Great experience! Kids will definitely love coming to see the museum and shows. For $5 per show,…read morethat's a great deal. I'm not sure if the actual museum is free because we just walked in after the show. They show tons of animals in their habitat and a gift shop. I can't wait to bring my little guy.

This is a very interesting place! A group I was with toured the Great Valley Museum, Planetarium,…read moreand got to check out the skies by telescope in the same night. The entire thing only cost $10 per person. Hard to beat that. The museum had some incredible exhibits and very knowledgeable Docents to guide you through a very informative tour. There was areas of the museum representing the different types of habitats found in this area. Super interesting! They also had a kids exploration area complete with some various reptiles and even a few tarantulas that we were fortunate enough to be able to get very close to for a really great look. The planetarium was exceptional. If you haven't tried it you really should. The icing on the cake was the telescopes on the roof. We got to see a few planets, and a galaxy or two.

Yesterday the McHenry Mansion had free entry as well as cradts at the museum, carroage rides and…read moremore! While visiting the museum, my family and I had a wonderful time getting info on the Stanislaus Libraries in the area, looking at Modedto artifacts and making crafts! The staff were very kind and helpful! Overall, we had a wonderful time!

I had always wanted to stop in at the McHenry Museum, but I never took the opportunity to go, until…read morerecently. The museum hosted an event right before Graffiti Night to kind of kick it off. It was a free event to go inside the museum, and outside were lots of classic cars, trucks, and a few bicycles!! I included lots of photos inside and out!! Well, they had another event last Saturday night! "A night at the McHenry Museum!" What a cute and fun idea!! It was great for all ages. We received a night guard evidence log when we checked in at the front desk! Right before that, we were welcomed by a greeter who opened the door for us. They had nine exhibits with stamps from the people dressed in period or historical costumes. They each gave a little demo or speech about the exhibit they were in. They were all so friendly, and interactive. It really made the scenes come to life! One exhibit was trying to get gold out of the clay rocks, to turn into the cashier for play money, which in turn one could "buy" real candy. I had such a wonderful time. I hope they do this activity again, sometime soon. It would be fun to know about it way in advance, so I could dress up too. That would be really fun! I did not find out about it until a few days before. However, I am so glad I went!

Such a beautiful gem! The mansion is beautifully decorated, well preserved, and has such a unique…read morefeel. I got married here and would recommend it as a wedding venue for anyone looking for a garden wedding. In terms of event planning, Laura was a sweetheart to work with and I appreciated all of her staff's support on the day of the event. The mansion itself is beautiful inside and out. There are two floors and a lower level basement. There are guest restrooms in the lower level. There is one usable restroom that is reserved for the bridal suite guests inside the mansion near the bridal suite room. Overall: Truly such a beautiful venue.

Elegant, unique, historical venue for a wedding. Paired with great weather made the outdoor-indoor…read morecombination just perfect for the intimate event. Added chic decor and great vibes made for a perfect evening.

The museum has been in the works for 10 years!!! I went there to check it out in person. This place…read moreis a mess not even close to a museum that is worth seeing it's not finished. This project is moving so slow that it is moving backwards literally. These cars would better off just being driven. I was told that this place is the most expensive storage space in Modesto. Sad but true. Don't waste your time it's not ready to be open to anyone. Zero stars.

Small museum with free admission, and an even smaller gift shop selling quirky stuff like…read moreleather-scented candles. Two rooms filled with interesting cowboy attire, antiques, posters, photos, books, old school tin lunch boxes, saddles, and lots of informative signs about rodeo practices and rules. We visited on a "Sip and Stroll" event day, so there was also live music out front. We didn't have much interaction with staff and just roamed around and explored at our own pace, which didn't take long due to the size of the museum.

If you have never been to Oakdale, it's the "cowboy capital of the world". Don't worry the city is…read morevery modernized. Be sure to check out the the_cowboy museum when you're in town! FREE admission to this awesome tiny museum!

What a great museum, I learned a lot about Turlock. Some museums can be a little boring but this…read moreone is very interesting. 1st thing that comes to mind is the old soda bar, very cool. They created little sections, dedicated to different people, events, groups, times, etc. my favorites were the original founders and the early times, High School throughout the years and the agricultural section. Definitely stop by and learn about the area. Also, throw some dollars into the donation jar.

As far as museums go, it's not the most titillating for educational information that we'll carry in…read moreour day to day lives. However it's free, located right in down town and can easily be walked through in about 10 minutes (30 if you stop and read everything) It's great to read about our little town and how it came to be and get its name. It's nice to see a section dedicated to the Portuguese and Assyrian communities. The old artifacts are always good conversation starters. The old soda shop display is probably my favorite display. The ladies who volunteer are wealths of information with deep roots in our town ready to give more background or give recommendations on more to do in this town. The last time I saw the museum was in high school (2012) and it was a time capsule through the ages. The way it looks now is more focus on Turlock and I find that a nice direction to go in.

They held an adoption event for a local dog rescue. Brought in a lot of vendors and had games as…read morewell as food truck out there. I always recommend businesses that help out rescues.

The Oakdale Museum and History Center is a great place to visit if you or your group are interested…read morein learning more about the rich historic background of this area. Ran entirely by volunteers, and thanks largely to the generous donations of those looking to preserve local history, the Oakdale Museum and History Center does an amazing job safekeeping and showcasing items pertaining to the past of local business, community, government, and more. Operating inside of one the oldest homes in town, the museum has been well kept and maintained by a group called The Friends of Oakdale Heritage. Immediately upon entering the front doors you are greeted by their very knowledgeable historians and immersed in increasing historic culture as you visit the different rooms and exhibits of the museum. I have visited several times. They are very willing and eager to meet the varied needs of the people they serve. Large and even private or after hours group tour requests are generally met. Reach out to this fine organization for more information. I highly recommend this as a must visit for all locals, youth and school groups, and anyone with a desire to explore our past.

This is a quaint museum that has been developed really well. It was built in the fLots of…read morehistorical artifacts collected by long term residents and volunteers. It's a great way to spend a little time on Wednesday or Saturday afternoon, and learn a bit about the town and history. Definitely recommend a quick stop by!

Well as of last year the Mistlin Gallery closed permanently. It was taken over by the City of…read moreModesto and a good community of artists of all ages were left disbanded. We had a wonderful gallery with events and shows and volunteers committed to the arts. Sad to see it go........

A local treasure that many cities the size of Modesto don't have: a good-sized gallery devoted to…read moredisplaying local art, with a gift shop that sells pieces by local artists, including very affordable prints and cards. Some of the same local artists whose art you can buy also give classes in the learning space. Exhibits rotate often, and there are always announcements for the next one. Now here's the thing with a place that displays a lot of local art: the aesthetics will vary. There are artists I think are top-notch (and I buy the print versions I can afford because my current budget doesn't stretch to originals to go over the sofa). There are artists I think are.. having a great time with self-expression (so I don't buy). Regardless, it is delightful that these are my neighbors (more or less), and many are depicting the local landscape in a part of California that tends to get neglected. Where else can I buy prints of actual Modesto-area places, rather than the "more important" beauty spots elsewhere in the state? I adore this gallery and go as often as I can. Occasionally they will feed you cheese bits or whatever, in a festive way.