ARTS & CULTURE

11 Must-See Museums

by LINDA HOLDERNESS The Sacramento foothills may not boast a deYoung or the Met but tucked into nooks of our suburban communities can be found treasures even more charming: small museums that preserve the stories of who we used to be and who we’ve become. Visiting them, you can time-travel through our part of California—starting with the earliest inhabitants, the Nisenan, and continuing through the venturesome Gold Rush and railroad, all the way to space travel. Many of these museums are free or charge only a nominal fee—made possible by the legions of dedicated volunteers who maintain the collections and entertain visitors just for the love of it. Here’s a list of some such treasures you may want to check out.

Aerospace Museum of California

3200 Freedom Park Drive, McClellan, 916-643-3192, aerospaceca.org Explore the wonders of flight, hands-on. More than 40 aircraft, including rockets. Experience Mars exploration theater, Tuskegee heroes, Project Apollo, and STEM activity centers. Flight training for a small fee. Volunteers lead tours and activities, help with IT, admin, landscaping, and flight instruction. COVID-19 hours: Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (indoor exhibits are currently closed). Normal hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Carnegie Museum & Archives

557 Lincoln Street, Roseville, 916773-3003, rosevillehistorical.org Old Roseville comes to life inside this charming historic building. Displays include Fiddyment family history and their surrey, a room-size model train display featuring Roseville’s railyard, children’s area, and old Roseville newspapers. Volunteers serve as docents and greet visitors, or help with archiving, events, and assisting with restoring the Fiddyment ranch house for a future living history site. COVID-19 hours: closed but check their website for virtual activities. Normal hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. El Dorado County Historical Museum and Western Railroad

104 Placerville Drive, Placerville, 530621-5865, museum.edcgov.us Learn about El Dorado County history, including the impacts of the railroad and Gold Rush. Exhibits on county women who made a difference, as well as Snowshoe Thompson. Volunteers greet people and talk about history. COVID-19 hours: The museum is closed, but the outdoor railroad still runs on Sundays (check the current hours and train schedule at museum.edcgov.us/el-doradowestern-railroad). A museum staffer will answer callers’ questions, and the website offers virtual exhibits on county history. Normal hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

Fountain & Tallman Museum

524 Main Street, Placerville, 530-6260773, eldoradocountyhistoricalsociety.org Here, in the rock rubble building that’s Main Street’s oldest, John Fountain and Benjamin Tallman carbonated spring water and sold it to the gold miners. Now a museum, the displays showcase Placerville history. COVID-19 hours: closed, but the website offers educational brochures for students. Normal hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Folsom History Museum

823 Sutter Street, Folsom, 916-9852707, folsomhistoricalsociety.org Housed in Gold Rush-era Wells Fargo assay office. Permanent exhibit on Folsom history; rotating exhibits include an annual vintage quilt show. Volunteers needed to help with and maintain exhibits, work in gift shop and reception, and do research. COVID-19 hours: closed, but the gift shop is open Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The website offers a 3D digital tour, “The Big Lives of Small Town People,” in addition to an ongoing video series and blog telling some of Folsom’s forgotten stories. Normal hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Folsom Powerhouse Museum

9980 Greenback Lane, Folsom, 916-988-0205, parks.ca.gov/?page_id=501 See the original site and generators that in 1895 sent the first long-distance transmission of the type of electric current we use today. Interactive exhibits, guided tours, and nature walks. Volunteers help visitors, act as docents, and help preserve artifacts and history. COVID-19 hours: closed except for grounds. Normal hours: Wednesday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

Folsom Prison Museum

folsomprisonmuseum.org A chronicle of prison history, prisoners’ handiwork, and memorabilia from Johnny Cash’s famed concert, just outside the gates. Website contains displays of prison history. Volunteers greet visitors from all over the world and work in the gift shop. COVID-19 hours: closed. Normal hours: Open daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Maidu Museum & Historic Site

1970 Johnson Ranch Drive, Roseville, 916-774-5934, roseville.ca.us/ government/departments/library/ maidu_museum_historic_site Displays on history, art, and culture of these earliest area inhabitants. Learn their methods of acorn processing and basketweaving. A walking trail passes grinding holes and 4,000-year-old petroglyphs. Volunteers act as docents by helping with front desk, groundskeeping, and trail maintenance, or leading crafts and activities. COVID-19 hours: closed, but the trail is open for free walks during normal hours, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Rocklin History Museum

3895 Rocklin Road, Rocklin, 916624-3464, rocklinhistorical.org This small museum—sited in a history house—features information, displays, and artifacts on the town’s quarrying, ranching, and railroad histories. Properties include 19th-century Old St. Mary’s Chapel and a replica of the city’s first firehouse. Volunteers needed for research, archiving, and helping with events. COVID-19 hours: closed. Normal hours: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Ruth’s Dolls & Memories Museum

5441 Pony Express Trail, Camino, 530-9193819, ruthsdollsandmemoriesmuseum.com More than 5,000 dolls fill nearly 4,500 square feet of space. Themed displays include dolls from the 1800s and around the world, as well as many dolls that museum owner Marlene Ruth made. Also on display are Carroll Thomas paintings. Volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, and dress dolls. COVID-19 hours: By appointment during normal hours, Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sacramento Children’s Museum

2701 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, 916-730-5079, sackids.org Just west of Folsom is a children’s museum (appropriate for ages 0-8) that encourages lifelong learning through creative exploration with art projects, a SMUD Sparkle Wall, story times, theater play, and STEM activities. COVID-19 hours: closed, but the website provides links to online activities and occasional safe events. Normal hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m., plus additional special hours including exclusive weekly hours for special-needs kids.

Editor’s note: At press time, COVID-19 restrictions were in place, so check websites for current information and hours. Until normal conditions return, some museums are offering virtual exhibits. Support these museums with donations and by visiting them—or volunteering—when they reopen.