Explore APA Heritage recommends visiting the following museums in California and Nevada to further explore the history of early pioneer sites. Some of these museums are part of the APA Heritage Collaborative and provided invaluable input and resources for this website.
Museums featured on Explore APA Heritage
Calaveras County Museum
Chew Kee Store Museum
Chinese American Museum of Northern California
Chinese Temple and Museum Complex
Ling Ying Association Temple
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
Man Lee Store
Plumas County Museum (Silver Creek)
Taoist Temple Preservation Society
Weaverville Joss House
More Recommended Museums
Chinese Historical Society of America
965 Clay St., San Francisco, CA 94108
The Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) promotes the contributions and legacy of the Chinese in America through its exhibitions, publications, and educational and public programs in the Museum and Learning Center. CHSA is housed in the landmark Julia Morgan-designed Chinatown YWCA building in San Francisco. chsa.org
California State Railroad Museum
125 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814
With over 225,000 square feet of total exhibit space, the buildings within the California State Railroad Museum complex use stimulating exhibits, enthusiastic and knowledgeable docents, and beautifully restored railroad cars and locomotives to illustrate railroad history in California and the West. californiarailroad.museum
Chinese American Museum
425 N. Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles CA 90012
CAM is dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the experiences and contributions of Chinese Americans in the United States through quality exhibitions, programs, events, publications, and workshops. camla.org
Chinese American Museum of Northern California
232 1st St. Marysville, CA 95901
The focus of the Chinese American Museum of Northern California has been on the forgotten history of the Chinese in America. The Chinese built over thirty Chinatowns in California during the gold rush. Almost all have been destroyed or abandoned, so little exists to remind us of their importance in the early settlement of this state. The Marysville Chinatown is the last Chinatown of the gold rush era. It still has an active temple, the old Chinese school building, three Chinese associations and a traditional Chinese festival.The building where the museum is housed is an original gold rush building built in 1858. www.chineseamericanmuseum.com
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California
411 Bernard Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Since the 1850s, Chinese Americans have contributed to the historical growth and development of Southern California’s life and culture. The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California was established to discover and recognize our pioneers and their history. CHSSC strives to increase awareness of Chinese American heritage through public programs, education and research. chssc.org
Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center
13021-13045 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA 96161
The Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center has an exhibition about Chinese railroad workers, including a video tour of Summit Tunnel with Connie Young Yu, a descendant of a Chinese railroad workers and member of Stanford University’s Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project. The museum is on its way to Truckee. www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=503
Firehouse No. 1 Museum
214 Main Street, Nevada City, CA 95959
This firehouse was home to Nevada Hose Company No.1 from 1861 to 1938. The Nevada County Historical Society established this same building as its first museum, the Firehouse No. 1, in 1947. The Firehouse No. 1 museum hosts four main displays of Nevada County history dating from the late 19th to early 20th century. This museum contains Chinese artifacts and a Chinese altar, dedicated to Guanyin (“Goddess of Mercy”). www.nevadacountyhistory.org/firehouse-no.-1-museum2.html
Gold Country Museum
601 Lincoln Way, Auburn CA 95603
The Gold Country Museum exhibits Placer County’s early days and mining equipment. This museum is suggested for a general mining background. (New museum under construction, is partially open on weekends). www.placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/museums/gold-country-museum
Golden Drift Museum
32820 Main Street, Dutch Flat, CA 95714
Located on Main Street Dutch Flat, this house-turned-museum is filled to the brim with the town’s history, which encompasses the glory days of hydraulic mining, lumber production, the laying of the transcontinental railroad, and other threads in the tapestry of the region’s history. Exhibits on lumber, railroad and mining and Chinese culture. www.placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/museums/golden-drift-museum
Hangtown Gold Bug Mine
2635 Goldbug Lane, Placerville, CA 95667
The mine has wooden floors and a 352 ft horizontal drift. There are two small museums on the 62 acre park. www.goldbugpark.org/mining-museum.html
Nevada State Museum
600 N. Carson St., Carson City, Nevada 89701
The Nevada State Museum in Carson City engages diverse audiences in understanding and celebrating Nevada’s natural and cultural heritage. The Nevada State Museum can give a special docent led tour of the museum. nvdtca.org/nevadastatemuseumcarsoncity/
Placer County Museum & Courthouse
101 Maple Street, Auburn, CA 95603
This museum presents an overview of Placer County history from the early Nisenan inhabitants through the latter half of the 20th century. It also includes the Placer County Gold collection, the renowned Pate Collection of American Indian artifacts. www.placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/museums/placer-county-museum
San Francisco Maritime National Park
2 Marina Boulevard, Building E, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94123
The museum exhibits a reproduced Chinese fishing junk, a dock and oven for drying shrimp, and many other exhibits showing the life of a Chinese fishing community. www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm
Sparks Museum and Cultural Center
814 Victorian Ave., Sparks, NV 89431
This place has the part of the original CPRR rail and tie, and a plaque honoring the Chinese contributions in building the railroad and development of the state of Nevada. sparksmuseum.org
Truckee Historical Society and Museum
Joseph Research Library: 10115 Donner Trail Rd, Truckee CA
Old Jail Museum: 10142 Jibboom Street, Truckee CA
Truckee Historical Society and Museum has some interesting material. Nearby the museum is the Chinese herb store. In 1878, after the Chinese were forced to relocate away from Main Street, the Chinese built the herb store, and it was the last remaining building of Chinatown. truckeehistory.org/