Inland Empire Museum Guide
The Inland Empire include more than 4,650,000 sq. miles of land, which includes a rich history of Indigenous peoples, migration, industrialization, agriculture and innovation. Including both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, we have dozens of museums exploring our history, art, culture and nature.
The “Inland” part of the name is derived from the region’s location, about an hours drive inland from Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. Originally, this area was called the Orange Empire due to the acres of citrus groves that once extended from Pasadena to Redlands during the first half of the twentieth century. The eastern end of the Inland Empire is the Colorado River, boarding Arizona and Nevada.
The “Asistencia” in Redlands
California Historical Landmark #42
Established in 1819 as a part of the Mission San Gabriel’s Rancho San Bernardino, the original Asistencia or more correctly – Estancia functioned as an outpost for cattle grazing activities. The Asistencia buildings we can visit today are reproductions built in the 1930s and located approximately one mile east of the original Estancia site.
n 1925 the Estancia was only a ruin when the County of San Bernardino, assisted by the San Bernardino County Historical Society, acquired it from the Barton family. The remaining historic materials were removed, and construction of a new six room structure began in 1926 under the direction of Horace P. Hinckley. Construction was completed in 1937 as a combined state (State Emergency Relief Administration, or SERA) and federal (Works Progress Administration, or WPA) relief project.
More Information
Part of the San Bernardino County Museum
http://www.sbcounty.gov/museum/branches/asist.htmhttp://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/
(909) 798-8609
Location
26930 Barton Road, Redlands, CA 92373
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Temporarily closed for maintenance.
Tuesday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed on all County-observed holidays.
Group tours by appointment.
ADMISSION
Admission fees are: $5 adult, $4 senior/military, $2.50 student/child, under 5 free.
The Hi-Desert Nat
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum was founded in 1964 by Evelyn Conklin; her father, Percy Conklin; Camilla Hudson, a long-time resident; and Jerry Moore, Community Services Director of the Parks and Recreation District. Evelyn Conklin served as Curator of the museum for 28 years. With the incorporation of the Town of Yucca Valley in 1991, the museum became a division of the Community Services Department.
The museum started in an 800 square foot building in a local park. In 1973, it moved to its present location in the Yucca Valley Community Center Complex. In 1989, an expansion was added to house taxidermy specimens in diorama settings.
For more than 50 years the Hi-Desert Nature Museum has been dedicated to helping the citizens of the Morongo Basin and High Desert discover “with new eyes” the rich cultural heritage and natural history of this area. Generations of school children, students, and museum visitors have relied on the museum to inform, inspire, interpret, and entertain.
More Information
http://hidesertnaturemuseum.org/
(760) 369-7212
Location
Yucca Valley Community Center Complex
57116 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca Valley, CA 92284
Yucca Valley Community Center Complex just off Highway 62, on Dumosa Avenue between Sage and Highway 247 (Old Woman Springs Road).
HOURS OF OPERATION:
The Museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
ADMISSION
Admission is Free
Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center
The Ruth and Sam Kirkby Earth Science Museum – Dinosaur Eggs, Fossils, Indian Artifacts and More!
The Ruth and Sam Kirkby Earth Science Museum houses a unique collection of intriguing and informative exhibits. Some of our current exhibits are: Crestmore Quarry, Fluorescent Minerals, Indian Artifacts, Mining, Petrified Wood, Sea Shells, Dinosaurs, Fossils, Ivory, Minerals, Rocks, And Much, Much More!
We have one of the largest collections of Chinese Dinosaur Eggs for public display in North America! They are quite remarkable and something worth checking out. However, don’t stop there. When you swing by, check out other activities you can enjoy on the grounds and stop by our Granite Hill Nursery to see what we have growing. Of course, don’t forget to stop by the gift shop to have a look at our Critter Corner.
More Information
951.685.5818
Location
7621 Granite Hill Drive, Jurupa Valley, California 92509
HOURS OF OPERATION:
JMDC is open six days a week.
Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 am through 5:00 pm,
Sunday from noon through 5:00 pm.
Monday we are closed.
ADMISSION
JMDC’s daily admission is FREE OF CHARGE to 9 acres of botanical gardens with over ten dinosaur sculptures!
