Stagecoach Inn Museum is a charming museum and venue filled with rich history. This is such a cute…read morevenue for weddings, fundraisers, and entertainment. I had no idea until recently that stagecoach inn museum offered their lawn and space to accommodate events. Sweet location, but parking can be tight if you do consider having an event here. There's a park with public parking next door, but once that lot is filled, good luck finding parking within convenient walking distance. Highly recommend checking out the museum doing business hours.

One of my professions is that of a Medieval English Historian having worked in contract with the…read moreHistoric Royal Palaces foundation in England. Even though my expertise is in Medieval, Renaissance and Restoration Europe; I am passionate about much of history. Basically, I am saying I am a history buff both academically/professionally and leisurely. California is rich in history from the indigenous people of Mexico to Missionaries to the Gold Rush to motion pictures to everything in between. One piece of this history sits locally in the Los Angeles/Southern California area where proprietors from all parts of the country made the trek to the 'Wild Wild West' frontier. You can re-live this history in the Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newbury Park. Let's give a quick history lesson... In the late 1800s, before Newbury Park was even called Newbury Park, the Grand Union Hotel was built as a stopping point for travelers from Santa Barbara and beyond to Los Angeles south. This area was purchased by the Newbury family (you get it now?)  who named it after themselves and the wooded area. The Newbury family initially tried to strike it rich with using the land for crops but after years of crop failure due to little rain; they had to find another way to survive and opened the first post office in the area (which was initially a tent!). The Grand Union Hotel was moved to make way for the burgeoning 101 freeway and ended by burning down by fire (no one knows the exact cause of the fire).  To celebrate this Conejo Valley history, Newbury Park constructed a replica of the Grand Union Hotel about a block or so away from where it originally stood currently at South Ventu Park Road (free parking lot or street parking available). The compound consists of the hotel replica, The Timber School which is an accurate imitation of a one room school house that served the area, a blacksmith shop, a Chumash "village" (basically a yurt), a Spanish Adobe home, and Newbury Pioneer House and thus showcases all eras of peoples/history that once stood in the area.  Some "hiking" paths around the property are also available. This sounds fantastic... in theory. Unfortunately, in execution it is quite cheesy and maybe better suited for very young children. The pioneer house is sort of 'cool' as you can walk through this 'Little House on the Prairie" - style cabin and transported back into what it would feel like to live in such accommodations as a docent explains the history. The Chumash Village is nothing more than a yurt and an awning that takes .2 seconds to traverse while the Spanish Adobe House seems inaccurate in construction materials but what do I know. The blacksmith shop wasn't attended during my visit so I didn't get to experience it fully; but it does contain actual proper tools. This part of the compound simply feels a bit "half-assed", so to speak. The Grand Union hotel replica - the actual Stagecoach Inn in this case - is two floors (plus small gift shop) that you can walk through the rooms some of which are set up to exemplify their actual functions like kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, etc; while others hold permanent or temporary exhibits like art made from real hair that was popular during the Victorian era (VERY weird), a room full of clothing irons from various timeline periods, a room filled with gramophones (I loved this because I have a tattoo of one), etc. The weird thing about the Stagecoach Inn is that it jumps back-and-forth between history versus staying true to the California late 1800s as far ahead as WWII as docents explained that the dishware in the dining room came from Germany during WWII (so, stolen from the Jews --- why is this here in a frontier replica?!). Some of this place simply does not make sense and being a historian - I take historical inaccuracy personally. Also awkward are the overuse of very creepy mannequins in each room including the 800 dolls in the children's bedroom that I was just waiting to attack me via a horror film. Both corny and cheesy; I could have done without.  It doesn't take long to walk through the museum and it is just a little unappetizing. My favorite part of the Stagecoach Inn Museum grounds was the Timber School. It is the least creepy and best in terms of historical merit with school desks, chalkboard, books, a wood burning stove, a working school bell tower, etc. It looks exactly like all the photos of one room school houses. I have to give a shout-out to the docents at Stagecoach Inn Museum. These are all unpaid volunteers and yet I have never seen such enthusiastic, happy museum employees. They are almost aggressive in their zeal to share the history of the area/buildings and because of this: you will truly retain the information they pass. The Stagecoach Inn Museum isn't terrible; don't misunderstand. It is just cheesy and a stretch calling it a 'museum'. I would say it is more of a history center and best suited for school field trips for the locals versus adults.

