If you're interested in the history of mineral's & mining then this is the place!…read more Boasting California's official mineral collection containing over 13,000 objects from California and around the world. While taking a tour you will find many gems, mineral specimens, crystalline gold, mining artifacts and a mine tunnel you may walk through. This collection has been in Mariposa since 1983. Prior to that, San Francisco was its home for over 100 years. We spent most of the morning & afternoon exploring this spectacular place. Very informative about each specimen and the history surrounding it. The two rangers hosting this site are full of information and colorful stories. A must see! My only caveat is they don't allow anyone to take photographs inside for security reasons. I sure would have loved a close up picture or two... No worries, I still had fun. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=588

We all really enjoyed it! I've never seen so many gorgeous minerals and rocks in one place! It's a…read morefairly quick trip but even my 7-year-old enjoyed it!

The Mariposa Museum and History Center is a gem of a place--and a great way to stave off the…read morepost-meal slumber after lunch at 1850! There is SO much information available, and it's stunningly coordinated and handpainted; an art installation on it's own. We learned so much about the local history and area, and it was neat to see it presented in a way that really brought the history to life. The staff were all very warm and welcoming. I would DEFINITELY come back because there's just no way to read everything in an hour. I highly recommend.

The Mariposa Museum & History Center was founded in 1957 and filled with exhibits featuring Native…read moreAmericans, Spanish settlements, the Gold Rush, Yosemite, and Mariposa history. I admired the cool artifacts outside. Inside were stories and more artifacts from the old days. Great place to learn about Mariposa's past.

Fresno Flats, Oakhurst: 2025 Dec 20 (5 of 5) Community…read moreHoliday Fair & Market In the little town of Oakhurst, where people are few but hearts are big, I noticed the folks here try and support each other in the little things they do. Today, a community holiday fair was held at Fresno Flats. I joined the lucky folks and did a walk-about. Holiday music fills the air on this gorgeous morning, while animals made their debut. I made friends with a couple of goats - actually, it was mama and her kid. As her kid nuzzled up to visitors and chewed on some treats, mama stood guard. I even managed to pet the kid and persuade it to eat out of my hand. Present were two food trucks. Chef Yuji and his lovely wife, Veronique are known to everyone in this little town. Their food truck emblazoned with Matsumoto Samurai's Kitchen parked in its usual spot, offering several Japanese delights to choose from. Their sushi is always fresh and delicious. The chefs take pride in what they serve. Of course, I couldn't walk away without getting my favourite. Poki Bowl: fresh tuna and salmon over sushi rice and two sides. I stopped by a stall manned by Stacy (she gave me permission to take her photo and post it on social media). Stacy said she makes all the natural products herself: soaps, candles, lip gloss, etc. The items looked clean and well packaged. I think they're perfect as stocking stuffers, or just a sweet gift to someone special. It looks like everyone there was having a lovely time: children dressed up and playing in the park, while adults chatted under the tent. There were folks in period costumes handing out candy canes, even Santa was on hand to 'ho-ho-ho' his way. Overall, this is a lovely place to spend a few hours.

Fresno Flats is a must‑see stop in Oakhurst for anyone wanting to understand the roots of the…read morecommunity. Donations are welcomed and help the dedicated docents continue sharing their knowledge and personal stories. We found it fascinating to learn how a logging community grew, lived, and thrived here for generations -- and how Native Americans and Chinese residents played essential roles in shaping the area's development.

This is a really cool place to spend the day with kids. The staff was very kind and helpful. They…read moreplayed a short film for us that explained how the fossils were found in the area. There are many fossils and replica of fossils. You guide yourself on a tour, they give you a booklet to use to guide yourself. Each station has information on the fossils, history,etc. There is an outdoor area with replicas of the homes of the native Yokuts tribe that was originally in the area. There is also an outdoor pond with plaques in front of each different plant that surrounds the pond. It was a really cool learning experience. You can pay a bit extra for fossil digging. There are 19 fossils to dig up, that can take about an hour. We spent about 3 hours there. They also have a cool little gifts shop area.