Paid Expeditions – JMDC has 82 acres used for school field trips, a large variety of daily paid Expeditions, weekend activities, community events, and private parties.
March Field Air Museum – Riverside
Explore humanity’s reach for the skies, and the pivotal role of Riverside’s historic March Field in the development of flight. See early aircraft including the 1903 pioneer which launched the era of powered flight, World War II bombing icons and Cold War fighters, an MQ-1 Predator. and more. Find something for everyone in your family at the March Field Air Museum.
Featuring all-new, compelling exhibits and over 80 aircraft on display, the Museum is highly rated on TripAdvisor, Google, Yelp! and Facebook. Visitors frequently comment on the extensive exhibits and the many interesting aircraft on display—and also the friendly volunteers who welcome guests and provide tours, information and answers to questions.
Knowledgeable docents are always on hand as you tour the March Field Air Museum. Your admission fee allows you to experience numerous exhibits located indoors in the Museum’s main hangar structures. While some of the historic aircraft are displayed indoors as well, the vast majority are found outside in our “flightline,” and your admission fee also covers entrance to this area. For a small additional fee, guided tours of the flightline are offered several times each day aboard an electric tram, narrated by a trained docent. Tram tour seats are limited, so be sure to purchase yours early in the day! The menu at left will help you plan your visit to the museum.
More Information
(951) 902-5949
Location
March Field Air Museum
22550 Van Buren Blvd. (at I-215)
Riverside, CA 92518
HOURS OF OPERATION:
We are Open Year-Round:
Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We are Closed Mondays as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day.
We will be OPEN the following Monday holidays:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Presidents Day
- Memorial Day
- Labor Day (September 3, 2018)
We will offer free admission to Military Veterans the following days in 2018:
- Saturday, February 17 (War Dog Remembrance Day)
- Saturday, March 24 (Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day)
- Sunday, November 11 (Veterans Day)
REGULAR MUSEUM ADMISSION
Adults $10 (12 years and older)
Children $5 (5-11 years old)
Children 4 years old and under FREE
Museum Members FREE
Active Duty, Active Guard and Active Reserves with DOD ID card FREE
Ontario Museum of History & Art
Ontario Museum of History & Art is a welcoming place that reflects pride in who we are, where we live and our legacy.
Ontario Museum of History & Art enhances knowledge and understanding of our community through dynamic and vibrant experiences. School and groups tours (10+ persons) are available by appointment. Teacher’s packets about special programs and exhibits are available upon request. For more information, please call the museum.
More Information
www.ontarioca.gov/museum
(909) 395-2510
Location
Ontario Museum of History & Art
225 South Euclid Avenue
Ontario, California 91762
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Thursday through Sunday 12 PM to 4 PM
Holiday Closures
- January 1 & 2, New Year’s Day
- January 15, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
- April 1, Easter
- July 4, Independence Day
- November 11, Veteran’s Day
- November 24 – 27, Thanksgiving
- December 24 – 26 & 31, Christmas
ADMISSION
Admission is free
Orange Empire Railway Museum – Perris
Explore the West’s largest collection of railway locomotives, passenger and freight cars, streetcars, interurban electric cars, buildings and other artifacts dating from the 1870’s. Ride streetcars, interurban electric cars, and trains on the Museum railway. Visit the Museum’s collection of more than 200 streetcars and railway vehicles to experience the early days of electric, steam, and diesel railway transportation in and around Los Angeles.
Railway trains operate every weekend—visit us to experience a day of family fun exploring the large grounds and riding the trains and trolleys that helped create the Southern California we know today. Check our Event Calendar for a list of special events, including steam train operations.
More Information
Telephone: 951‑943‑3020
Location
Orange Empire Railway Museum
2201 S. “A” Street,
Perris CA 92570
HOURS OF OPERATION:
The Museum grounds are open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas from 9 AM to 5 PM.
The Visitor Center and Museum Store are open from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays, 9 AM to 5 PM on weekends.
Trolleys and trains operate every weekend and many major holidays, 11 AM to 5 PM
ADMISSION
On regular weekends, an all-day pass to ride the trains costs $12 for ages 12 and up; $8 for ages 5 through 11. Ages 4 and under are free. A family pass for one family (two adults and all of their children) is $40.
Parking is always free.
