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.

An outdoor collection of historic buildings. Painstakingly moved, restored from their original…read morelocations by Glen Gordo, Ed Whittemore (his assistant) and a crew of workmen. We spent the better part of our afternoon leisurely strolling along whilst admiring the craftsmanship and history embedded in each structure. Even though it was not possible to go inside any of the cabins or structures, there was still plenty to view and appreciate. You can expect to see the following: Wawona covered bridge, various large metal equipment items used in this time period, covered carriage house, horse barns, horse corrals, Chris Jorgensen Studio, George Anderson Cabin, Tom Hodgdon Cabin, Yosemite transportation Company office (Wells Fargo), Bridget Degnan's Bakery, Acting Superintendent's Office, Powder House (Jail), Blacksmith Shop, Cavalry Office and Ranger patrol cabin. You can find some of these sites listed on The National Register of Historic Places. http://www.undiscovered-yosemite.com/yosemite-pioneer-history.html

Very cool museum!!! They have a lot of buildings with descriptions about who was involved in the…read moreconstruction and use of them. They also have carriages, and a very awesome bridge. On the day we visited they also had horses at the stable (about 20!!!) and we got to see them being fed (they were very friendly). Sadly, notes posted on the building stated that they were closed because of incidents of people stealing the stuff that was inside. So none of the buildings could be entered. You should also visit the Chinese Laundry Building (located down the road from the rest of the historical buildings) where you can learn about the contribution of Chinese immigrants in the development of the area. I definitely learned a lot through the exhibits!! Definitely check this place out if you're heading into (or exiting) Yosemite on the Interstate 41 route!!

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!

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.

Visited 7/9/26. It's a cool museum with tons of history and relics in a beautiful setting. I…read morelearned so much! The guide manning the museum was very knowledgeable and eager to share interesting facts and stories. Definitely recommend!

Cute little museum located on a scenic riverside patch of grass. I'm not sure I'd go super far out…read moreof my way to come here, but was a nice little stop.

Nice place to walk around and learn more about the area. It's free and the staff is very friendly…read more There is also a nice large park adjacent to the property for kids with swings and play structures. You can look across the street and see Mono Lake too. There are two electric car charging stations there as well. We charged our Tesla there. Slow but better than nothing.

Interesting little museum! Worth the stop especially if you've visited Bodie state park. There are…read morephotos and artifacts from its once bustling days. Ken, the museum volunteer, is awesome. He played a little sample of a very old record on the historic Edison record player! He's so cool, you too visit him.. and the museum!

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.

Small museum (3 rooms), charming and quaint history of the region 1800-1900s + Native American…read moreartifacts.

Bridgeport has a really interesting history and as you spend time here you get the sense that this…read moretown hasn't really grown much or changed all THAT much in its history. A lot of the land was bought up by other counties or is BLM/NF land and or rangeland. What is there, the people here want to conserve and talk about. This museum had more than I thought it would and if you like history, especially CA history than it's worth a stop in this sleepy little town. The curators are super kind and lovely to talk with. We played tennis at the park, and walked around town too. A fun and laid back stop on our vacation. I recommend!

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.