We've taken our dinosaur loving grandson there a couple of times and he is always delighted. They…read morecontinue to add sights and experiences as the exhibit grows and the excavation continues in the back 40. Go there and measure yourself next to the Wooly Mammoth and you'll be glad you didn't live when they roamed the Central Valley!

I had expected a little more than we found there. The basket displays are remarkable, the dispaly…read morethat allows visitors to feel is interesting. The hand-made costumes are beautiful, but not typical of the region. The best thing was the live display of a man mKing rope from the natural fibers found in the park. He explained to onlookers as he worked. The space is quite close with little room to move around.

This is such a quaint museum right in the valley! It features treasured items and sometimes special…read moreexhibits. We love spending time in the museum as it highlights Yosemite's past and promising future. On our last visit, we had the opportunity to view art by Chiura Obata as well as from local high school students. It was fantastic to see the gallery curated so perfectly. I do wish it was bigger but nevertheless a wonderful gem!

If you want to know the history about the Central Sierra, this is definitely the place to be! A lot…read moreof things to look at inside & out of the building. The staff is really knowledgeable about everything. An older gentleman with glasses(forgot his name)gave us a free tour and explained the history of everything that was there. Even after closing hours, he still gave us a tour outside on how the machinery works. Thank you! This place has no entry fee and runs off donations. We happily donated. I recommend people stopping by Shaver Lake to check this place out!

What an interesting and educational place to bring the whole family. We enjoyed our tour and was…read morevery surprised to learn about the local history. This is a wonderful place to bring young children.

The hours should probably be updated. Their sign says they struggle to find volunteers but they…read morehave been closed on Sundays when we have tried to visit. Please consider volunteering.

I accompanied my child on a class trip to the Coarsegold Museum. The volunteers did an awesome job…read morewith the classes that visited. Very informative and lots of artifacts to see.

Very nice Staff, the tour inside of Air Force ONE it was amazing…read more All the airplanes in very good conditions, my favorite Black Bird

It was pretty nostalgic coming here with my kids. I lived in Merced for a few years as a kid during…read morethe first Desert Storm War back when this was Castle Air Force Base and they were flying b-52 bombers over Merced everyday that would shake the windows of my house. We were driving up the 99 from Fresno to Manteca and I thought it would be a fun detour for my kids to see. They were pretty pumped to see the SR-71 Blackbird and one of the old old Air Force Ones. I wish there would have been more planes available on public display without having to pay to get into the museum since we were there after hours and couldn't see any of the other ones except for through a chain link fence. Still a pretty cool experience though and worth the short detour.

We had to stop by somewhere to print out something on our way to Yosemite, and this was a perfect…read morestop! 15 cents for a copy! When was the last time they put this price up? won't find that here in the Bay Area! Library was friendly and helpful who is a local moved up there 20 plus years ago. Of course we had to use the bathroom since it was available! It was nice and clean. What caught my eyes were all those quilts hanging on the wall. Per the librarian, the them of the quilts will change each season! All those were made by the locals. There's a meetup weekly for quilters there! The museum side was closed at the time we were there.

An old friend from the Midwest came to California and we had decided to road trip to Yosemite. We…read morehad been driving for a couple of hours and decided to stretch our legs for a bit. We had pulled into a park setting parking lot and noticed the Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum! Ooooh! Inside this building to the right is the town library as well. As we entered the door, we were greeted with a big smile! They welcomed us and made us feel right at home! This is a small museum. Don't let that fool you!! They have amazingly collected a very large amount of history and strategically organized it in a way to tell a story!! This is a great place to bond with your kids/nieces/nephews to share/teach history in a fun way!! Ooooh! Heck!!! It was fun to see things as an adult!! They have managed to collect old firearms, coins, clothing, pictures, dinnerware, cameras, stuffed bears, and much more. BTW, did I mention this little piece of history tour was FREE??? Yep! It's free!! There's a donation container on the counter. Donations help with the upkeep and more. They do not pressure you to donate. However, please donate! It's very worthy.