List of museums in the Inland Empire

The Inland Empire metropolitan area and region of Southern California, which sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, covers more than 27,000 square miles (70,000 km²). The metropolitan area consists of Riverside County and San Bernardino County and is home to over 4 million people. The Inland Empire contains many museums, which defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. It also has non-profit and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included in this list.

Museums

Name	Image	Town/City	County	Type	Summary
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Museum		Fort Irwin	San Bernardino	Military	website, history of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, located at the Fort Irwin National Training Center
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum		Palm Springs	Riverside	Native American	History and culture of the Agua Caliente and other indigenous peoples
Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery		Agua Mansa	San Bernardino	History	Branch museum of the San Bernardino County Museum, historic cemetery of the pioneer ghost town and museum
Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum		Twentynine Palms	San Bernardino	Commodity	Historic hair and beauty care artifacts[1][2]
Big Bear Discovery Center		Fawnskin	San Bernardino	Natural history	Co-managed by the Southern California Mountains Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service, natural history of the San Bernardino National Forest
Big Bear History Museum		Big Bear City	San Bernardino	Local history	website, operated by the Big Bear Valley Historical Society
Cabazon Dinosaurs		Cabazon	Riverside	Religious	Dinosaur sculptures and Creationist museum
Cabot's Pueblo Museum		Desert Hot Springs	Riverside	Historic house	Hopi-style pueblo house with 35 rooms, 150 windows and 65 doors
Calico Early Man Site		Barstow	San Bernardino	Archaeology	Excavations of a Pleistocene stone tool workshop and quarry sites
Calico Ghost Town		Calico	San Bernardino	Open air	Ghost silver mining town park with Lane House & Museum of local & mining history, one-room school, blacksmith shop, several original structures
California Citrus State Historic Park		Riverside	Riverside	Industry	Visitor center includes a museum that presents the origins of citrus, how it arrived in the Americas, and the commercial development of the Bahia Naval orange in Riverside.[3]
California Route 66 Museum		Victorville	San Bernardino	History	Route 66 and automotive history, cultural and economic impacts
Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties		Riverside	Riverside	Society	website, operated by the Riverside Community College District, works of Miné Okubo, themes of civil rights and social justice in the context of 20th-century Riverside
Chaffey Community Museum of Art		Ontario	San Bernardino	Art	website, operated by the Chaffey Community Art Association
Chaffey-Garcia House/Museum		Rancho Cucamonga	San Bernardino	Historic house	website, operate by the Etiwanda Historical Society
Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert		Rancho Mirage	Riverside	Children's	website
Chino Youth Museum		Chino	San Bernardino	Children's	website
Coachella Valley History Museum		Indio	Riverside	Open air	website, local culture and history, operated by the Coachella Valley Historical Society, includes the 1926 adobe Smiley-Tyler House with local history exhibits, the 1909 Indio Schoolhouse and the Date Museum. a blacksmith's shop, pioneer farming implements, specialty gardens
Colton Area Museum		Colton	San Bernardino	Local history
Cooper Museum		Upland	San Bernardino	Local history	website
Corona Heritage Park & Museum		Corona	Riverside	Multiple	website, local history, art and culture
Daggett Museum		Daggett	San Bernardino	Local history	website, includes early American collectibles, railroad china, Navajo Indian code-talkers from WWII, barbed wire, lapidary work [4]
Desert Discovery Center		Barstow	San Bernardino	Natural history
Edward-Dean Museum & Gardens		Cherry Valley	Riverside	Decorative arts	website, features late 16th to early 19th century European & Asian decorative arts
Entomology Research Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Natural history	Insect collection of the Department of Entomology of the University of California, Riverside, not open to the public
Estudillo Mansion		San Jacinto	Riverside	Historic house	website, late 19th-century home of city's first postmaster and second mayor, operated by the City
Fingerprints Youth Museum		Hemet	Riverside	Children's	website, formerly KidZone Youth Museum
Fontana Historical Society Museum		Fontana	San Bernardino	Local history	website
General Patton Memorial Museum		Chiriaco Summit	Riverside	Military	Honors veterans, includes military equipment, uniforms, weapons, medals, artifacts, tanks, memorabilia from Patton's life and career
Gilman Historic Ranch and Wagon Museum		Banning	Riverside	Local history	Operated by Riverside County Parks, late 19th-century homestead ranch house, museum with a collection of authentic wagons and saddles
Goffs Schoolhouse		Goffs	San Bernardino	Local history	Restored one-room schoolhouse with displays of local history, operated by the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association
Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex		Barstow	San Bernardino	Science	Tours and museum about the radio telescope and astronomy