Amazing experience! I'm not a fan of art, but just walking…read morearound sculptures was a great experience. Gardens are instagramable!

If this is your first time visiting, it's a must to visit! They have beautiful architecture and…read morehistorical statues, objects, etc. The admission is free, but parking is $25 on the weekend. You must reserve a ticket on their website. It took me around 3 hours to complete everything, but the villa is quite small, but with so many artifacts to look and read through. Overall, great museum to visit! Tip(s): - Parking is $25 on weekend - Admission is free, but must pay parking - Reserve tickets online

This is FIVE STARS! Every American needs to come to and…read moreexperience the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. It is life changing and will challenge you. So much history. If you were alive then, or younger now and learning about this time in our country's history, this is a once in a lifetime must do. Ronald Reagan's entire life history, his career as an actor, Governor of California, and then President of the U.S.A. is presented. But so much more. This time in our nation's history was well presented, the good and the bad is all presented. Lots of amazing artifacts, Reagans actual writings, historical speeches and his love of his wife Nancy is all there. But the coolest part of the tour is in the pavilion, they have the actual Air Force One jet President Reagan and 7 other presidents traveled on and you can tour the inside of it too, very cool! Also, there is the Marine One helicopter he used, a collection of presidential limo's and secret service vehicles. In the gardens is an actual piece of the Berlin wall and the burial place of President Reagan and his wife Nancy. My wife and I had no idea how big this place was, we got there at 10am and barely finished at 5pm when they closed. Plan to be there all day, we were wiped out when we finished. They have a good restaurant, we got the Ruben, and it was delicious, but the restaurant is expensive. There is so much to this place, too much to write here, you have to go.

Couple of long rifles on the wall bunch of notes few pictures a cannon. A very sad exhibit.. it…read morecould have all easily fit into one small room. I saw way way too many staffers standing around like used car salesman, waiting to jump on you as soon as you cross their station . It was annoying, disappointing, and I had to apologize for bringing my guest. It's disgusting that they would charge me to see an airplane and a helicopter that my tax dollars paid for . Yes, peasants come and see what it looks like to be king on your tax dollar .

Great art museum, it was very interesting learning about Beatrice Wood's life & artwork. There was…read morealso art from local artists. It was a nice stop, close to the Ojai Valley look out.

An amazing experience at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts on April 12, 2026. The DYAD, Niv…read moreAshkenazi, and Leah Kohn, performed a delightful program of chamber music. Niv, on violin, and Leah, on bassoon, presented a most refreshing duo of their "new kind of chamber music." The ambience of the performing center was as exquisite as the performance itself.

Unfortunately this museum is now closed to the general public. School group still have the…read moreopportunity to visit this museum that offers a wealth of information on the native Americans in this area plus about the local wildlife. As the museum is closed to the public, you can still enjoy the items outside that includes Chumash housing, remains of a chimney and more. Hope to experience this museum soon: please open to the public

