The Museum of American Heritage

This is a free museum that lets you see many things us baby boomers and before will appreciate. They take donations and it an easy house museum to walk around. The three redwoods in the front yard over a hundred years old were incredible, the displays and the explanations of technology were very good. Reliving games I grew up playing, toys remembered and history was excellent. There are also the gardens with many plants and flowers identified. It's a must see!

What a treasure! Thus museum is filled with Americana items. Kids would absolutely love it since it has a running model train and some toys from the early 20th century. We came for the baylug's incredible Lego train holiday exhibit.This is a free museum and across the street is a lovely park and playground.

This is a small, but cool museum. The home had been built for a local doctor who raised his family here and was one of the first in Palo Alto to own an automobile. There are approximately seven rooms here showing devices in use started from around the time the house was built in the early 1900's. The front and back yards/gardens are pleasant to walk through, and the garage features a printing press on one side, and a Model T Ford on the other. Admission is free, but a donation box is located near the entrance.

I visited the MOAH on a Sunday afternoon (after it just reopened from COVID closures), and was happy with my experience. I came within an hour of closing time, and the workers made us feel welcome and not rushed, were very kind to answer our questions, and later one of the volunteers even offered to show us a few things, including a tour of the garden through which she shared the history, as well as certain features affected by the pandemic.The place overall is a bit small, but I like that it's a self-guided tour so you can roam around as you please. There are descriptions displayed with each of the items, so you know what you're looking at, and learn the history of some of the toys and instruments. They had a variety of items, many donated from the Williams family. You'll find kitchen items, toys, an old organ, cameras, phones, typewriters, calculators (or "adding machine"), furniture, antique printing equipment, and an old Ford Model T from 1915 (or around that year), which apparently still runs!?! The volunteer who showed us around outside told us people just come there to relax or read books in the garden... and it is a beautiful garden (Ruth Bell Lane Memorial Garden) with lots of vegetation, flowers, colors, smells, fruits.. apparently more without COVID affecting operations.Overall, I didn't find anything too impressive, but I did like the little carnival structures (erector) in one of the rooms. Unlike many things in the museum with signs saying "Do Not Touch", these were more interactive, with a sign saying "Crank Me Up".This museum could easily be done in 30 minutes, and you would probably get bored if you came back multiple times, but apparently they also do events (ie. lego event), so that could give more of an incentive for repeat visits. I gave 5 stars, because it serves its purpose, is a great show for history buffs, and for anyone it's cool to see the progress in America and it can also make you appreciate the significant advancements of technology over time. The place is clean, the building and surrounding environment beautiful, the workers/volunteers extremely friendly and helpful, and even if you feel like you're not getting a lot, you're getting bang for your buck because it's free!! (optional donations)If you've never been here, it's worth checking out, something different to do, and an opportunity to imagine yourself as if you were living in the past, to see (but not touch) what things were like before your time.

This is a small museum but worth a visit if you have a few hours to kill and want to get an up close view of the many inventions, appliances, and machinery of yore. There's also a rotating exhibit that is switched every six months; when we visited, the theme was "heating and cooling," so we saw lots of ice boxes, old school fridges, stoves, etc. The staff here was SO friendly! I had my three kids with me, and they went out of their way to welcome them and show them the exhibits, even when one of them who shall not be named was doing his best to wreak havoc. Be warned if you have rowdy toddlers that there are a lot of little displays without any glass or ropes to block them off, so I was a little paranoid one of my kids might break some 100 year old artifact. That being said, the museum encourages hands on exploration of many of their exhibits, which is awesome for kids! Even if you're not into history, it's pretty hilarious to see it through the eyes of children, who have never even experienced a world of phones with cords (say what??). My kids got a kick out of seeing the old school typewriter and telephones, and they enjoyed the piggy bank collection (you have to see it to understand :)). There's even a room set up to look like a real life 1950's kitchen, complete with an ice box and fake bacon grilling on the first above where you could set a temperature and walk away (as the worker kindly informed us). There's also a small but pretty garden you can meander around outside. Thanks again for the wonderful staff (one worker actually picked up my tired son when he was having a hard time so he could see the displays better); they were gracious and accommodating. We'll be back! :)

Wow so impressed about this museum and the kindness and the open doors generosity! As other fellow Yelpers have done very extensive reviews, mine will be more touch and feel, so to speak. I confess: I was totally lost searching for my car parked somewhere-where-I-dont-have-to-pay in Palo Alto and there was this cool poster with a vintage typewriter hanging in between redwood trees that caught my attention. Then I noticed a beautiful old house with tons of trees and plants and the sign "Museum of American Heritage". Since I don't have the opportunity to go inside a house in Palo Alto very often, the curiosity to just see the house of a doctor (who donated the house, gardens and all) grew intense in me and noticing that it was free made things sweeter:). There is no way to get lost to get to the entry door (there are so many indications, good job!). Then you will be greeted by a volunteer who will explain you can find not only the typewriters' collection (that is the exhibit of the season) but also you can sense the life of Palo altans of other times. I loved it! Specially the kitchen with that mint blue paint (matching with my very 60s sunglasses) where I could not resist to play with the plastic eggs on display over the oven (I promise I left everything intact). Seriously, it is a very charming museum to visit just for that adorable vintage kitchen. The gardens are fabulous, with different kind of trees. It was my first opportunity seeing a Ginko Biloba tree. Also you get the Mediterranean garden with a variety of herbs and plants. Lemon trees, flowers of various types. butterflies will accompany you in your garden experience. I also liked a lot the Ford car in the garage, very well preserved and overall an excellent museum given it is free and using whatever was available for the people who support and maintain it.

Ever since my kids were little, we've come here every once in a while. It's a nice diversion during our frequent trips to Palo Alto. This place is a great free museum with a changing display of Americana at its best. It has a fixed exhibit of a turn-of-the century kitchen that you can actually walk through, as opposed to peering at from a doorway blocked by plexiglass. They have rotating exhibits as well; currently, they have a nice display of old toys and quack medical devices. At least once a year, there's a separate exhibit by a local Lego builder's league, which is particularly fun for young and old alike. This does require a nominal $3 entry fee, but it's worth the price.

Took my parents there when I went back home. Our guide was an Asian lady who was super nice! This museum used to be a physician's home, it has a lot of old medical equipment and the back garden was beautiful when we visited! A very nice spot for a tour if you are in the neighborhood.

The Museum of American Heritage (MOAH) was hosting the annual lego show exhibit. The museum itself is free to tour but the lego exhibit will cost $3 per person. Well worth the entry if your a enthusiasts of lego or not.The lego venue is small but there is alot to see. There was a variety of lego display to look at. You can also purchase lego set. Street parking only and plenty to be found. Best bet is to get here early.

This is definitely a gem of a place to take your family to and enjoy the day awayHaven't been there for a while, but when I was last there, everybody wanted to come back I guess it's time I return