Most reviewed Natural History Museums in California
4.5La Brea Tar Pits and Museum(3.226 reviews)from $15.00 - Free access to tar pits and paid entry to the museum Friday: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums • Science Museums
Explore the world's only active, urban Ice Age excavation site. Inside the Page Museum is where we showcase the best fossils, animals, and plants that have been discovered here - mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and more. Experience the Ice Age come to life with our Ice Age Encounters show. Outside check out the La Brea Tar Pits where tar is still bubbling and our active fossil excavation sites to see what our excavators have uncovered today. Get the behind-the-scenes story and see scientists working on recently excavated fossils, walk around our famous Lake Pit, and visit our live dig site where scientists discover new Ice Age specimens every day. Free with museum admission.See more..
4.5Birch Aquarium at Scripps(1.943 reviews) - Beautiful location Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums • Aquariums
Dive into the world of sharks, seahorses, and coral reefs at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched high on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, Birch Aquarium features more than 60 habitats with amazing creatures including a rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle, a Giant Pacific Octopus, Garibaldi and Moray Eels. Not to be missed are the outdoor tide pools where guests can touch local creatures including juvenile sharks, or the two-story Giant Kelp Forest. Seadragons & Seahorses features one of the largest seadragon habitats in the world, and the new Moon Jelly experience will awe guests of all ages in the Hall of Fishes. Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. year-round with extended summer hours. Keep an eye on the website for the addition of seasonal events and outdoor adventures. Advanced reservations are required for all guests, even members.See more..
Discover your world past and present. See dinosaurs in our new Dinosaur Hall, including the world’s only Tyrannosaurus rex growth series. Get the behind- the- scenes look at how scientists work on fossils at our Dino Lab. See 240 specimens, including skeletons from mastodons to whales, animal dioramas from North American and Africa, and more.Stroll through our extensive Nature Gardens, and discover true stories about plants and animals in our Nature Lab. See and touch more than 2,000 spectacular specimens displayed in our Gem and Mineral Hall, and enter into the vault to view diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and other exquisite gems. Our Butterfly and Spider Pavilions are open seasonally. Here you can wander through the changing ecosystem with over 30 species of fluttering butterflies all around you, or witness arachnids up close and personal.See more..
Founded in 1916 as the Museum of Comparative Oology, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has evolved to include more than 3.5 million specimens covering every aspect of natural history—from mammals, birds, and marine life to geology, astronomy, paleontology, and anthropology. Newly renovated in 2018, the Museum boasts state-of-the-art interactive exhibits for all ages, paired with the Central Coast’s only planetarium, on 17 acres of oak woodland along Mission Creek. Guests learn about the Santa Barbara region’s unique and diverse natural history and then go outside to explore nature in the Museum Backyard. Visit the website for current daily admission prices and hours. Parking is free.See more..
4.0Museum of Jurassic Technology(231 reviews) - Weird and amazing Friday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Natural History Museums
I absolutely love this place. They have some of the most random and bizarre exhibits that you won't see anywhere else. It also has a lovely tea room and aviary. Definitely recommend it for people who enjoy things that are quirky and weird. Tickets are also very reasonably priced at $12 (definitely worth the experience).See more..
4.0Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center(172 reviews) - My Favorite Tourist Attraction in SB - Without the Tourists! Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums • Aquariums
Discover the wonders of ocean life at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center. Located on historic Stearns Wharf, this highly interactive regional aquarium offers you close encounters with marine animals from the Santa Barbara Channel. In addition to permanent exhibits, the Sea Center hosts unique events and special educational programming. Explore the underwater world of the Santa Barbara Channel in our updated upstairs exhibit Dive In: Our Changing Channel. Encounter a Two-spot Octopus, Moon Jellies, Giant Pacific Seahorses, a California Moray, and more. Learn about the channel’s unique habitats from rocky reefs to kelp forests and see the animals that live there.See more..
4.5Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History(41 reviews) - A cute little museum right on the ocean Friday: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Natural History Museums
This museum's exhibits feature Ohlone Native American artifacts and local flora and fauna.See more..
4.0Loomis Museum(35 reviews) - Nice Little Stop! Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums
It is small museum, but it’s packed with artifacts and photos of the the Lassen Volcano. It is close to several easy trails too.See more..
5.0Yurok Country Visitor Center(31 reviews) - Travel the "redwood canoe highway" that was the mighty Klamath river Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Visitor Centers • Natural History Museums • History Museums
This new facility is a hub for tourist information about the Redwoods and local businesses. The visitor center will educate visitors about the Yurok Tribe's heritage and culture. The approximately 3,500 square-foot Yurok Country Visitor Center is in downtown Klamath on the corner of Klamath Blvd. and Klamath Circle and is within walking distance from Redwood Hotel Casino. The location is also right in the center of Redwood National and State Parks, home to some of the last remaining old-growth redwoods on the planet.See more..