What a wonderful museum! If you want to learn a little about Chumash history and culture, this is…read morethe place. I learned that Chumash territory extended from Malibu to Morro Bay, covering some 7,000 square miles, and included the four northernmost Channel Islands. The Chumash believed their ancestors came from these islands in the far distant past. Inside the museum you can view a staggering number of authentic artifacts, giving you an idea of the technological sophistication of the Chumash people. Some artifacts as old as 9,000 BC One can get a sense of how resourceful the Chumash people were, particularly in how they used plants and how they manufactured implements and tools to address their daily needs. On view are talismans used by Medicine Men, tomols (canoes) used for transportation and trade, as well as arrowheads and spear tips used for hunting and war. Very interesting to me were the many gambling artifacts. Dice games, marbles, ring toss, so many different games! Equally interesting were the musical instruments. I saw terrific examples of whistles, rattles, and clapper sticks. I spent an inordinate amount of time inside the museum, examining every display. But as fascinating as all that was, for me the most interesting part was the recreation of a Chumash Village in the beautiful hills behind the museum. Kind of odd, I suppose, that the recreated part captured my imagination even more than the authentic part. But the recreated village was just what I needed to see to be able to imagine how all the artifacts fit together. I was keen to see the recreation of the type of shelters the Chumash people lived in. The structures, called "'Aps" were made with tule and cattail reeds attached to a framework of wooden poles. Some smaller 'Aps were for single families, others, much larger, could house as many as 50 people. They featured a central fire pit, with an opening directly above to vent smoke. Villages were typically built on high ground, near a source of water. The chief's 'Ap was always the largest. Some things never change, lol. Near the chief's 'Ap there was usually another 'Ap to hold a supply of extra food for entertaining visitors or distribution to the people in times of need. Villages also typically included a sweat lodge. I was surprised to learn that the sweat lodges weren't only for men. Sometimes women and children used them for ceremonies and in healing rituals. The museum location is perfect. As you walk the ground it truly feels like stepping back in time. Few reminders of the outside world intrude in this idyllic setting. I found out about this great museum because it is part of the Passport2History program. If you are at all interested in the history of Southern California you should check into the Passport2History. I've been to many of the participating museums and each one has been very worth a visit. For information on the Passport2History program, go here: https://www.leonisadobemuseum.org/passport-2-history Mikey C says: thanks to my friend Victor G up in Hayward for reminding me that November is Native American Heritage Month

I came here for an event today so really my review is tailored more towards the events that Casa is…read moreholding but also to acknowledge the fabulous grounds and building though I admit I don't have full context for the history or background. I would definitely come back here to learn about the house and to take the guided tour. This wasn't the purpose for me coming today but the gentleman who works here noted that it's a great tour and I know friends who have enjoyed learning about the family and the history of the house, getting a deeper dive of information. I came here with some friends for their first hosted event Sound Bath. A wellness day if you will. From start to finish everything was very organized and thoughtful. The staff hosting the event and the spiritual wellness guide and sound healer was wonderful. Everyone was nice and you felt welcomed. Not pretentious and just very positive and good vibes. We had a nice group and everyone was respectful and on time for the sound bath so it went off without issue. It was a relaxing experience and the grounds were very nice to hold this outdoor event. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, we found an area with shade, very nice. Very faint sounds of cars in the distance here and there which wasn't ideal but out of their control and once things settled in you really couldn't hear much external noise. After the relaxing sound bath we were offered tea and light pastry snacks. I opted for a water and began exploring the grounds instead of partaking in the refreshments. The grounds are lush and lovely, very zen. Loved the beautiful trees and walkways with small fountains and running water. It was green and pretty all around from the recent rains. Definitely a great location for events and to learn a little SB history. I will definitely do my research and come back again soon.

