The Best Museums in Riverside

Chino Youth Museum

★★★★☆ 4.3 (124)

"We really enjoyed the small but adventurous space. Everything was clean, and perfect for my 2.5 yo. The staff was really nice, and it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon!"

Corona Heritage Park and Museum

★★★★☆ 3.5 (26)

"Corona has struggled to honor what is left of the historical homes and businesses that were at the core of a great little Sunkist-influenced town since it was founded in 1886. The city was designed around "The Circle", aka Grand Blvd. (a once famous, one mile raceway in 1913, 1914 and 1916). For me, as an owner of one of the historical homes that sits on that circle, it is difficult to understand what motivated the city decision makers to tear down and replace. It has completely lost it's old town character and is now a mish-mash of incongruities.But now, I need to get off my soapbox and gratefully thank the faithful residents who see it my way and unselfishly volunteered their time to memorialize this little town by saving some of the old Foothill Farms buildings and turning them into a small park and museum south of town. And that recognition extends to our small but mighty Historical Society that saved many historical homes from being torn down in the name of progress, by finding people willing to purchase and move them to new lots. They have saved and stored in boxes the entire turn-of-the-century Victoria Hotel that was scheduled for destruction in favor of a B of A parking lot that now graces that spot. Lacking money to rebuild, it's parts still sit quietly waiting for the millions of $$$ needed in funds. Sad but inspirational.The museum is small, with antiquities, pictures, period clothing, all lovingly donated by Corona families. There is a small gift shop, and an antique shop next door. The classes that Dennis Y speaks of, are an added bonus that draws our community together.It is a welcoming spot with a warm feeling. Mature trees, nostalgic gardens, inviting structures, a model railroad, a quiet place to see and appreciate how much life has changed in the past 100 years. Please come and visit."

Perris Valley Historical & Museum Association

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"We stopped by this museum while camping in the Lake Perris campgrounds. The guides were friendly from the start and offered to show us a historical documentary movie about the Native Americans that used to occupy the area. Afterwards, one of the guides led us to an area to create a game for the child in our group. She also chimed in about the exhibits and offered her knowledge, which we soaked up like sponges. She was great and answered all of our questions. This is a great place to stop by if you're in the area and wanting to learn about the history of the area."

Mission Inn Museum

★★★★☆ 3.9 (48)

"After our stay at the Mission Inn, we made sure to check out this museum for souvenirs. It's free to enter and there are some old artifacts and many interesting pictures. It doesn't take long to check out this place. There's a neat looking model of the Mission Inn that you should check out as well.Thankfully, they had a magnet that I wanted to purchase. BTW, this is also the place where you can purchase tickets for the tour of the Mission Inn. You also meet here for the tour."

Motte Historical Museum

★★★★★ 4.8 (32)

"The Motte Historical Museum of classic automobiles is a must see for any motor enthusias,car fan,historical fan as well as familys, couples,and so cal visitors and travelers!The museum,located in the historical Southern California community of Menifee,features a terrific collection of classic automobiles!The Motte Historical Museum was the dream of the Motte Brothers for the community as well as car fans alike.Open Wed-Sundays,the staff is a terrific group of knowlegdeable historical car enthusiasts! The friendly team offers great information for all its visitors!Be sure bring your camera,mobile,or pad fully charged because the Motte lets you capture all the pictures you like-lots of Instagram and selfie postables here!The museum is also available for special events,receptions,weddings and business events.Plenty of free parking and I-215 freeway close you'll have a great time at The Motte Historical Museum!....#motte #mottehistoricalmuseum #seetheusa #menifee #menifeecalifornia #classiccars #carcollections #seetheusa #ilovecars #greatoldcars #museums #360photography #waynesalvatti #carphotography #automuseums #california #cars #ricohpentax #instagram #selfies #photografxworldwide #mobilephone #social #family #placestosee #socal"

San Gabriel Mission Outpost

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"Redlands, CaliforniaAlso known as the San Bernardino Asistencia or an extension of Mission San Gabriel Arcangel in Los Angeles County. This old ranch is just in ruins. There are connecting buildings that is a private business along with a small fort to details some of the outpost items. The outpost and the old ruins is a sight to see for those who appreciate these things,Access/Roads: APaved on Barton. A busy street in Redlands near Loma Linda Hospital.Parking: APlenty with a private lot.Distance: AAbout 60 miles east of Los Angeles.Costs: AFreeOther sites in Redlands:-Lincoln Memorial Shrine-Historical Glass Museum-Kimberley Crest House (Castle) and Gardens-Edwards MansionDo not go out of your way for this site alone."