Hemet Museum		Hemet	Riverside	Local history	website
Heritage House		Riverside	Riverside	Historic house	website, 1891 Victorian house museum, operated by the Riverside Metropolitan Museum
Harada House		Riverside	Riverside	Historic house	A National Historic Landmark recognizing one of the most significant civil rights cases in California, operated by the Riverside Metropolitan Museum. As of February 2015, not yet open to the public.
Hi-Desert Nature Museum		Yucca Valley	San Bernardino	Multiple	website, artistic, natural and cultural history of the area's deserts
Historical Glass Museum		Redlands	San Bernardino	Glass	website, operated by the Historical Glass Museum Foundation, examples of American glass
Idyllwild Area Historical Society Museum		Idyllwild	Riverside	Local history	website, history of the San Jacinto Mountain communities of Idyllwild, Garner Valley, Mountain Center, Pine Cove, and Pinewood
Inland Empire Military Museum		San Bernardino	San Bernardino	Military	WWII, Korea and Vietnam military memorabilia, owned by Juan Pollo Restaurant chain, located next door to the first McDonald's Restaurant[5][6]
International Banana Museum		Mecca	Riverside	Commodity	website, over 20,000 banana related items, formerly located in Altadena, then Hesperia[7]
Jensen Alvarado Ranch		Rubidoux	Riverside	Living	1880s period living history ranch
John Rains House		Cucamonga	San Bernardino	Historic house	Also known as Cucamonga Rancho,mid 19th-century house, branch museum of the San Bernardino County Museum
Joshua Tree National Park				Natural history	Three visitor centers and the Black Rock Nature Center contain exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the area
Jude E. Poynter Golf Museum		Palm Desert	Riverside	Sports	[8]
Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center		Riverside	Riverside	Natural history	website, a family-oriented non-profit earth science educational facility, located outside of Riverside city limits, features Ruth and Sam Kirkby Earth Science Museum
Kelso Depot		Kelso	San Bernardino	Local history	Railroads, local history, visitor center for the Mojave National Preserve
Keys Desert Queen Ranch			San Bernardino	Historic house	Historic ranch buildings located in Joshua Tree National Park
Kimberly Crest		Redlands	San Bernardino	Historic house	French château-style Victorian mansion
La Quinta Museum		La Quinta	Riverside	Local history	website, features local and traveling exhibits of art, history and culture
Lincoln Memorial Shrine		Redlands	San Bernardino	Biographical	website shrine and museum about President Abraham Lincoln, special collections division of A. K. Smiley Public Library
McCallum Adobe-Cornelia White House Museum		Palm Springs	Riverside	Historic house	Operated by the Palm Springs Historical Society, two adjoining late 19th century houses
Malki Museum		Banning	Riverside	Native American	website, traditions and history of the Cahuilla Indians and other southern California Indian tribes
March Field Air Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Aviation	Adjacent to March Joint Air Reserve Base, historic military and civilian aircraft
Mission Inn Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Historic site	Cultural heritage of the Mission Inn
Mojave River Valley Museum		Barstow	San Bernardino	Local history	website, history, culture and natural history of the Mojave River Valley
Mountain History Museum		Lake Arrowhead	San Bernardino	Local history	website, operated by the Rim of the World Historical Society
Mousley Museum of Yucaipa History		Yucaipa	San Bernardino	Local history	website, operated by the Yucaipa Valley Historical Society
Museum of History & Art, Ontario		Ontario	San Bernardino	Multiple	website, history, art, and cultural traditions of the greater Ontario area
Needles Regional Museum		Needles	San Bernardino	Local history	[9]
Oak Glen School House Museum		Yucaipa	San Bernardino	Local history	website, historic schoolhouse
Old Fire Station Museum		Yucaipa	San Bernardino	Firefighting	website, operated by the Yucaipa Valley Historical Society, US Forest Service artifacts from 1936 to 1980
Old Guest House Museum		Trona	San Bernardino	Open air	website, operated by the Searles Valley Historical Society, includes exhibits on local mining activities, Native Americans
Old Schoolhouse Museum		Twentynine Palms	San Bernardino	Local history	website, operated by the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, displays on Indians, miners, cowboys and homesteaders, historic school displays
Orange Empire Railway Museum		Perris	Riverside	Railroad	Heritage railroad and museum about Southern California's railroad history
Original McDonald's Restaurant Museum		San Bernardino	San Bernardino	Food	Site of the first McDonald’s that was open in 1940, memorabilia and history of McDonald's and Juan Pollo restaurants, Route 66 memorabilia[10][11][12]
P-38 Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Aviation	website, history and memorabilia of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning in World War II, housed on the grounds of the March Air Museum
Palm Springs Air Museum		Palm Springs	Riverside	Aviation	Specializes in World War II aircraft and aviation history
Palm Springs Art Museum		Palm Springs	Riverside	Art	Modern and Contemporary American art, natural history
