For an overview of California history and culture—from its rich Native American heritage to its A-list superstars—visit the California Museum, located just one block from the State Capitol in Sacramento.
One of the biggest draws here is undoubtedly the California Hall of Fame, a program jointly established by the museum and former First Lady Maria Shriver in 2006. It honors Golden State trailblazers who have made their mark on history, and features an annually updated artifact exhibition showcasing items on loan from the personal collections of the most recent class of inductees. Past inductees include celebrated stars (Barbra Streisand, Francis Ford Coppola, Linda Ronstadt), activists (Dolores Huerta, Harvey Milk), authors (John Muir, Joan Didion), sports legends (Billie Jean King, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Serena Williams), visionaries (Walt Disney, Steve Jobs), architects (Julia Morgan, Frank Gehry), and over 150 other remarkable individuals.
Ten other signature exhibitions feature immersive, technology-driven experiences emphasizing women, underrepresented people, and chapters of history often left out of traditional museum narratives. View rare artifacts from missions across the state, discover the stories of change-making Golden State women from the 1700s to the present, and learn about the overlooked but significant contributions of Chinese Californians from the Gold Rush to the present. Visitors can even interact with an AI-based display and hold virtual conversations with three survivors of the Japanese American incarceration in the museum’s Uprooted: An American Story exhibition.
The California Museum also houses multiple short-term exhibits each year.
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.