Ya'i Heki' Regional Indian Museum

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"Interesting native american museum.Different and not as commercialized as the typical Cali Indian museums. Has a gift store and exhibits based mostly on pop cultural views of the natives and breaking the indian stigmas and stereotypes like do natives pay federal income tax? (answr is yes). This spot has a beautiful view. The pic uploaded shows where i was writing this review :)"

Western Science Center

★★★★☆ 3.8 (72)

"This is a fun place for day out with family and to learn new things about the past.You can find here cool exhibits of prehistoric creatures that roamed our land. All the exhibits are well presented and described. There is also small theatre room where you can watch short productions about the mammoth. The museum also offers play area for kids where parents can engage in interactive activities with their children.The museum grounds also offers outside seating areas where you can chill and have picnic."

Museum of Riverside

★★★★☆ 3.9 (19)

"I hate on Riverside a lot, so I'm trying real hard to find things about this town that make it a real destination town! This museum isn't really one of them, but it's a good way to get a feel for the history, wildlife and shrubbery that occupy(ied) this fair land called Riverside. I was here during art walk and admission was free (not sure if it's free all the time). Did a walk through of the first floor and yeah that was that. Noticed there was a window towards the front entrance that said "Stamps" and asked the docent at the info booth if this place was always a museum and she said it used to be the following: a post office, police station, World War II Veteran hospital. Also, if you look up, the ceiling has an art-deco tile feel. I know there's so much more rich history to this building, but due to the limited time I didn't get to absorb all the knowledge that was in it, but I think that first floor was pretty much it. If you're in town and you miss the Riverside Met you're not missing much, but if you're an alien that just landed in the desert here, feel free to get your bearings by doing a walkthrough of the first floor."

California Citrus State Historic Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (147)

"A great piece of local history, the California Citrus State Historic Park offers annual citrus tastings in March. I really enjoyed the oroblanco grapefruit and the oranges. The staff here are nice and friendly. Other than walking around the vast area, there is not much to do/see. You can bring your dog on the walks outside, which is really nice."

Edward-Dean Museum & Gardens

★★★★☆ 4.2 (19)

"What a lovely museum in the midst of exurban Riverside County's Cherry Valley! Lived and worked here for nine years and am sorry to have never visited prior to yesterday's opening of Cabinets of Curiosity (admission, normally $5.00 per person, is free during the exhibition opening!).The Edward-Dean is named after the first names of the same-sex couple who founded the museum. Helpful docents explained that the two gentlemen passed themselves off as brothers during the inhospitable-to-gays '40s to '60s. They were collectors with an antiques shop in Beverly Hills that catered to such Hollywood elite as Sinatra, Hope, etc. Previously, they purchased an amazing set of wood paneling for William Randolph Hearst that the later gave to his mistress, Marion Davies. On her death, Hearst purchased the paneling and, in turn, gave it to the museum founders!Of interest are the priceless, exquisite Chinese ancestral paintings, religious artifacts from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Be sure to visit the original basement with its paintings, furniture, and sculptures. The docents encourage childrens' 'questions.Visit the quaint museum shop where I found three fabulous Chinese vases, one of which was reported hand carried out of China, the koi pond, and enjoy the artful gems!"

Ontario Museum of History & Art

★★★★☆ 4.4 (19)

"RECOMMENDED FOR:~Local Ontario Residents~History buffs~IE visitors~Those looking for free things to do in OntarioI love this museum. Not only does it have a fantastic museum full of Ontario and Inland Empire history, including Route 66 memorabilia. You'll also find regularly rotating special exhibits. I've seen a few of them and so far I've enjoyed each of these exhibits. Some that stand out are the clown/circus exhibit and the industrial art exhibit of Millard and Tony Sheets.The museum is located on the grounds of the original city hall and the first park in the city of Ontario, Nugent's Park. The grounds have been completely redone to be water saving, but the lovely rose gardens are still intact and worth visiting for you rose lovers. The grounds remodel look awesome and have really updated the exterior of the property.The museum is only open Thursday through Sunday, 12-4, but if you can find some time to visit, you'll find it worth the stop and there is no cost to visit!Recommended, my friends!"

World Museum of Natural History

★★★★★ 4.9 (9)

"This place pretty cool alot of history. Good place to look at and walk around and take photos"

March Field Air Museum

★★★★★ 4.7 (230)

"The March Field Air Museum is an aviation museum near Moreno Valley and Riverside, California, located in March Air Reserve Base. This museum is on a huge hanger with impressive collection of WWII artifacts, fighter jets, choppers, cargo and bomber planes. General Admission ticket is $18 bucks. Staff were fantastic. This is great place for aviation fans and a good place for families. It's easy to spend 3 hours in this museum. I suggest you put sunscreen or wear a hat on hot days if you're going to visit. Parking lot is huge. Overall, it's one of the largest aviation museum in SoCal. I highly recommend you visit."

