Location
49 Big Blue Road
PO Box 651
Kernville, CA 93238
(760) 376-6683
************ NOTICE **************
THE MUSEUM AND ANNEX ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED THROUGH THE END OF APRIL DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS SITUATION.
**********************
USUAL HOURS (WHEN THE MUSEUM REOPENS):
10 am to 4 pm
Thursday through Sunday
We are regularly closed:
New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Admission is Free
Please Donate
Facebook 
Contact us
Useful Info
What's Happening in APRIL 2020 - Please see CALENDAR
-
A Message from the President [2021] --- Erie Johnson
The year 2020, has been a difficult year. It has been a chore staying at home, taking precautions...
-
Curator's Corner [2021] --- Dianna Anderson
There’s not much new stuff going on. The insanity of refurbishing the four big displays in the...
-
April [2020] General Membership Meeting CANCELLED
A Note from the Webmaster --- Dear Friends of the Museum: Much of this website will remain as it was...
-
Docents' Corner — Luz Polcik
Please contact me with any questions or concerns regarding docenting. --- Luz 661-803-2012 call or...
-
The Wonderful Gift of Giving ---
To donate now please click on the DONATE link above. When the museum reopens, the Gift of Giving...
-
Art Gallery - CLOSED FOR NOW
-
Collectors Display Cabinet - CLOSED FOR NOW
If you have a collection to share, contact me, Linda Thurm, at 760-417-2881. Display Schedule for...
-
PLEASE SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES [2021]
The following businesses & organizations support the museum. We encourage you to support them! ...
-
General Membership Meetings ON HOLD FOR NOW
-
Spectacular, Historic Picture of Old Kernville For Sale
ON HOLD FOR NOW
-
Country Store [2021] --- CLOSED, however .... WE HAVE A WINNER!!!
We drew the winning ticket for the raffle! Sue Stevens of California City had the winning ticket...
-
Book Report [2021] --- Linda Adams
Romantic Heritage of Kern River Valley from Trail Blazer, Gold Seeker and Pioneer Settler to...
[AN HISTORIC] PRESS RELEASE
--- Dianna Anderson, Curator
For Immediate Release:
The Executive Board of the Kern River Valley Historical Society voted on March 14th [2020] to close the Museum and the Annex to the public. We have decided to take this step out of consideration for our docents—who are all in the highest risk group—and our community. This closure includes all activities, including field trips, membership meetings and education classes.
For the time being, we are closed until April 30th [2020]. Our Board will meet again on April 28th [2020] to reassess the situation and decide whether to continue the closure or to reopen.
In the meantime, the Curator and the Vice President in charge of museum maintenance will continue to work on much needed projects. To help with a small work party, call John Newman at (760) 549-3292.
Dianna
============================================
*** FOR ALL KERN RIVER VALLEY MUSEUM SUPPORTERS***
PLEASE SEE THE LETTER BELOW, WHICH YOUR MUSEUM RECEIVED FROM THE STATE LIBRARY OF CALIFORNIA IN SACRAMENTO
All KRV residents and Museum supporters
deserve to be very proud !
=====================================
California State Library
California History Room
June 17, 2019
Dear Ron Anderson,
Greetings from the California State Library. We are writing to express our heartfelt thanks for all of your hard work for California in general and for Kern County in particular. Without the efforts of organizations such as the Kern Valley Museum, local residents would lack a sense of community and shared past.
In the spirit of celebrating a job well done, we have selected Kern County as the California History Section’s County of the Month, featuring your organization in the accompanying documentation. This distinction highlights organizations involved in local cultural preservation and outreach, as well as the varied local history resources available to researchers at the State Library.
If you wish to see the documentation for these acknowledgements and others, it is available on this website: http://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/county-month/. Thank you again for all of your hard work.
Sincerely,
Elena Smith, Librarian
California History Room
California State Library
=======================================
Visit the Museum's Gift Shop for unique shopping. You won't see these treasures avaiilable anywhere else. More photos at the link at the top of page.
A tiny part of the Gift Shop's selections, which include books on the area, maps, western wear and accessories, hats of all kinds, exquisite handmade baskets, jewelry, survival kits in a sardine can, many more too numerous to list
2018 Whiskey Flat Parade
The Kern Valley Museum houses artifacts from prehistoric times to the present. We have a large geological and fossil exhibit, mining and ranching artifacts, an interactive history of the Edison hydroelectric plants, exhibits of the movie-making history of the area and construction of the Isabella Dam.
There are thousands of photographs of the early settlers, miners, cowboys and Indians.
Our wonderful back porch and yard are home for a 1925 Graham Truck, covered wagon and the Stagecoach John Wayne rode while filming scenes of “Stagecoach” in our Valley.
We also have a giant stamp mill used to render gold-bearing ore to powder, a working assay office, blacksmith shop and a restored and furnished 100 year old cabin.
In the 1850’s, Gold Fever gripped the nation. The Kern River Valley was part of the gold rush that spurred the westward migration of fortune seekers who became ranchers, farmers and merchants when the gold played out.
The Museum stands rich in history. Come and discover the treasures it holds!