Literally brought tears to my eyes to see this museum. So much history and respect for what our military has done for our country. I was in the Army for 8 years, to be surrounded by all that history and the tanks and monuments truly brought me back. This is a special way to honor a legend and to servicemembers who fought for this country. This museum is located here because of General Patton's forward thinking of training his troops in a desert environment before deploying to Africa. This prepared them to withstand the elements of heat and exhaustion that made a difference in winning the second world war. General Patton is a true American Hero in the highest form. We talk about making America great, this man actually followed through and made America great!!! read more

Finally made time to stop here, and it was well worth it! I pass this all the time traveling from AZ for work and have always wanted to stop but am usually in a hurry. It's fairly small, not tiny, but has some really cool stuff. I was genuinely impressed! Several tanks, one that has the turret off and you can go inside, several vehicles, all things are in good shapes considering their age. Gift shop has a good selection as well. Spent about an hour and a half hear but could have easily taken more time, or even fine faster if I was in a hurry. It's cool to support a piece of American history and the people keeping it alive. Wish we had a General Patton around today! read more

This is a hidden treasure in the middle of desert. I have passed by many times, and first time visited. Good collection of items from WW1 and WW2 and other wars. Kids can get very close to tanks and even can climb on couple of them. read more

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I will be returning to this museum with my family very soon! I was not able to enjoy much of the place due to the travel times but it looks amazing. I have always been interested in WW2 and the following Korean and Vietnamese wars and this place exhibits many tanks and interesting exhibits. read more

This wonderful museum is worth a visit at any time. But here are the reasons mine was so moving and memorable: 1) Took a WWII veteran to see it. 2) Had already read Patton's book "War As I Knew it" - I've read many autobiographical books and consider his one of the best. 3) Had watched the first season of "The Man in the High Castle" - it's both chilling and uplifting to watch when you're aware of how close we came to living in a dark world like the one portrayed, in which the Allies lost to the Axis powers. WWII truly was a closer call than most people seem to know, because in later years it was revealed that both Germany and Japan each had their own smaller "Manhattan Project." If either country had devoted enough resources to developing nuclear weapons before an Allied power did - especially Germany, which has always excelled at engineering - then freedom could have been wiped out worldwide in pretty short order. Any survivors would most likely have been living under totalitarian rule ever since. So many people grumble about their "First World problems" (I've been guilty of that too), but we should keep in mind that we already DO live in the free nation that the members of the resistance in that series dream of - and that so many people today who live under oppressive regimes dream of. The best measure of any country will always be how many people want to leave it versus how many want to get in. So beyond any appreciation for the the array of historical articles, equipment, tanks and vehicles - it felt good to pay our respects to one of the great men who ensured we won the war as soon as we did. Hopefully we'll do as well as they did and always protect our freedom from any of the forms of statism which threaten it including fascism, communism, and theocracy. read more

Ok this was a Great place. DON'T GO looking for more that you expected...Just go and Learn a few new things.... it's a fucken kick ass place and the fact that most people fucken SUCK and could careless about REAL BALLS ,and don't want to work for shit ! This man did the damn thing.... Now granted it has a shit load of stuff from WWII but ya know SO WHAT ! I was not aware of a few things until I went here.....So go enjoy and Pay the dam 6 fucken bucks.... cause they all Volunteer- so shit stop being whinny , you spend more than that on fucken Starbucks...........Until next time America see Ya read more

General Patton Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me - Indio, California

Absolutely worth the five bucks to get in. The tanks are whatever, but the real cool part is a relief map they have of all of Southern California from the 1920's. "What's so great about a map?" For one, it's the size of your living room, and it's made of plaster, not paper, with real-to-scale mountains and valleys you could touch if the darn thing weren't so old. It's origins have little to do with General Patton; it was part of the sales pitch the LA Department of Water and Power used to woo Congress into funding the Los Angeles Aquaduct. It does a great job of showing the length and breadth of General Patton's training camp, in addition to being really, really cool. The rest of the museum is pretty cool, too! There's old cartoons from WW2 from a cartoonist who had an interesting relationship with Patton, as well as the standard super old guns and military uniforms and such. But that map... Totally a surprise! Especially if you go between LA and Phoenix a lot like I do, it's cool to see the way they routed I 10 through the desert... "Oh, that's why that hill is there!" Kind of thing. Nerd heaven. read more

I have driven past this place probably a hundred times on my trips between AZ and CA. I always stop at Chirico Summit to get an ice cream cone, but never for the museum. However, the bf is a huge military history fan, so we stopped by the museum to check it out. We walked in and it was 5 minutes til closing, so we turned around to head out, when the employee manning the front area grumpily decided to let us in the gift shop. So we were wandering around the gift shop, when I saw a huge bust of Patton on the other side of the room. I tell BF to go stand next to it so we can take a pic. We're checking out this and that, when we hear an indignent voice say "THAT'S THE MUSEUM!!! NOT THE GIFT SHOP!!" Some time in our meanderings, we had passed over an invisible line in a huge room and entered into the museum! Oops! We mumbled hurried apologies and rushed out before I burst out laughing. I give this place 4 stars because the exhibit looks interesting. The outside area has plenty tanks and other military equipment for little AND big boys to get excited over. Even the grumpy employees are part of the experience! read more

