Children's Museums

Placer County Museum

Name: Placer County Museum
Address: 101 Maple St, Auburn, CA 95603, Auburn, CA, US
Telephone: (530) 889-6500
Rating: 4.7

★★★★☆ 4.7 (214 reviews)

📍 101 Maple St, Auburn, CA 95603

📞 (530) 889-6500

🌐 www.placer.ca.gov/3392/The-Placer-County-Museum

Visit Website 📍 Get Directions

🕐 Hours

Monday	10 AM–4 PM
Tuesday	10 AM–4 PM
Wednesday	10 AM–4 PM
Thursday	10 AM–4 PM
Friday	10 AM–4 PM
Saturday	10 AM–4 PM
Sunday	10 AM–4 PM

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About Placer County Museum

Local artifacts in a historic courthouse. Museum in a courthouse exploring county history, with Native American artifacts & a gold collection. The museum houses an original Thomas Kinkade painting titled 'Auburn Centennial,' featuring work by the renowned 'Painter of Light'. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 214 visitors.

Quick Facts

Type: Natural History Museum
Location: Historic Courthouse, Old Town Auburn
Admission: Free
Hours: M-Sun 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Highlights: Placer County Gold collection, American Indian artifacts, Thomas Kinkade painting

💡 Did You Know?

⭐The museum houses an original Thomas Kinkade painting titled 'Auburn Centennial,' featuring work by the renowned 'Painter of Light'
⭐The Pate Collection of American Indian artifacts provides significant documentation of Nisenan inhabitants and Placer County's Native American heritage
⭐The museum operates as a free-admission institution housed in a historic courthouse building, making local and county history accessible to all ages
⭐Docent-led Old Town Walking Tours occur every Saturday at 10:00 am with a unique operational feature: tours are cancelled if temperature is forecast to exceed 80 degrees by 11:30 am
⭐The museum features a notable sheriff antique room and a preserved early medicinal soda machine among its historical collections

💬 What Visitors Say

🕐Take the docent-led Old Town Walking Tour on Saturday mornings at 10:00 am, but plan ahead during cooler months—tours are cancelled if temperatures are forecasted to exceed 80 degrees by 11:30 am. Spring and fall are ideal times.
💡Don't miss the sheriff antique room and the vintage medicinal soda machine—visitors consistently highlight these as unexpectedly cool exhibits that aren't always the first things mentioned in descriptions.
💬Budget 1-2 hours for the museum itself. It's a compact, well-curated space housed in a historic courthouse with preserved artifacts, making it manageable for families with young children without overwhelming them.
💬The museum is completely free admission and features knowledgeable staff who can provide detailed insights about exhibits. This is an excellent educational value—consider pairing it with the self-guided smartphone walking tour of Old Town Auburn for a comprehensive local history experience at no cost.
💡Bring kids to experience the local history exhibits and railroad construction video—visitors note the museum is family-friendly and the staff actively engages with children, making it an excellent introduction to regional history.