Monterey Bay Area Museums and Historical Sites Guide

All numbers are in the 831 area code unless otherwise noted.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

California Rodeo Heritage Museum
1034 N. Main St., Salinas
(800) 771-8807, ext. 102
Celebrating the history of the California Rodeo, the museum features a Wells Fargo stagecoach as well as vintage cowboy attire, Miss California Rodeo regalia, and interactive exhibits. Open during the rodeo (in July) and by appointment.

California Views
469 Pacific St., Monterey
(831) 373-3811.
Established in 1970, this historical photo archive is the most comprehensive in the area. Many images are one-of-a-kind on original glass negatives dating back to 1855. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

Carmel Art Association Gallery
Dolores St. between Fifth & Sixth, Carmel
(831) 624-6176.
The second-oldest art cooperative in the nation, the association represents more than 125 juried artists.

Henry Miller Library
Highway One, Big Sur
(831) 667-2574.
A celebration of Miller’s life and the millions of people he touched, the library features memorabilia of the famed artist who lived here from 1944 to 1962. The library serves as a center for the arts.

Monterey Maritime & History Museum
5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey
(831) 372-2608.
The 580 glass prisms of the Fresnel lens from the Point Sur Lightstation illuminate the museum and its exhibit areas with displays from the Rumsien/ Ohlone Indians and Spanish explorers to Monterey’s sardine fishing era. Open daily, except Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monterey Museum of Art
559 Pacific St. and 720 Via Mirada, Monterey
(831) 372-5477.
The museum has two locations in the oldest neighborhood of Monterey, but the primary location is in an old adobe, which itself is worth seeing. One of Monterey’s most prestigious museums, it houses collections of some of its most important art, including American photography, early California painting, Asian art, and international folk art.

MY Museum
601 Wave St., Monterey
(831) 649-6444.
Monterey County Youth Museum is packed with hands-on activities, making each visit different and exciting. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 12 to 5 p.m., closed Wednesdays. Modest entry fee. Children must be supervised by an adult. MY Museum moves to a new facility on Washington St., Monterey in 2007, call for details.

Pacific Grove Museum
Corner of Forest & Central Aves., Pacific Grove
(831) 648-5716.
Native plants, animals, geology, and aboriginal populations of Monterey County steal the show, but exhibits featuring California history also captivate. Temporary exhibits throughout the year include the annual Wildflower Show. Information on Pacific Grove sites, such as Point Pinos Lighthouse and the Monarch Grove Sanctuary, is also available. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Presidio of Monterey Museum
Corporal Ewing Rd., Bldg. 113, Presidio of Monterey
(831) 646-3456.
Tour Monterey’s military development from the indigenous period through the Spanish and Mexican periods and up to present day. Most of the museum is dedicated to the development of the Presidio as a military training base. Open Monday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

Thomas Kinkade National Archive
361 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey
(831) 655-5520.
A history of the “Painter of Light.”

Whalers Cabin Museum
Point Lobos State Reserve, Highway One, Big Sur
(831) 625-3672.
Built by Chinese fishermen in the early 1850s, the Whalers Cabin shows the rich history of the whaling industry on the Monterey coast through displays of artifacts, such as harpoons and whaling tools, as well as old photographs of whaling ships.

HISTORICAL SITES

For a taste of Monterey’s historical sights, join The Path of History walking tour. California State Parks’ guides take groups to historic adobes and museums. For schedule and passes, call (831) 649-7118.

Carmel Mission Basilica
3080 Rio Rd., Carmel
(831) 621-1271.
Discover how life was in the days of the California Missions. Established in 1771, the mission features period artifacts, including church vestments. Take a self-guided tour of the museum and mission or call 624-1271, ext. 213 for a docent-led tour schedule (tours are $7).

Colton Hall
Pacific St., Monterey
(831) 646-5640.
California’s first constitution was drafted in this historic site in 1849. The City of Monterey was once the capital of Alta (Upper) California.

Custom House Plaza
Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey
(831) 649-7119.
This seven-acre Monterey State Historic Park shows the architectural history of California. Custom House is the oldest government building in California. Pacific House, Larkin House, Stevenson House, California’s First Theater, and the Cooper-Molera Adobe are open to visitors.

Robinson Jeffers’ Tor House and Hawk Tower
26304 Ocean View Ave., Carmel
(831) 372-2608, (831) 624-1813.
In 1914, when they first saw the beauty of the coast south of the Monterey Peninsula, poet Robinson Jeffers and his wife, Una, knew they had found their “inevitable place.” Over the next decade Jeffers built Tor House and Hawk Tower as a family home. Most of Jeffers’ writing was done here. Docent-led tours can be reserved on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.