Rim Of The World Historical Society

★★★★☆ 3.8 (6)

"This place is worth a stop at least once for tourists. They have all kinds of exhibits of Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding areas and it's FREE! They have pretty cool vintage pictures and artifacts and a tiny gift shop that is reasonably priced. Towards the back they have a theatre with educational films and a Santa's village exhibit.They were able to answer questions about some historical buildings that we may be able to visit. Friendly volunteers are there to answer questions for pretty much anything you can think of. They offered us plenty of info on local hikes. You can also buy a map there for $2. Some hikes do not require an adventure pass but most do. They do not sell adventure passes here but can provide you with info on where to buy (the ranger station or shops in the village). This is a pretty neat little spot to check out and is worth a stop. You'll learn quite a bit of history in this little museum."

Big Bear Valley Historical Museum

★★★★★ 4.8 (31)

"Been here on several occasions. I am a history nerd and I love museums. I've dragged my 3 boys to too many museums to count. This is the only one my middle son has ever enjoyed, lol. They are all grown now and I went by myself. $5 entry fee, blacksmith demonstration and panning for "gold" (pyrite) included. They have redecorated since my last visit and the entrance is now further down Greenway. Note that this museum operates 58 days a year. That's Saturday, Sunday & Wednesday from Memorial Day to Labor Day only. If you miss it, you'll have to wait until next year. The docents are always ready to educate and answer questions, some even dress in character. The museum is run strictly by volunteers and that's remarkable. I love strolling around and taking my time. This is certainly a worthwhile place for people of all ages to spend an hour or so wandering around learning about Big Bear's very interesting past. You can even enjoy a delicious, iced cold Sarsaparilla in the Cantina. The gift shop has many books if the visit piqued your interest in the history of Big Bear Valley, plus some t-shirts, mugs, and the like. I already own all the books and know most all of Big Bear's history, but seeing some of these displays is very pleasing to behold. Great job docents. Big Bear never ceases to astonish me."

Jensen-Alvarado Historic Ranch & Museum

★★★★★ 4.9 (7)

"This museum/ranch is very unassuming as it is nestled in a small housing neighborhood. Once you enter the grounds, it still appears as a typical California ranch property, aside from an open parking lot to allow for public traffic. Not a typical museum as it is very hands-on, from farm/ranch life, animals, home, barn, kitchen tours . A unique experience for kids to understand life on a ranch in California back in the 1860's. My son's school took a recent field trip here and I got to accompany their class. Admission came to $15/person: got to feed the farm animals, make tortillas, make ice cream, do laundry as they had, and receive a full detailed tour of the grounds and the home/museum. The tortillas were made in their outdoor kitchen. The kids experienced how apples were cored and sliced in an old-fashioned way with tools used during this time period. Each student even experienced ranch life from coffee grinding to doing laundry; all that was entailed on a day-to-day basis on a ranch. Our tour guide was dressed in period clothing and she was so detailed in the stories and history of the Jensen family, a family of ten. Kids learned a lot and shared a lot from what they already knew of California history: gold rush, railroad, settlements. We had just enough time to eat a picnic lunch before we had to head back to our campus. Really great experience for kids and adults alike. Definitely recommend this as a school field trip, or an outing for kids/you groups in general. Staff here is knowledgeable and worked well with our kids. Thank you for a memorable field trip, Jensen - Alvarado staff!"

Mary Vagle Museum & Nature Center

★★★★☆ 4.4 (53)

"This is a very nice trail educational area. Came here after hours not knowing what to expect heard great reviews from my 5 year old nephew. From my understanding when it's open they have snakes and lizards in cages to look at. Only drawback I had was the walking around the lake was half way around was a dirt trail and the other half cemented. Which makes it difficult if you have a baby in a stroller. There weren't too many benches for seating in the shade area on the cement side. Would come back with the older kids. Not a baby haha"

Heritage House

★★★★★ 4.8 (31)

"Sunday, May 5, 2024: My dear friend Nancy had kindly invited me to Queen Victoria's Tea at the Heritage House in Riverside, where she volunteered as a docent for years.All the tables were set beautifully. We sat at a table with some of the sweetest & friendliest women. Our server was Kelly and she was the absolute best! All the food served was delectable & presented in a quaint fashion!The host, who was in period dress, explained the history of this beautiful Victorian house in Riverside and the celebration of the Queen tea. We had so much fun as we took in the ambiance and the amazing weather! So grateful to have had this experience and can't wait to be invited again!"