The Planes of Fame Air Museum – Chino
Planes of Fame Air Museum was founded by Edward T. Maloney in Claremont, California. The doors first opened on January 12, 1957. At that time, it was simply called “The Air Museum”. There was no need to be more specific, because no other air museums existed in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River!
The original collection consisted of just 10 airplanes. From those humble beginnings, the Museum has grown to over 150 aircraft, more than 50 of which are flyable. But to understand the significance of this achievement, we have to look back to the days following WWII.
Planes of Fame Air Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a living, breathing organization, sustained by contributions from people just like you who believe in the importance of preserving history.
More Information
Location
Planes of Fame Air Museum
14998 Cal Aero Drive
Chino, CA 91710-9085
Telephone: 909-597-3722
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Sunday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art
The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art is a nationally recognized museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The only accredited art museum in San Bernardino, RAFFMA has accumulated a permanent collection of nearly 1,200 objects focusing on Egyptian antiquities, ceramics and contemporary art. Located at Cal State San Bernardino, RAFFMA houses the largest permanent and public display of Egyptian art in Southern California.
General admission to the museum is free. Suggested donation is $3. Parking at Cal State San Bernardino is $6 per vehicle and $3 on weekends.
More Information
Location
RAFFMA is located at the Visual Arts Center at Cal State San Bernardino
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407-2397
Hours
Monday – Wednesday: 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Thursday: noon-8 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m
Closed: Friday and Sunday
Riverside Art Museum (RAM)
Located in the historic Mission Inn district of downtown Riverside, our architecturally significant 1929 building is a former YWCA facility designed by Hearst Castle and AIA Gold Medal-winning architect Julia Morgan.
The building’s distinctive architecture as a work of art in its own right brought it to the attention of the Riverside Art Center in the 1960s. Purchased from the YWCA on July 5, 1967, Morgan’s building became the proud home of the Riverside Art Museum.
The building is now home to artists and art lovers as a place to quietly roam and experience the world of art. Discover a wealth of opportunities to learn and be inspired in our galleries where there’s something to pique everyone’s interests and to challenge their perceptions of what art is.
More Information
http://www.riversideartmuseum.org
951.684.7111
Location
3425 Mission Inn Ave.
Riverside, CA 92501
951.684.7111
Hours
Normal Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m.
- First Thursdays: On the first Thursday of each month, the museum is open from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. as part of Arts Walk, free of charge.
- First Sundays: On the first Sunday of each month (October – May), the museum is open from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. as part of First Sundays, free of charge, with crafts and family-friendly activities.
- Museums on Us: On the first full weekend of each month, show us your Bank of America debit or credit card, along with ID, and get in free.
Admission
- Members, Military and their families (with ID), and Children under 12: Free
- Students (with ID) and Seniors (65+ with ID): $3
- General admission: $5
San Bernardino County Museum – Redlands
The San Bernardino County Museum, in Redlands, California, is a regional museum with exhibits and collections in cultural and natural history. Special exhibits, the Exploration Station live animal discovery center, extensive research collections, and public programs for adults, families, students, and children are all part of the museum experience.
Through the lens of the region’s dynamic cultural and natural history, the San Bernardino County Museum develops visitors’ appreciation of our diverse regional identity to spark their curiosity, to stimulate inquiry, to challenge their assumptions, and to invite them to contribute to our common future.
More Information
http://www.sbcounty.gov/museum/
(909) 307-2669
Location
2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, California 92374
Hours
- Open Tuesdays through Sundays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Closed all county holidays: New Year’s, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Admission
- Tuesday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
San Bernardino History & Railroad Museum at Santa Fe Depot
The San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum specializes in San Bernardino history and all things railroad. It houses the Santa Fe Western Archives and unique artifacts, surrounded by hundreds of historic photographs.
The Museum is located in the restored 1918 Santa Fe Depot that serves Amtrak and Metrolink passengers and is across the tracks from the BNSF intermodal facility. Over 100 freight trains pass by the depot each day.
More Information
(909) 888-3634
Location
1170 W. Third Street
San Bernardino, CA 92410
Hours
Wednesday 9 AM – Noon
Saturday 10 AM – 3 PM
Admission
FREE Admission
FREE Parking
FREE Tours