We stopped here on our way from Vegas to Beatty to check out the sculptures. The museum is free but…read moredonations are appreciated. We parked by the museum building which may or may not be open. It doesn't look like it is ever open but may have just been the case on this hot Thursday afternoon in June. The sculptures are scattered about the area. I kept an eye out for snakes while walking around. My favorite was the pink Lego looking like anatomically correct blond woman. Several pieces looked like a paper mache applied over a seated person. Another favorite were attached standing rectangles set at angles. There wasn't enough here for me. If you are planning to visit the nearby ghost town and glass bottle house then a quick stop here might be warranted.

I was here 20 years ago, but my wife was not interested in the Goldwell Museum except to drive by…read more I went with a friend recently and we took the time to get information of the art pieces and to walk around, get photos, and enjoy the quirky talent of the place. We went into the gift shop/museum and the gentleman was a source of good information on Goldwell. The open air museum is on the left hand side of the paved road going to the ruins of the once thriving mining town of Rhyolite. Although not on Yelp, we made a stop at the nearby historic Bullfrog and Rhyolite Cemetery. I especially wanted to see the grave of Panamint Annie. The cemetery, Rhyolite, and this wonderful open art museum made for a great trip north of Las Vegas near Beatty, Nevada.

Omg! An adorable pit stop!!! We went in because we saw free hotspot and that they sold snacks…read more However we learned a lot about the town of Shoshone. There are very cool fossils inside. It was fun. The person hosting that day was the 6th generation to work at this museum - it was beautiful to see and hear about such a rich and proud history! Super fun! And free entrance!

Cool little museum in the middle of nowhere... :) nice lady behind the counter welcomed us in and…read morethanked us for stopping by in our way out. My favorite part was realizing that an sr-71 had an in cabin fire over this locale and pilot and CoD for our safely but the plane unfortunately crashed here in Shoshone area. Came home and talked to dad about it as he was lead avionics for this plane back when they were designing it. If you happen to be driving thru to get to Death Valley. Drop by, say hello, drop a couple dollars in to donation(as it's free to enter) and check out the history for the area. Lots to see and read in here.

This museum is Big for a little town. We went on Valentine's Day and was not disappointed. The…read morevolunteer that was there that day ( Patrick Taylor) is also an amazing portrait artist. It was a real treat to meet him and see his drawings. A must see when in Beatty NV.

This was only my second visit to the town of Beatty, Nevada and we decided to stop in here for a…read morevisit. The museum offers so much history about this little town along with the surrounding area including the now ghost town Rhyolite. I was fascinated by all the items they feature which most are still in great condition. Beatty is located in Nye County and was originally populated by the Western Shoshone and Paiute Indians before it became a town. It was known as a mining area and it is now known as "The Gateway to Death Valley. " Most of the items featured at the museum provide you a view of how people lived here in the early 1900's. A great little stopover and the museum provides free admission but a donation is always welcome!

I've passed by this place for years and finally went! It's…read moresuch a fun place. Self tour which gives you as much time as you want to see everything. Cool to learn all the different movies that have been filmed in the area. My fiancé and I went on a drive to see the iron man site as well. Highly recommend seeing this place, they ask for $8 donation. And have a cute gift shop as well.

Cool place to stop and check out. I never knew so many movies were filmed in this area. A lot of…read morewesterns of course but movies like G.I. Jane, Tremors, Django, Iron Man. Some I can remember of the top of my head. There are thousands in there and a lot of memorable. Photography is strongly discouraged. Really cool place.

**This review is from August 2025**…read more We lucked out on our drive back from Yosemite. On a whim, we turned into a neighborhood in Independence to look at some early 1900s homes and noticed what appeared to be a small museum. When we walked in, we were greeted by the nicest woman, who warmly welcomed us and mentioned there were clean restrooms in the back. They were, without question, the cleanest bathrooms we encountered during our entire trip. The museum was much larger than we expected. One side featured a beautiful collection of Native American baskets in a wide range of shapes, all with intricate and impressive designs. The other side was filled with historical artifacts from the region, offering a fascinating glimpse into the area's past. Eastern California Museum turned out to be one of the most memorable stops of our trip. Edited to add: We made the three-hour drive back to the museum last month so we could spend more time exploring. It was another great experience