Oak Glen School House Museum

★★★★☆ 4.4 (8)

"About a dozen years ago friends introduced us to Oak Glen for the first time. Despite living in the Southland for several decades, neither Dear Hubby or I knew anything about apple farming near Yucaipa. I wasn't into Yelping then, either. Such a great way to find out about new venues!Once we finally went, we were there on a weekend when the school house museum was open. In between apple tasting, general sightseeing and discovery, browsing in shops, and all those fun activities, we took a quiet respite and visited the stately stone building and its surrounding grounds.Inside, the displays of period learning materials, old maps and books, and other remnants of bygone days is really well done. The docents are very helpful, and especially encouraging to kids when they see what school used to be like long before their time.We've been lucky enough to visit the interior several times during our visits to Oak Glen over the past decade. The last time we went in late September, though it was a Sunday during their open hours, the doors were locked. There was a sign at the entrance about being closed during rain or snow days. A total of about five raindrops had fallen then afternoon, but maybe the threat of rain kept them from opening.Our Sweet Granddaughter had a great time on their playground area. That gave DH and I a chance to take turns watching / helping her, and also just relaxing in the quiet environment under the old oak trees. They encourage acorn gathering (free!) around the property. Parking is free. Clean restrooms with running water were open - great for washing hands after playing.We like to get out to Oak Glen about every two to three years, so maybe next time the school house will be open for a return visit to the interior."

Planes of Fame Air Museum

★★★★★ 4.6 (193)

"It's definitely a MUST visit!! Especially for a day excursion if you have kids, or even for anyone who may be aviation/plane enthusiasts. I remember taking my son here a couple times for play dates with friends when he was a toddler. I recommend visiting when it's cooler and comfortable weather because the heat can affect your comfort as you explore the grounds and the museum space indoors for the planes/equipment. The grounds are spacious and can easily spend a full afternoon. One of my visits here, it was areally hot. Just keep in mind the warmer days may make your nose a bit sensitive to the scent (probably from products they use to preserve the exhibits). The history and the structures are incredible. What a very hands-on learning experience and a great educational tool to experience with kids, or even as a family excursion."

UCR ARTS California Museum of Photography

★★★★☆ 4.4 (32) • $

"Great space. Extensive photography exhibit. It's nice and quiet, which provides the viewer with the space and mindset to appreciate and contemplate. My favorite exhibit were the old photographs framed in the intricate frame made of pine cones."

Lincoln Memorial Shrine

★★★★★ 4.8 (41)

"Great free museum exhibit ! Truly a testament to Lincoln's history and legacy. There's a lot of interesting and in depth information, artifacts, photos from the Civil War, sculptures, a library, a small gift shop, and even interactive exhibits (photo with Mr. Lincoln & the telegraph machine). Definitely worth a stop if you haven't been and you're in the area."

Dora Nelson African American Art & History Museum

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"This is a hidden gem of a museum in the Inland Empire. It was founded years ago by the late Alberta Mabel Kearney to commemorate the first African American pioneers of Perris Valley. Inside you'll find lots of artifacts related to this community as well as general African American history. Located in a quiet neighborhood just seconds from downtown Perris, it is a place you cannot miss if you're in the area!"

Riverside Art Walk

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (9)

"Been here a few times and have loved it every time! Great little event to go to to check out art works and what not from local artists. People are usually nice, never experienced or seen any kind of drama. Parking is a little tough but I've been having luck near the riverside convention center. Great places, great vibes, and awesome art! Definitely worth checking out, if you're in the area or want to explore. I highly recommend for anyone!!"

Gilman Ranch Museum

★★★★☆ 3.5 (2)

"This little gem has been here for years and we had the pleasure of packing a picnic and checking it out today. At only $2 per adult and $1 per child it is definately in the right price range. A county park ranger showed us the grounds and went into quite a bit of detail on all of the blacksmith and ranch tools. A volunteer then took us around the inside of the house and told us all about the Gilman family and how life was "back in those days"The wagon museum and shop was closed for renovations at the time of our visit, but I believe they said it would be open again in just another month or so. Lots of shade, tables, and green grass for picnicers. So if the day doesn't look like a hot one I would definately head over here and enjoy some history."

San Jacinto Museum

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"I'm a huge museum buff, especially ones that have antiques. However, I'm only giving this one 4 stars because it's more like an antique shop where nothing is for sale and a couple of exhibits. And it's only open on the weekends (Friday to Sunday) from 11am to 4pm.But the docents are wonderful, friendly, and very knowledgable. And I enjoy seeing things like old typewriters, sewing machines, and cash registers.We had about 30 minutes here which if you're not a big history buff, is more than enough. This is a large one room museum that features Indian artifacts and farm and home antiques. There's a special exhibit on the 1937 transpolar flight from Russia to San Jacinto on the left wall towards the back of the museum"