Humboldt County is fortunate to have so many fine museums. Many offer interactive displays to engage children and docents to help bring our history alive. Natural history, nautical history, Native American history, and more await at area museums.
Arcata
Philips House Museum
7th and Union, Philips House ~ 822-4722
Open Sundays 1-4 p.m., school and other tours by appointment. One of the first houses built in Arcata.1930s kitchen, period furniture. Featuring annual live blacksmith, pack mule and spinner with sheep demonstrations.
Arcata Railroad Museum
Jacoby Storehouse, Arcata Plaza
Open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-9p.m., Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Located on the plaza level of the Jacoby Storehouse. The museum preserves the memory of days when Arcata was supplied by rail and port. Train memorabilia items available for purchase.
HSU Natural History Museum
1315 G Street, Arcata ~ 826-4479
The museum features a collection of over 2000 fossils from around the world spanning 1.3 billion years. Exhibits highlight local natural history. There is a living observation beehive, a 50-gallon saltwater local tidepool life tank, and a display of live native animals. There are three computers for viewing nature CD-ROMS and slide shows. The museum also offers interactive displays including a paleontology dig box.
Blue Lake
Blue Lake Museum
330 Railroad Ave. ~ 668-4188
Open Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 1-4 p.m. Closed during Winter, but tours available by appointment. Local Arcata and Mad River Railroad History. Native American baskets, logging tools and more.
Eureka
Blue Ox Millworks
#1 X St., Eureka ~ 444-3437
Open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. -5p.m. . A full production working museum of Victorian-era machinery. Self-guided tours of Victorian sawmill, production molding plant, and logging displays.
Clarke Memorial Museum
3rd and E St., Eureka ~ 443-1947
Open Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Local history museum which houses fine collections of textiles, antique firearms, Victoriana, and a world-class collection of Native American baskets and regalia. Occasional workshops, school tours by appointment. Admission is free.
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park and Logging Museum
3431 Fort Ave., Eureka ~ 445-6567
Open Daily, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Logging museum houses artifacts and equipment. The museum features Native American baskets and handicrafts, military equipment, uniform and saber, cannon and model of fort.
Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum
423 First St., Eureka ~ 444-9440
Open daily noon-4. Northcoast maritime artifacts, pictures and memorabilia. Models, lighthouse lens, foghorns, and more. Volunteer teen docent program and docent-led tours.
Humboldt County Historical Society
703 8th St., Eureka ~ 445-4342
Open Tues., Wed., Fri., noon-4 p.m., Thurs., 4-8 p.m. Research library and archive. Great for researching family and local history.
Morris Graves Museum Of Art
636 F Street, Eureka ~ 442-0278
Seven premier exhibition galleries, a performance rotunda for music, dance and the literary arts, young artists academy and an arts resource housed in a restored architectural landmark. Open Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sun. noon – 5 p.m., Sat. noon – 8 p.m. Call for information about current exhibits, events and performances. The museum also houses the permanent collection of the Humboldt Arts Council. Youth Gallery – Gallery features rotating art exhibits geared to youth and shows by local youth. New exhibits every six weeks and many with accompanying hands-on art activities. Open Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sun. noon – 5 p.m., Sat. noon – 8 p.m.
Redwood Discovery Museum
3rd and F Streets, Eureka ~ 443-9694
[email protected]
Grand Opening in March. Interactive education exhibits focus on science, culture, art and technology. Daily planetarium shows change to present the most recent information about our galaxy and solar system. The museum’s main focus is “Life on the Northcoast.” Permanent exhibits are grouped thematically and include Exploration Cycle, Life Cycle Work Cycle. Temporary exhibits change quarterly and address health education, simple machinery, construction, weather and more.
Open Wednesday – Sunday, noon – 5 p.m. Group tours and field trips can be arranged for a morning visit. Contact the office to schedule.
Ferndale
Ferndale Museum
Shaw and 3rd St. ~ 786-4466
Open Wednesday -Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4p.m.; Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m., Tuesday 11 a.m. – 4p.m. June through September only. Local history and artifacts. Victorian era displays change annually. Farm equipment, seismograph, dairy and logging equipment. Interactive displays include a working switchboard, crank telephones, and player piano. Docent led school tours available by appointment.
