Though this site gives some amazing history about the pinnacles I would not have known otherwise,…read morethe road to get here is very long, very rocky and in some places questionable if I should cross them. It was extremely hot even though it's April. I didn't walk around as the temps too high. The highlights - you cross over where the salt has dried from the lake ( wash your car as soon as you can as salt bad for it!), the beautiful scenery of the pinnacles (obviously) but the mountains behind them, the history lesson, the train cars sitting on the tracks was kinda fun and interesting and best of all the Navy flying planes doing test runs. Loved that. So hard to believe so much of this was under water and that where these were created. It's other worldly with how alive our planet is and constantly changing. It's free to come here but be warned about deep sand, very rocky roads and the heat. Bring water and have plenty of gas in the tank. There's nothing around for quite a ways.

Out of this world! Free admission but make sure the roads are in good shape. I drove out in an SUV…read moreand some parts of the road were a little sketchy. Once you arrive at the Pinnacles, you can hike up really close to see them first-hand. The pinnacles were created out of tufa ("porous rock formed as a deposit when springs interact with other bodies of water" per Wikipedia), when the area was under a lake. If you visit in spring, you'll see some wildflowers as well. Very interesting spot and worth a stop on your way to Death Valley. Highly recommended!

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.

We had so much fun stopping here! After years of driving full-steam ahead to Mammoth for skiing, we…read moretook a slow day to stop in during a summer trip. It's a historic mining museum, built from a former speakeasy. Danny is sooooo nice! He explained about the area and talked about his prospecting. He's a true miner! The memorabilia is incredible! Lots of wanted posters. Butch Cassidy, for example. Lots of mining articles, posters, vintage equipment, etc. I've rarely seen a business owner so proud of their business. Danny LOVES what he does. I imagine he could tell great stories all day long! He also gives out cold drinks-- perfect for a hot day. Cactus Cooler! My favorite! It's a $5 donation, but he's not totally firm (sssshhhhh). We had $8 and he was gracious. So, next time you are taking 395, stop in. Relax. Enjoy the step back in time.

Creepy vibes. Not really open. Wouldn't let us just look around. Wanted us to buy stuff. Gave a…read moreJesus pamphlet.

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.

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/

This is a non profit museum. They have trains on the outside you can view 24/7. They are located in…read morean old Harvey House, next to a working train yard. Inside they have a variety of things relating to BNSF railways, along with a small gift shop. Manager Noah, is friendly & knowledgeable.

On a Sunday morning in November, this is where Huell Howser taped an episode on train depot. We…read moretook the bridge from Del Taco and recognize the train depot museum. We got there too early but able to look at different trains parked outside. So much history in this little town. This place is great for train enthusiasts and children.

A 5 star stop for sure!!! What an incredible collection of history. From all ages of Tehachapi…read more Stones and arrowheads to modern horse carts. Doctors accessories, and pieces of historic value from the towns growth. Flash back to an early civilization and see how we were grown. I am in love with the deep history this location boasts. So we'll displayed. Very clean and cool inside, super friendly folks here filled with information. Hit the cool gift shop corner on your way out. There is even a really neat salt and pepper display. There is so much rich history to see here! I highly recommend you pop in ON A WEEKEND and see. They are not open midweek.

Had a lovely time at the museum, even though I am not from tehachapi. Just visiting the museum was…read moreinteresting so educational for people who like history.

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.

Wow! What a gem of a museum! I highly recommend visiting this museum if you are near the Lake…read moreIsabella or Kernville area. The admission was free, but PLEASE consider making donations to help employ and maintain upkeep at the museum. This place has such a rich history of artifacts, including a woolly mammoth tooth to a 1900 stock certificate for gold, a display of all the movies ever made in the area and tons of items from the Oregon Trail. Super interesting for kids and adults. I'll definitely be returning for another visit on my next trip to Lake Isabella.

Best small town museum we've been to. Great maps, exhibits, etc. Who knew that John Wayne's…read moreStagecoach was filmed here? History of the lake and how they had to move two towns (Isabella and Kernville) to make room for the water. Ask for Kit to show you around, she is a bundle of energy and very enthusiastic about Kernville.