Yikes, this is an expensive tour but it is a rarity to see a period house with most of the original…read moreoccupants furnishings etc. The tours are docent led and very informative. If you like these types of tours, this one is quite worth it.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience here at Rubel Castle. Our host, guide,…read moreand local "Rubelligent" volunteer, Ms. Kathleen had all the intel about this historical property. She was so knowledgeable and helped set the stage for us to slip into a forgotten era and get a glimpse of how imagination met inventiveness with a DIY charm. ~ A LITTLE BACKSTORY FOR YOU ~ It's not pronounced Rubel as Barney from Flintstones. Rather, it's like Target is to Targét when we are trying to be fancy. So that's Rubel as in "Roo-bell." Unlike modern-day construction, Rubel Castle wasn't built overnight. It was made of collected recyclables and construction rubble that spanned many decades and took several friends and volunteers to build it. For Michael, however, the lifetime inspiration was first sparked at the age of 9. His love for canons was where it started and the rest is history you can hear about on the tour. But don't just show up like we did randomly one day. To book, visit RubelTours.org and make a reservation. ~ OUR TOUR EXPERIENCE ~ It's as if Michael Rubel, the creator and mastermind of this enchanted dominion had intended it to be--magical. Built in the castle period of wood and tin, every corner captured our interests, from antique cars to the 1890's Seth Thomas Tower Clock with a unique backstory (and only six in existence today). There were old vending machines, tools, trinkets, and machinery that time had long forgotten. Did I mention there was a drawbridge? Yes, and a dungeon too. I was just waiting for a dragon to come swoop down on us next. Walk in the footsteps of famous visitors like Alfred Hitchcock, Dwight Eisenhower, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope. It's a feast for the eyes no matter where you glance. I particularly enjoyed the bottle house that Michael built in 1968 as his "home" as a kid. That independent spirit was quite charming to see. ~ WATERCOLOR NATURESCAPE ~ We were fortunate to have our gracious host lead us on a tour and organize a special art crafting experience outdoors. It was absolutely lovely beneath the trees and between rusted vintage cars from the turn of the century. We each got a small canvas to paint our flowers in watercolor. (This particular experience takes place in the Spring and Fall, weather permitting.) We heard the squirrels rattling in the leaves and birds chirped and sang in the trees above. We discovered that peacocks apparently originated from this property, compliments of Michael Rubel. And did I mention that on the far side of the property, a custom garden was in full bloom? BOOK A TOUR Help support the Glendora Historical Society and keep this magnificently unique city-castle maintained. It's worth it.

A castle in Glendora? Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you--Rubel Castle is real, it's magnificent,…read moreand it's gloriously eccentric. Thanks to the sheer persistence (and probably delightful stubbornness) of Michael Rubel, we now have this quirky, towering State Treasure sitting right in the middle of Glendora like a fairy tale that accidentally took a detour through a hardware store. This place is beautifully done, and part of its charm is that it's a full-on hodgepodge of relics, antiques, crystal trinkets, and "wait... what is that doing here?" moments tucked into every nook and cranny. You'll marvel, you'll laugh, you'll squint in confusion--honestly, it's everything you'd want in a castle built with love, imagination, and a dash of madness. And let's talk about the makeshift cemetery. Quirky? YES. Fun? Absolutely. Slightly spooky? Only if your imagination is over-caffeinated. But it fits the vibe perfectly--like the castle whispered, "You know what I'm missing? A tiny cemetery." The tours are fantastic, the guides are passionate, and the whole experience feels like you're stepping into a living scrapbook of California history and charming chaos. Overall: Amazing, amazing place. Book your tour. They only do tours every first Sunday of the month, so set your alarms, mark your calendars, tie a string around your finger--just don't miss it. Rubel Castle is truly a California State Treasure, and an absolute must-see for anyone who appreciates creativity, history, and a little eccentric sparkle.

Enjoyed my visit at Frederick R Weisman Museum. It was my first time here and I absolutely loved…read moreall the art pieces on display. Such profound types of art work on display for people to view and absorb. It was amazing. I wasn't even aware that Frederick R Weisman Museum is on the Pepperdine University campus. Art pieces from Dave Chihuly, Mike Kelly, John Register, Alison Saar, Al Souza and Andy Warhol to name a few are beautifully displayed. Absolutely worth visiting Frederick R Weisman Museum again as I did with a few of my friends.

Absolutely stunning museum. Loved every bit of it…read more Thank you for sharing with the general public.