California Museum

 California Museum

The California Museum is the state history museum of California, located in Sacramento, the state's capital city. It is dedicated to Californian history and legends. The California Hall of Fame is housed within the museum, which has over 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) of exhibitions, event space, and musicological archives.

The Golden State Museum, as it was originally known, opened in June 1998 as a public/private partnership. It was created under the supervision of the Secretary of State's office, using bond funds for the facility and the inaugural displays. However, the museum's long-term management and financial support are the responsibility of a nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation; the museum receives no direct governmental financing. The Museum's programming and operations are supported by private contributions, which are supplemented by admissions and sales from the Museum Store. Former First Lady Maria Shriver, in collaboration with the Secretary of State and California State Parks, held an exhibit titled "California's Remarkable Women" in May 2004.

Shriver spearheaded a bipartisan movement to restore this museum, which now runs as a nonprofit, non-partisan historical and cultural institution devoted to conveying California's whole history, including the tales of women and under-represented groups in history. The activities are overseen by a revived Board of Trustees, which has begun a multimillion-dollar financial drive to design and build the new Museum.

Former Governors George Deukmejian, Gray Davis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as former First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Gloria Deukmejian, Gayle Wilson, Sharon Davis, and Maria Shriver, are Honorary Chairs of both the Museum and the California Hall of Fame as of March 2011.

ADMISSION, HOURS, AND TICKETS

The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

On Friday, October 14, 2022, the Museum will shut at 3 p.m. for our annual Día de loss Muertos Fiesta.

Everyone entering the building, regardless of immunization status, must wear masks. Please review our Covid-19 policy page for more information on what to expect during your visit.

Tickets should be purchased in advance1. Tickets can be exchanged for another day or time slot up to one (1) hour before the ticket time. Please come at least 20 minutes after your stated arrival time. There are no refunds available for advance tickets. All guests, including those who qualify for free admission

The last entrance is at 4 p.m.

Please phone (916) 653-0650 during Museum hours given below for inquiries or assistance with admission or ticket swaps, or email reservations@californiamuseum.org during administration hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets and admission:

Adults (18 and above) $10

Students and Seniors (65+) with ID - $8

Youth (6-17) (6-17) - $8

Children (5 & under) (5 & under) - FREE

Member of the Museum, NARM4, and Time Travelers - FREE

The cost of free or reduced entry programmed varies.

Hours of Operation: Tuesday-Saturday

Sunday

Monday

10 am – 5 pm

12 pm – 5 pm

Closed*

Independence Day, 2022 Holiday Schedule

July 4, 2022

Closed

Thanksgiving

24 November 2022

Closed

Christmas Eve

25th of December, 2022

Closed

1By placing an online reservation, you consent to receive communications from us. See our Privacy page for more information or to opt-out.

*K-12 field excursions are accessible by appointment Monday through Wednesday. Contact the education department at (916) 654-1729 or reservations@californiamuseum.org for help or to make a reservation.