California Museum

The California Museum celebrates the Golden State’s history, arts, diversity and unique influence on the world. Established in 1998, the Museum is home to the official California Hall of Fame, Unity Center and more exhibitions inspiring visitors to make their mark on history.

Located at 1020 O Street in the March Fong Eu Secretary of State complex, galleries are open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. General admission is $8-10. Learn more or get tickets at https://www.californiamuseum.org.

Exhibits

ONGOING EXHIBITIONS:
• California Hall of Fame
• California Indians: The First People
• California Missions: A Journey Along the El Camino Real
• Constitution Wall
• Health Happens Here
• Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories
• Uprooted! Japanese Americans During WWII
• Unity Center at California Museum
• Women Inspire: California Women Changing Our World

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE ACTIVITIES:
Registrants are invited to participate in the California Museum’s #AmericanExperience festivities, celebrating how immigrants contribute to the richness of our nation, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Highlights include:

• Self-guided tours of “Between 2 Worlds: Untold Stories of Refugees from Laos” on view through Oct. 28, 2022.

• Docent-led tours of “Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories,” which highlights contributions of Chinese Americans to California from the Gold Rush to the present.

• Craft station allowing visitors to make their own decorative tiles using Lao fabrics.

• Scavenger hunt in multiple exhibitions exploring how people came to California and stayed to shape the modern state, appropriate for ages five and up.

** Advance registration is required on the Smithsonian website. To attend, register for a free pass valid on admission for two from Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day. Masks are currently still required inside the California Museum. For more information on visitor protocols or to plan a visit to the California Museum during Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day, please visit https://www.californiamuseum.org/covid-19. **

Participation in Museum Day is open to any tax-exempt or governmental museum or cultural venue on a voluntary basis. Smithsonian magazine encourages museum visitation, but is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of the participating museums and cultural venues, and does not subsidize museums that participate.