China Lake Museum Foundation

If I'm not mistaken they're getting ready to build a museum outside of the base, near the Maturango Museum, 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.

A unique aerospace museum because of the focus on missile creation. I've seen missiles at other museums, but they were poorly explained tubular rockets sitting next to much more visually interesting airplanes. Here, rocket propelled bombs get their day in the sun. Emphasis was placed on the history of the sidewinder missile that was developed and tested at China Lake. The collection included a Tomahawk (not a very politically correct name) missile and the first guided bomb which was so old, it used vacuum tubes. (Remembering how long it took for my dad's 1950s stereo to turn on, I wonder how long the tubes took to warm up at sub-freezing high altitudes.)Getting to the museum required patience. Not because it's in the middle of nowhere, but on a naval base, which requires security clearance to access. To the right of the main entrance on Business Route 395/Inyokern Road, stop at the China Lake Visitor Center to get passes before entering the security gate. Photo ID, proof of car insurance, and car registration is needed. With spotless records, we spent 45 minutes to get the security clearance and another 50 minutes at the museum.

Super tiny museum that doesn't offer any more than google does. The website says it's free but it's really $5 per person.

A museum that could benefit from a bit of updating. On the outside, there are several planes lined up in a field. The models mainly date to the 1950s and are not especially significant. For some planes, no plaque was even available for identification purposes. This would be even more a problem on the inside of the museum. There were a few rooms jam packed with replicas of many of the commonly used naval weapons. I saw Harpoons, Sidewinders, Tomahawks and so forth. The most interesting object may have been an atomic bomb case which was a curious selection given that it's the DOE that handles nuclear weapons and not the DOD. There were some nods to other aspects of weapons development other then finalized products. For instance, they had a wall dedicated to modeling and simulation, but it seemed woefully out of date and ultimately an aside. Similarly they had a wall depicting what laboratory space looked like in the 1960s. Why? It just seemed like a collection of junk from a bygone era. Almost nothing is signed and very little is explained. Photos are allowed though. Also, because the museum is located on a naval base, one needs to go through an elaborate process to gain entry if they are a mere civilian with no business on the base -- a process that is likely not worth the effort.

This museum is unique. I took a tour with some of the docents who volunteer there and learned many new things about rockets and missiles. This is the kind of museum that makes you think and appreciate being an American. This museum has what I think has been missing from American culture since I was a kid, a healthy reminder of what it takes to be a free nation and why we are a world leader: innovation and true dedication to the principles that protect our freedom (freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law). This museum reminded me that freedom does not come for free. Protecting our people, and our principles, requires power. I, for one, will not forget that sometimes, protecting our nation will require sanctioned force, we MUST put power behind our principles to protect them . This museum will bring this concept alive in your heart and mind. The museum was interesting and engaging. It felt like a religious experience when I put my hands of a real sidewinder and wrapped my arms around the Tomahawk missile. There was something else that was really cool, I got to meet a Presidential award winning physicist who was teaching a group of kids about rocket science! I want my kids to have that experience! Do you want to feel hope for our future? Come visit this museum!

This museum is one of a kind, because the work it represents in the "Secret City" China Lake since WWII is unique in the world. To quote a visitor from Ireland, "America spent a lot of money and did a lot of work to keep the free world free". Visitors almost all say it's an amazing museum, especially if you request a docent to give you a tour, one who most likely worked on developing the weapons you see which are launched from aircraft, submarines, ships, and ground vehicles. Kids interested in rocket science like it too, but more hand's-on exhibits would make it more interesting, so kids benefit from a guide who can explain things to them, which can be arranged by calling 760-939-3530. If you like the movie "Top Gun", that scratches the surface of what the China Lake Museum is about, and the history of our remote and fascinating desert. My grandkids always want to take another tour when they visit.

Stop by 03/31/23 during the trip from Los Angeles to Death Valley. Ridgecrest is right in the middle 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,lThe 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.

Excellent place to visit, highly recommend it. Watch the video in conference room, it tells a lot about the base. Customer service was very friendly.

This was a rip off. Going in I didnt realize the real museum was on the naval base. I paid $5 to look at a hallway. The gift shop which had some interesting stuff was 3 times as big as the "museum" but you still needed to pay to get in to see the gift shop. Plus they had a box for donations. Tacky. They mentioned the other part of the museum was still on the naval base and would eventually be brought there once they have the other building up. In the meantime they plan to set up a shuttle from their "museum" to the real museum on the naval base. They want to charge $10 for shuttling you literally down the street at the next traffic light. Unfortunately the base was closed when I went so I missed out on the real museum but it left a bad taste in my mouth and I wouldnt go back to either now.

I visited the China Lake Base museum in November 2015 with my family and we all loved the experience.In order to get into the museum you have to get a background check completed at the Pass and ID office. The process can take up to 2 hours. There may be a way to have the background completed before arriving in Ridgecrest.The museum opens at 10AM, and only request a $5 donation per person. The volunteers and staff that work at the museum are all super friendly and very knowledgeable. There is also a very nice gift shop in the museum.China Lake base is credited with creating the sidewinder air to air missile, which was a game changer for air combat.The museum is filled with a vast assortment of different types of missiles and the history behind the creation. They also have many videos of the throughout the museum tour.Lots of great photo ops.I really liked the museum and the staff, and feel it's worth the wait and trouble for clearance to go to the museum.