desert-view.htm

The Leonardo is a non-profit community-powered museum which opened in 2011. The museum combines science, technology, and art in experiences that inspire creativity and innovation in visitors. By adding several hands-on experiences to the traditional museum experience, they believe are forging a new way forward in the museum industry. Once home to the Salt Lake City Public Library, The Leonardo’s downtown location has served the people of the Wasatch Front for nearly 50 years. As a result, The Leonardo is tremendously proud to carry on the legacy of community learning and invites you to become a part of this unique community powered museum experience. https://theleonardo.org/

The Heard Museum was established in 1929 by Dwight and Maie Heard and is dedicated to the portrayal of Native arts and culture. The museum has partnered with American Indian artists and tribal communities to highlight the world the art and culture of Native people. https://heard.org/

The original Pioneers' Cemetery Association was formed in 1938 for the purpose of preserving the seven historic cemeteries near the State Capitol Complex. These cemeteries, which now comprise the Pioneer & Military Memorial Park, were in use from 1884 to 1914 and hold the remains of many of Phoenix's pioneering families. http://www.azhistcemeteries.org/

The Rosson House Museum is a fully-restored 1895 Queen Anne Victorian house museum which interprets the history of Phoenix. Tours of the house include all living areas and offer visitors a glimpse into the lifestyles of early Phoenix families. https://heritagesquarephx.org/visit/the-rosson-house/

Arizona Science Center provides exploration, education and entertainment for all ages. Nestled in the picturesque setting of Heritage and Science Park, the Science Center is a unique landmark designed by renowned architect Antoine Predock. The combination of ramps, hallways, galleries and terraces in this 140,000-square-foot building creates an intriguing environment of investigation and discovery. The Center contains four levels of exciting “hands-on” exhibits, a state-of-the-art planetarium, and a 5-story high giant-screen theater. The exhibits and galleries are designed to educate and entertain kids of all ages – from pre-K to gray! Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, the Science Center is within walking distance to nearby attractions such as Heritage Square, Phoenix Convention Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena, Chase Field, the Arizona Center and more. The Center is located at 7th and Washington Street and is accessible from Interstates 10 and 17, as well as the Metro Valley Light Rail. https://www.visitphoenix.com/listing/arizona-science-center/54/