1 / 6
Location
Visitor tip
Start with the downstairs exhibits, particularly the 'Housing in the County' exhibit with its object theater showing great estates, pre-war, and post-war housing - visitors praise these as the most immersive and well-narrated exhibits in the museum.
Visitor tip
Don't miss the Native American exhibit and the roads/communication exhibit, which visitors highlight as particularly well-done for understanding local history. The beautiful stained glass dome and historic courthouse architecture are also worth appreciating during your visit.
Best time
Plan your visit for a drizzly day or before a movie/meal in the nearby downtown Redwood City area - the museum serves as an excellent indoor activity that pairs well with the local restaurant and shopping scene.
About San Mateo County History Museum
Hands-on exhibits in restored courthouse. Family-friendly, interactive exhibits devoted to local cultural heritage in a historic courthouse.
Quick Facts
- Type
- natural_history_museum
What visitors say
This is an excellent museum, but some exhibits are better than others. The overall goal is to explore the history and culture of the county, and this they do quite well, especially in the exhibits downstairs. The object theater in the…
Nice place to spend time before a movie or lunch. Love the stain glass dome of the building. Wish they had more photos of the Japanese internment camp. Since I have relatives that spent time in one during the war. But the exhibits on…
We love this building - an old courthouse converted as a museum. They do a good job of organizing artifacts and tell a coherent story of people and history of San Mateo County.
From 441 Google reviews
Did You Know?
- The museum is housed in a restored historic courthouse building, which is itself a major attraction featuring a stained glass dome and rotunda that visitors frequently mention
- The housing exhibit uses an 'object theater' with lighting, videos, and narration to tell the story of San Mateo County housing divided into three sections: great estates, pre-war housing, and post-war boom
- The museum features multiple hands-on interactive exhibits including a mud wagon experience, telegraph station, streetcar driving simulator, and 1800s gambling games
Other Children's Museums in Redwood City
More Family Fun Nearby
Other venues within driving distance:
Own this venue? Stand out from the competition.
Children's Museums listings that are Featured get seen first by thousands of families every month.
- Priority placement in search
- Photo gallery showcase
- Insider tips from visitors
- Highlighted in dedicated featured section