Kinetic Sculpture Race Museum
580 Main St., Ferndale ~ Open daily 9-5.
Human-powered, all-terrain floating kinetic sculptures from past races on display in this unmanned museum. Workshop open to public. Group tours available by appointment.
Fortuna
Chapman’s Gem and Mineral Museum
Hwy 101, South of Fortuna ~ 725-4732
Open May-Sept., Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m., Closed Sun., Mon., October-April. Gem and mineral museum features petrified palm collection, precious stones, Indian and pre-Columbian artifacts, fossilized animal and plant life. Informal museum tours. Gem and mineral gift shop next to museum.
Fortuna Depot Museum
4 Park St. ~ 725-7645
Open Thurs.-Sun., 12-4:30 during winter, open 7 days a week in the summer. 1893 train depot in Rohner Park houses intriguing memorabilia from railroad, farm and war eras, keeping alive the history of Fortuna and the Eel River Valley.
Hoopa
Hupa Tribal Museum
Tswenaldin Shopping Center
Hwy. 96, Hoopa ~ 530-625-4110
Open year-round Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-
5 p.m., closed from noon – 1 p.m., in the summer also open Sat. 10-4 p.m. The Hoopa Tribal Museum contains an extensive collection of Hoopa, Karuk and Yurok artifacts, including baskets, necklaces and ceremonial items. Guided tours include visits to authentic dwellings, dance grounds, village sites and other landmarks. Nominal fee charged, special interests accommodated.
Orick
Stone Lagoon Schoolhouse Museum
Redwood Trails, Hwy 101, Orick ~ 488-2061
Open noon – 7p.m. 7 days a week Memorial Day – Labor Day. Native American artifacts, local history. Classrooms tours available all year by appointment.
Orleans
Orleans Mining Co. Museum
Hwy. 96, Orleans ~ 530-627-3213
Open Mon.-Sun., 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Antiques, memorabilia of the region.
Samoa
Samoa Cookhouse Museum
Samoa, across bridge from Eureka ~ 442-1659
www.humboldtdining.com/cookhouse
Open daily 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., 5-9 p.m. Museum is located in Samoa Cookhouse restaurant and features displays of culinary items and historical mementos from the early years of lumber and logging industries.
Scotia
Redwood Logging Museum
Main Street, Scotia ~ 764-4247
Displays of historic logging photos, steam donkey, old locomotive. Open during the summer months from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Trinidad
Sumeg Village Heritage Attraction
Also see listing under State Parks.
Patrick’s Point State Park
4150 Patrick’s Point Dr., Trinidad ~ 677-3570
Open all year, sunrise to sunset. Day-use fee $2/vehicle. Reconstructed Yurok village with dwellings and sweatlodge. Sumeg Village Days celebration held each July. Village tours, interpretive walks, Junior Ranger programs offered daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day or by special arrangement with park.
Telonicher Marine Research Laboratory
HSU Marine Science Program
Edwards & Ewing streets, Trinidad ~ 826-3671
Open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. -5 p.m. all year, 10 a.m. -5 p.m. weekends when HSU is in session. Free admission, donations accepted. Kids can handle anemones, starfish and sea urchins in the “touch tank.” There are also informational displays, aquaria with local fish, a lighted 3-D map of the ocean floor, slide shows and presentations as part of the guided “behind-the-scenes” tours for school groups. Please call for groups larger than 10.
Trinidad Museum
529 B Trinity St. ~ 677-3883
Open Fri., Sat. & Sun. from 12-3 p.m. during the summer season. Exhibits display the natural history of the area, and include Yurok baskets, seashell and insect collections, historic photographs and a native plant garden. Special tours by appointment.
Willow Creek
Willow Creek China Flat Museum
Hwy. 299 ~ 530-629-2693 or 629-2551
Open weekends (Fri., Sat., Sun.) and holidays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The museum features gold mining, logging and farming exhibits, Native American attire, basketry and jewelry, and a Bigfoot display. Check out our Bigfoot collection, which includes many footprint casts. Wildflower Show each spring. In 2000, the museum took the first steps toward a resident working blacksmith shop. Admission is free (donations accepted).