Palo Verde Valley Historical Museum		Blythe	Riverside	Local History	History of Blythe, the Palo Verde Valley, and surrounding areas[13]
Pennypickle's Workshop		Temecula	Riverside	Children's	website, also known as Temecula Children's Museum
Perris Valley Historical Museum		Perris	Riverside	Local history	Located in the historic Perris Depot
Planes of Fame Air Museum		Chino	San Bernardino	Aviation
Redlands Historical Museum		Redlands	San Bernardino	Local history	website, planned museum operated by the Redlands Historical Museum Association
Rialto Historical Society Museum		Rialto	San Bernardino	Local history	website, displays include a turn of the century home, a citrus exhibit and packing house office, military display, an early 20th century doctor's office, located in the former church school building next door to the former First Christian Church of Rialto
Riverside Art Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Art	Over 20 exhibitions a year of traditional and contemporary art
Riverside International Automotive Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Automotive	Displays include California auto racing history, Dan Gurney, and the largest collection of Mazerati road cars in the United States.[14]
Riverside Metropolitan Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Multiple	Natural history and Native American culture
Riverside Sport Hall of Fame		Riverside	Riverside	Sports	website, an outdoor display in Newman Park recognizing sporting achievements of Riverside citizens
Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA)		San Bernardino	San Bernardino	Art	Part of California State University, San Bernardino, collections include Ancient Egyptian artifacts, world ceramics and contemporary art
Route 66 "Mother Road" Museum		Barstow	San Bernardino	Transportation	website, automobile and Route 66 memorabilia
Ruddy's General Store Museum		Palm Springs	Riverside	History	website, 1930s period general store with original fixtures and contents
Salton Sea History Museum		Mecca	Riverside	Local history
Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts		Alta Loma	San Bernardino	Multiple	website, includes crafts gallery and historic home and gardens of Sam Maloof
San Bernardino County Museum		Redlands	San Bernardino	Multiple	website, cultural and natural history, operates many branch museums
San Bernardino de Sena Estancia		Redlands	San Bernardino	Historic house	Restored ranch outpost of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, including a chapel, branch museum of the San Bernardino County Museum; also known as San Bernardino de Sena Estancia
San Jacinto Museum		San Jacinto	Riverside	Local history	website, natural and human history of San Jacinto and surrounding areas
Sears Valley History House		Trona	San Bernardino	Historic house	website, operated by the Searles Valley Historical Society, furnished to appear as in the 1920s when it was occupied by one of the early managers of the Trona Plant
Sherman Indian Museum		Riverside	Riverside	Native American	History of the boarding high school for Native American students, culture
Shryock Museum of Embryology		Loma Linda	San Bernardino	Medical	website, part of Loma Linda University School of Medicine, teaching collection of anatomy models and fetuses
Stahl Center & Museum of Culture		Riverside	Riverside	Anthropology	website, part of La Sierra University, located on the second level of La Sierra Hall,
Sunnylands		Rancho Mirage	Riverside	Historic house	Winter retreat mansion of Walter and Leonore Annenberg
Temecula Valley Museum		Temecula	Riverside	Local history	website
UCR ARTSblock		Riverside	Riverside	Art	website, part of the University of California, Riverside, an interactive art facility housed in the renovated Rouse Building, an 1895 department store, includes the California Museum of Photography, Sweeney Art Gallery, and Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts
Victorian Bridal Museum		San Jacinto	Riverside	Textile	website, Victorian-era wedding dresses and accessories
Victor Valley Museum		Apple Valley	San Bernardino	Local history	website, branch museum of the San Bernardino County Museum
Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts		Palm Desert	Riverside	Art	website, part of College of the Desert, includes 3 galleries
Western America Railroad Museum		Barstow	San Bernardino	Railroad
Western Science Center		Hemet	Riverside	Natural history	Native American artifacts, Ice Age fossils, archaeology, paleontology
Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art		Rancho Cucamonga	San Bernardino	Art	website, part of Chaffey College
World Museum of Natural History		Riverside	Riverside	Natural history	website, part of La Sierra University, animal mounts, gems and minerals, meteorites and tektites, petrified wood, shells, American Indian artifacts, and contemplative stones (Suiseki)
Ya'i Heki' Regional Indian Museum		Perris	Riverside	Native American	Located in Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Yanks Air Museum		Chino	San Bernardino	Aviation	Collection of American aircraft including World War II fighters, dive and torpedo bombers
Yorba-Slaughter Adobe		Chino	San Bernardino	Historic house	Branch museum of the San Bernardino County Museum, includes post office/general store with an exhibit of agriculture and animal husbandry
Yucaipa Adobe		Yucaipa	San Bernardino	Historic house	website, branch museum of the San Bernardino County Museum