What seems like a roadside tourist trap to lure weary travelers off the Interstate is more than that. The tanks are fun to walk around, but in poor condition. There were plenty of items inside the museum, but are a hodge podge of anything relating to WWII or even more vaguely related to Patton. The scattered collection of items includes a huge topographical relief map of Arizona, Nevada, and California that shows the flow and water resources of the Colorado River and a Vietnam memorial (see http://www.yelp.com/biz/west-coast-vietnam-wall-no-title) in the parking lot. This was not the first Patton tank museum I've been to. There is also one in Fort Knox (see www.yelp.com/biz/general-george-patton-museum-fort-knox) which was better in all regards. read more

Sincere, if a bit unpolished. General Patton provides the focus of the museum, as he ran a desert training center that was located not far from the museum. What makes this museum special is the fact that nearly all of the items in the exhibits were donated by local veterans of WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these items have pictures and information about the donor, which personalizes and makes more interesting the items on display. Another highlight is the "tank yard," a large exterior space filled with a variety of tanks and other vehicles on static display. These vehicles are in various stages of disrepair but still provide an interesting supplement to the interior exhibits and a decent photo op as well. Admission is $5. Exit through the gift shop. read more

Great Little museum. Awesome artifacts tanks, jeep and stuff. Please support them when you are passing through Indio, CA.

The General Patton Memorial Museum is a private museum located at the Chiriaco Summit exit off the I-10. It is both an indoor & outdoor museum. The museum is a tribute to General George Patton and the U.S. Army Desert Training center, he founded during WWII. There is a statue of Patton out front and the West Coast Vietnam Memorial wall & Altar of Hero's. You can buy bricks for the wall in honor of a veteran. Entrance fee is $5 per person, $4.50 for people 62 and older. They have a lot of interesting artifacts in this museum. Many have been donated by locals in the Coachella Valley and soldiers who served at the desert training center. They have a video of Patton's time in California including interviews with men who served with old blood & guts. They have the biggest collection of model tanks and WWI & WWII vehicles, I've ever seen. They have nice small displays saluting Korean, Vietnam & Gulf War vets. They have quite a collection of tanks, 1940's firetruck and other vehicles in the outdoor exhibit. They have a really cool exhibit of replicas made from De Vinci's plans for weapons & machines. My biggest issue with this museum is that it is unorganized and not in chronological order. Many of the exhibits are poorly labeled or not labeled at all. I wanted to learn more about the training center and Patton's time there. It is worth a stop and 1 hour is enough time for the museum. read more

$5 for adults and $4.50 for seniors over 62! A whopping 50 cent discount! I'm happy that this place exists to teach and educate us on a major time of our history that I was not alive to experience. I'm thankful that so many people have donated or contributed their personal items or collections to this museum to share with the world. I left feeling that I learned a bit more than I did an hour before and got a glimpse into the life of General Patton and WWII. Overall, I wish that the museum was more tidy and photogenic. It's like they received everything and just plopped it down where they could and everything is just rotting rather than showcased and respected. The space needs a real face lift and revival of its items to keep it in great condition for future years and to keep the history fresh and interesting. I would want the next generation to put this site as a MUST SEE when visiting and at this rate it will be a dust collecting building. Even my Grandpa said that the place felt like a junk yard. Ahhhh. Horrible. Please work harder at keeping this place special! read more

Drove by this God-knows-how-many-times. Finally decided to make it my first stop on my Cali adventure with my little boy. Where else are you going to see a vast collection of WW2 memorabilia and a bunch of real American, German, and Soviet tanks? Not the place to spend a day, and not much of a destination. But consider taking the exit and checking out this genuine piece of roadside Americana. read more

I bring groups to see our Big Map that was created by LA engineers in the 1930's. But, the entire place is pretty cool. They have nice looking tanks and lots of war collectibles. My favorite are the trench art, make sure you look for these. read more

Just a quick touristy thing to do with my teenage son on the way home from a Cali trip back to Phoenix. Nothing fancy but FULL of fun stuff to see (if you like authentic WWI & WWII memorabilia. Also small areas honoring Korea/Vietnam/Gulf Wars. Going outside to stand literally next to the tanks was impressive. I imagine it gets hot in that desert during the summer - but enthusiasts will not mind the heat. Only 5 bucks for adults...kids and seniors are cheap...active duty military are free! read more

Immediately greeted by two very nice and chatty employees/volunteers! Found the indoor exhibits to be fascinating, interesting and very informative. The outdoor exhibits were equally interesting with very informative placards by each vehicle. Well worth the visit! read more

Omg my boy was soooooo excited to see it. It was super amazing to see if you like tank! You must go! (It is far away) read more

General Patton Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me - Indio, California