This museum is a real gem. It has a big Native American basket collection on display. They might be…read moreutilitarian objects, but they are also very beautiful. They have a lot of interesting Native American and historic artifacts covering local history. On our visit, we were lucky to come across the volunteers with the Carson and Colorado railway firing up the Slim Princess #18. It's not everyday that you hearing a steam locomotive fired up. The volunteers shared information about #18, which they lovingly restored. While they don't offer rides, they are very happy to talk about the history of the train and the work that has gone into it's restoration. This is a worthwhile stop on any trip to eastern California. And don't forget to stop by the Carson and Colorado to see what they're up to. https://carsoncolorado.com/

Stop by 03/31/23 during the trip from Los Angeles to Death Valley. Ridgecrest is right in the…read moremiddle to take a break. Small museum , last yelp review posted about 3 years ago. Outdoor exhibition is free , has F-18A jet displayed with other aircrafts, Museum admission is $5,l The gift store did not honor the Yelp vouchers, so do not purchase that from the Yelp. I will deal with Yelp late to get my $15 back ( see last two pictures) Otherwise , fun place to visit.

If I'm not mistaken they're getting ready to build a museum outside of the base, near the Maturango…read moreMuseum, so it's easier for the public to visit. If that's the case, I hope it's more spacious and updated. The museum is pretty interesting, though it's more about the outside exhibits. The inside gets a bit redundant after a while. I mean, how many rooms filled with missiles can you really look at after a while? Designs on exhibits are pretty dated. Outside they have various jets and planes set up to walk around, and even some nuclear weaponry like the Polaris missile and the MKIV, modeled after Fat Man, the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. While walking around out there, a roadrunner came by to check out the jets with us and endless flocks of geese kept flying overhead. It was special.

Fun displays for all ages and many interests! We went with…read moreour young kids and had a great time. The petroglyph exhibit is really detailed, and there are a lot of natural history exhibits, also. There's a small but lovely desert garden outside, and a lot even saw a rabbit enjoying the shade from the hot afternoon sun!

Packed full of interesting exhibits and extensive info on nearby petroglyphs, this small museum…read morerecently enlarged its gift shop. Other new additions include a garden area as well as a sculpture garden. During the Petroglyph festival this November, an arrowhead maker was on hand. The museum also sponsors docent led hikes on China Lake Naval base to see an extensive collection of ancient petroglyphs spread along Little petroglyph trail, 1.5 miles of non stop native American rock art down a dry creek bed. You need to be in pretty good shape to manage the rocky trail and go through a fairly extensive security check to gain access and early sign up is required, but we all agreed the hike was worth it. The docents at the museum are very helpful and run a movie on the petroglyphs on request.

A fun little local stop for anyone passing through Pahrump or here for a Ron Fellows Driving…read moreSchool. When I was there, they were in the process of repairing all of the outbuildings due to a recent rain storm, so I didn't get to see any of that, which was disappointing, however, the lady at the front desk was super nice and the exhibits inside the building where Very informative. Learned a lot about the Cotton industry in Nevada, who would've thought, as well as storage of nuclear used material in the local mountains and nuclear test sites nearby. Definitely recommended as a stop for anybody who happens to be in this quaint little town for whatever reason.

The Pahrump Valley Museum (Pahrump is derived from the Paiute word "Pah-Rimpi", meaning water rock,…read morereferring to the natural aquifer in the valley) does a great job of documenting the history of the colonizers that displaced the Native Americans that have lived in this valley for centuries. There are exhibits on the cotton industry (using the water in the aquifers to support agriculture) and the atomic bomb tests conducted nearby. There's a small native plant garden outside focusing on local plants, with lots of cool cactus. There is a lot of local history...but there is just one display with a few Native American artifacts. Admission and parking are free, although donations are accepted.

My friend and I were passing through Lone Pine on our way back to OC from Mammoth Mountain and this…read moreplace caught our eye. The owners were absolutely wonderful and gave us an in depth tour of the whole place along with tidbits of life stories which added a personal touch. One of the best experiences we had on our trip and we will definitely be back!!

The museum is a special reminder of the History of the West. A step back in time to the Wild West…read more The backyard theatre and seating allow for a perfect setting for musicians, poets, and a beautiful mountain view of Mount Whitney. A unique spot to rent for your occasion and artistic venue. Rooms available as well.