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Location
Best time
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.
Visitor tip
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.
Visitor tip
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.
About Placer County Museum
Local artifacts in a historic courthouse. Museum in a courthouse exploring county history, with Native American artifacts & a gold collection.
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
What visitors say
Great little museum in a historic courthouse, about the history of Auburn and surroundings. Did wish there had been more about the Nisenan but informative displays about industry in the area. Loved the video about the construction of…
Placer County Museum is pretty epic. Honestly, I had a lot of well-preserved things about auburn and cool stuff.The older lady knew a lot about the museum she even suggested I work there. They have a whole sheriff antique room . And a…
Great docents lead us around thee galleries
From 214 Google reviews
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
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