Defunct museums

• A Special Place Children's Museum, San Bernardino^[15]
• Heartland, California Museum of the Heart, Rancho Mirage^[16]
• Southern California Medical Museum, Riverside, moved to Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona in 2015^[17]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Riverside County, California
• National Register of Historic Places listings in San Bernardino County, California

References

1. "Facebook site". Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
2. "Twentynine Palms, California: Beauty Bubble Hair and Beauty Museum and Salon". Roadside America. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
3. California State Parks, Accessible Features, California Citrus State Historic Park
4. "Daggett Museum". Visit Greater Palm Springs. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
5. "Military Museum - Route 66 - San Bernardino, California, USA". Waymarking. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
6. "Inland Empire Military Museum". Riverside Arts Council. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
7. "International Banana Club Museum". International Banana Club. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
8. "Palm Springs Points of Interest". Palm Springs.com. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
9. "Points of Interest". Needles Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
10. "San Bernardino, California: Original McDonald's Site, Museum". Roadside America. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
11. "The Original McDonald's: A Museum in San Bernardino". California Through My Lens. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
12. "Original McDonald's Site". Yelp. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
13. "Palo Verde Valley Historical Museum". Museums USA. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
14. Begley, Doug. Maserati Makes His Day. The Press Enterprise, September 4th 2009, Section D.
15. "A Special Place Children's Hands-On Museum - Closed". Yelp. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
16. "Heartland, The California Museum of the Heart - CLOSED". Museums USA. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
17. "Welcome". Southern California Medical Museum. Retrieved 5 February 2015.

External links

• California State Association of Counties (CSAC)