4.5Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes Center(20 reviews) - Small also big Friday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums
The Dunes Center is a natural history museum located in the heart of historic Guadalupe. Exhibits include activities for all ages including information about local animals and habitats. We also house the archaeological artifacts excavated from the site where Cecil B. DeMille filmed "The Ten Commandants" in 1923. Stop by the Dunes Center to pick up information on the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, an area comprised of 18 miles of coastline and one of the most ecologically significant coastal dune systems on earth.See more..
4.5Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center(13 reviews) - All is well in the world and nature is in control Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Natural History Museums • Science Museums • Children's Museums
Peace and solitude, such valuable commodities, every-and-any-where it con be found, these are the treasures upon which no monetary value can be set. This is one of those little slices of paradise. It is small now but it has bigger aspirations. We wish them well and much success. Under the bridge, sit a spell and watch the ocean and lagoon interact. There are some incredible views under the bridge, looking out to where the lagoon battles with the current. Along this short path (for now, until expansion eventually happens), we watched as a heron seemed to be fishing with a pole (never leave those things untended), and life just quietly played out at a much less hectic pace. Dial it down, sit and breath deeply and enjoy the moment. Once more, we did not visit the Discovery Center but spent our time in the Lagoon environs. Sit on Titus (the dog's) bench and ponder how many happy walks that canine spent waiting to hear those magic words.See more..
My women's church fellowship took a field trip to the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology. Who knew this amazing place was tucked away in Camarillo. I had vaguely heard of it and wasn't real excited about a tour on birds and I did not know what it entailed. WOW, I was quickly impressed! This is an unbelievable, world renowned Foundation. Our tour guide, Collections Manager, Rene' Corado himself has a very interesting life story of how he came to work at the Foundation. The Western Foundation tour is a must to see in person and have a guided tour.See more..
4.5Museum at Coyote Hills(10 reviews) - A gem of a park & excellent visitor center! Natural History Museums
Natural history museum that traces the history of the Ohlone Indians.See more..
4.5Victor Valley Museum(7 reviews) - Local Treasure Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums
What a hidden find! I’ve lived in the Hesperia for years, and I had never heard of this museum, and boy was I in for a pleasant surprise! The staff are so pleasant and helpful. The price was a bargain, and the parking was so easy. The museum was a mix of a natural history museum and a science museum. It was not overwhelming in size, but they manage to pack a lot in a small space. My mother and I enjoyed ourselves and the temporary exhibit on Slavery was very interesting, but a little sad. Took many good pics. Nice local outing!See more..
5.0Heritage of the Americas Museum(7 reviews) - Amazing Museum Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums • History Museums
If you like natural history, archeaology, anthropology, art then this gem of museum is a must see. The primary focus of the museum is on the development of the Americas, from the earliest fossils to thru contemporary art and jewelry. There's a fascinating amount of fossils, gem stones, Native American artifacts and historical photos on display. The docents are informative, enthusiastic and really make history come alive.See more..
4.5Tulare Historical Museum(6 reviews) - Surprisingly Easy to Spend 3 hours with Elementary Students Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums
While unassuming, this is a surprise gem of a museum to my family. Not a historian, but a seemingly fair assessment of the development of Tulare and it's ties to the history of the US. My elementary school aged children found it very interesting with the audio tour. One of the docents was incredibly friendly. When we lamented that we had not appropriately planned to do any farm tours in the area (we patronize many farmers in the region via our local farmer's market) she connected us with a friend of her who took us on an unbelievable private tour of a dairy farm nearby. My kids were ecstatic with the tour. See more..
5.0Museum Of The Sierra(4 reviews) - Great small museum for 1h-2h excursion Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums • History Museums
The Museum of the Sierra provides cultural and educational experiences to deepen the understanding of the human and natural history of the Sierra Nevada. Outdoor and indoor exhibits include Native American Artefacts, a Hydro Electric power plant, log flume, train caboose and more! Check out our website!See more..
5.0Reedley Museum(1 review) - Concise Collection of Reedley's History Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums • History Museums We were having breakfast at the Mainstreet Cafe when a lady in a sombrero with a sign that said "Museum Open" came in to tell us about the museum. That piqued our interest so after our meal, we went there. The building is not very big but they have packed quite a few historical items into it without making it cluttered. You won't have any trouble finding it because it is at the base of the two city water towers. The Museum, at the moment, is only open Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and Saturdays from 9:30 AM until 12:00 PM so plan accordingly. We walked through in probably just under an hour and feel we saw most everything there was to see, but if you were to read every label and article, you could easily spend over an hour there.See more..
When we entered, there were a man and her spouse. They were very nice. This museum is about the past. There were lots of pictures, a safe, soldiers. They showed us how certain machineries worked. Music and radio was special. Lake View Hotel. Main Street in the past. Clothing and radio. How a kitchen was different compared to now. We enjoyed our visit. Worthwhile to see!See more..
