Museums in California
2,442 museums across California, must-see first. Each page covers the best time to visit, typical crowds and how far it is from nearby cities, and travellers can report “Is it open today?” (opening status).
- Morro Bay Museum of Natural History · museum · San Luis Obispo · Must-see
- Golden State Model Railroad Museum · museum · Contra Costa · Must-see
- San Bernardino Asistencia · museum · San Bernardino · Must-see
- Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Fountain and Tallman Soda Factory Museum · museum · El Dorado · Must-see
- Sonoma Valley Museum of Art · museum · Sonoma · Must-see
- Alcatraz Island Lighthouse · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Museum of Monterey · museum · Monterey · Must-see
- Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History · museum · Monterey · Must-see
- Palm Springs Art Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- New Museum of Los Gatos · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Rancho Los Alamitos · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Children’s Discovery Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Museum of Contemporary Art · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Southwest Museum of the American Indian · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Japanese American Museum of San Jose · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Carpinteria Valley Historical Museum · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- Marin Museum of the American Indian · museum · Marin · Must-see
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Autry Museum of the American West · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Asian Art Museum of San Francisco · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Santa Barbara Historical Museum · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- Discovery Cube · museum · Orange · Must-see
- Museum of American Heritage · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- South Coast Railroad Museum · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- Stagecoach Inn Museum · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- Strathearn Museum · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- Clarke Memorial Museum · museum · Humboldt · Must-see
- Riverside Art Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- Museum of Death · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- The Broad Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Angels Camp Museum · museum · Calaveras · Must-see
- Blue Lake Museum · museum · Humboldt · Must-see
- Museum of Tolerance · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- National Steinbeck Center · museum · Monterey · Must-see
- Randall Museum · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- San Mateo County History Museum · museum · San Mateo · Must-see
- Southern California Railway Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- Walt Disney Family Museum · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Chinese American Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Hearst Museum of Anthropology · museum · Alameda · Must-see
- Plumas County Museum · museum · Plumas · Must-see
- San Francisco Railway Museum · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- The California Museum · museum · Sacramento · Must-see
- The J. Paul Getty Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Chumash Indian Museum · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- Depot Park Museum · museum · Sonoma · Must-see
- Heritage Museum of Orange County · museum · Orange · Must-see
- Kelley House Museum & Research Center · museum · Mendocino · Must-see
- Lomita Railroad Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Nethercutt Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- State Indian Museum (SHP) · museum · Sacramento · Must-see
- Travis Air Force Base Aviation Museum · museum · Solano · Must-see
- California Heritage Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Sutter County Museum · museum · Sutter · Must-see
- Nevada County Narrow Guage Railroad Museum · museum · Nevada · Must-see
- Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life · museum · Alameda · Must-see
- The MADE · museum · Alameda · Must-see
- Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Museum of Contemporary Art · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- International Art Museum of America · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- San Diego Natural History Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Fisherman's Wharf · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Western America Railroad Museum · museum · San Bernardino · Must-see
- Western Pacific Railroad Museum · museum · Plumas · Must-see
- Cable Car Powerhouse and Barn · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- San Diego Air & Space Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Museum of Latin American Art · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art · museum · Yolo · Must-see
- Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- San Diego Automotive Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Mingei International Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Santa Barbara Museum of Art · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- Legion of Honor · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Lincoln Memorial Shrine · museum · San Bernardino · Must-see
- Oroville Chinese Temple · museum · Butte · Must-see
- Palm Springs Air Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- USC Pacific Asia Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Haas-Lilienthal House · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- WWII/Korea LVT Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- Norton Simon Museum of Art · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Carnegie Art Museum · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- Museum of Neon Art · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Crocker Art Museum · museum · Sacramento · Must-see
- USS Midway Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- The Foster Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Comic-Con Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- SS Lane Victory · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- de Young Museum · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Musée Mécanique · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Ainsley House · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Hearst Castle · museum · San Luis Obispo · Must-see
- Hammer Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- USS Pampanito · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Museum of Us · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Sun House · museum · Mendocino · Must-see
- California Science Center · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Fowler Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- General George S. Patton Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- Haggin Museum · museum · San Joaquin · Must-see
- Laguna Art Museum · museum · Orange · Must-see
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience · museum · Contra Costa · Must-see
- Museum of Jurassic Technology · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Museum of Making Music · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum · museum · Orange · Must-see
- Sonoma County Museum · museum · Sonoma · Must-see
- South Bay Historical Railroad Society · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- The Getty Villa · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Travel Town Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Triton Museum of Art · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Viet Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Whaley House Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Gallery · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- de Saisset Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Drum Barracks · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- McHenry Museum · museum · Stanislaus · Must-see
- Museo Italo Americano · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum · museum · Alameda · Must-see
- Pacific Pinball Museum · museum · Alameda · Must-see
- The Beat Museum · museum · San Francisco · Must-see
- Valley Relics Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Agua Caliente Cultural Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- American Military Musuem · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- American Museum of Ceramic Art / AMOCA · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Bowers Museum of Cultural Art · museum · Orange · Must-see
- California Surf Museum · museum · San Diego · Must-see
- Catalina Casino · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Doctor's House · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Elverhøj Museum · museum · Santa Barbara · Must-see
- Gilman Historic Ranch and Wagon Museum · museum · Riverside · Must-see
- Grier-Musser Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Hathaway Ranch Museum · museum · Los Angeles · Must-see
- Moffett Field Historical Society Museum · museum · Santa Clara · Must-see
- Napa Valley Museum · museum · Napa · Must-see
- Robert V Fullerton Art Museum · museum · San Bernardino · Must-see
- San Joaquin County Historical Museum · museum · San Joaquin · Must-see
- Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- Bigfoot Museum · museum · Santa Cruz · Must-see
- Conejo Valley Art Museum · museum · Ventura · Must-see
- Janet Turner Print Museum · museum · Butte · Must-see