Awesome WWII Museum erected in tribute to General George S. Patton on the site of the entrance of Camp Young, part of the Desert Tank/Mech Inf. training center of World War II. Lots of WWII displays & artifacts with a short video indoors. Many Tanks from the period as well as a few from Viet Nam era outside. Makes for a great 30-min diversion while going over the summit on the 10-fwy. $6 for adults $5-seniors.. kids under 7-free. read more

General Patton Memorial Museum - Desert training center map - Patton Museum - Museums Near Me - Indio, California

I think this museum has a lot of potential. Unfortunately they were enlarging the facilities and all of the items were in one room. The items were not necessarily in the correct area. One had to price the story together on your own at times. There was lots of good information on Patton and also information that had nothing to do with Patton. read more

Very nice museum of our Veterans...my Pop was part of WWII...DDay7... Also was a Soldier for Gen. Patton group...there are Walls for name plates for different wars, "conflicts" in the patio... Thank you for keeping the memory alive...Msg. Sadler,T... USARMY (Ret) read more

Got the opportunity to take my dad, a Vietnam veteran, to tour this museum while he was in town visiting. He really enjoyed seeing all of the artifacts and history about the desert training center. Unfortunately the tank yard was closed, but we weren't too disappointed because it was 106 degrees. Definitely a place worth stopping by and seeing! read more

my parents and i used to stop here every year on our way to AZ. the tanks and other military equipment outside is cool but... when i went inside to look around i was treated like a five year old by some old lady behind the counter. where are your parents!!! how old are you? I was 16 at the time but being raised to act appropriately in public is something you wont find much these days.And worst of all she has always there at least every time Ive been there maybe its the baron wasteland desert that drives this bitch crazy since there's nothing within miles of this place but she defiantly needs a head examination. I would suggest any one with kids under 18 to not go inside this place due to that lady. 2 stars for the tanks and artillery 0 stars for the old hag inside read more

Aside from some tanks, outside, the museum is a collection of whatever former members of units under the command of General George Smith Patton were willing to donate. There's some very interesting tidbits in here, but it's not as well displayed as you might wish. It's also pretty dark inside, which on a hot summer's day in the desert might not be a bad thing. Since we were driving by, and we weren't in a rush, it was an amusing stop. I can't imagine making a trip out here just for the museum, though. read more

Wow - to think all this stuff was collected and place din the desert! And is all dusty as if it was in the desert. If you want to follow military history with Patton, you will be fascinated. There is a lot of history here. if the war effort and tanks are not you cup of tea, move along. This is a chance to get the feel of a commander and his troops and some of the things hey needed to endure to be soldiers. read more

I went to the "General Patton Memorial Museum" at Chiriaco Summit, CA on 12/16/2009. Great museum for tank buffs (and General Patton fans).

A nice little stop off I-10 in the middle of the desert. Actually they have quite a bit of stuff. It's free for veterans but it was only about $5 for adults. Well worth it at least once! The young man running the front desk was very friendly. The old lady assisting him... not so much! A little kid walked in with his dad and 2 siblings... they were waundering around the gift shop when one of the children stepped over into the pay-for-admission area and the lady screamed out loud to get out of the museum area! The dad turned out to be active duty and total admission for the 4 of them was $2. After he paid, the old hag lectured the kids about how they look old enough to read the signs & they should know better while the young man working the desk thanked the father for serving! In all I enjoyed it! But the old battleax needs to lighten up! read more

Great place for military and World War II history buffs.

This museum is well worth spending about an hour at if you are in the area. It is at an Interstate exit so it is very convenient to stop at. The museum has an indoor and outdoor display. The outdoor exhibit is a great place to see military vehicles, mostly tanks, from WWII onward. The indoor display opens with a huge 3D map map that shows landform of the Desert Training Center stretching from the San Diego coast up to Las Vegas and east to central Arizona. It is a spectacular high detail construction from 1920's. The indoor museum continues to include Patton era military hardware and an interesting video on Patton's accomplishments and vision that contributed to the success of USA in the North African desert warfare of WWII. read more

A great Place, my father and Uncles served in WW-2! I served in the USAF, many decades later! God bless George Patton!....Marcus W. Gourley; Yorba Linda, California! read more

Active military go for free but veterans don't. Doesn't make any sense. Fun little thing to do when you're on the road but seems silly not to accommodate veterans. Especially disabled vets. read more

if your journeys happen to take you on I-10 through southern California between indio and blythe..I highly recommend a detour to this incredibly patriotic museum. talk about a hidden gem!! truly in the middle of nowhere. very nice inside....a 25 minute video....all sorts of uniforms and weapons.....and a decent little gift shop. for $5...its quite a bargain!! an extremely interesting slice of wartime Americana that very few people know about. general patton training troops in the Mojave desert. outside are some old tanks on display but a sign that warns of "beware of rattlesnakes" scared us away pretty quickly. nice decent convenience store at this exit..along with a gas station...little coffee shop and a post office. Fun to tell the hometown crowd you made a pit stop here!! read more

Very interesting collection of artifacts and short histories of medal winners. You are free to wander about and focus on what you want, from rations to radios and memories to mortars. Tank yard sports a sign warning of rattlesnakes... read more