Really loved this museum. Great variety of art across different mediums and artists, and the staff…read morewas super friendly and helpful throughout. The museum itself is manageable in size, I got through the whole thing in a couple of hours which I actually appreciated. Not overwhelming, just right. My only gripe was that there were a lot of loud people while I was there. Conversations echoing through the rooms made it hard to really concentrate and take everything in. Wish the etiquette had been better enforced but that's more of a crowd thing than a museum thing. The gift shops though? Loved them. There's a bookstore, a library, a gift shop, and a cute little shop in the lobby and I could have spent way too much time and money in all of them. Would absolutely go back next time I'm in Reno.

I love First Thursdays with the girls! I love how they have different breweries around the city…read morehost the beer choices! Tonite it was Parlay 6 and Battle Born! Sometimes, I wish they change the music up with other local artists in our town. It's always great seeing friends there especially if you haven't seen them in along time! Tonite I got my friends to go look at some of the art exhibits and we went to my favorite one! See photos!

Today my husband and I returned to this museum after many years. We were so glad we did! It was…read moregreat before but now it is even better! First of all. The people who work there are very friendly and helpful. The price is reasonable, just ten dollars per person, the gift shop has a great selection, especially in relation to Nevada-related books, and lastly and most importantly, the variety of things you will see is just incredible! I loved the Under the Night Sky exhibit with the gorgeous basketry of Datsolalee and other amazing Paiute and Shoshone artists and artifacts from thousands of years ago. I was impressed with simulation of a real cave! Also, adored the recreation of a Nevada ghost town with Halloween theme since it's October! One of my favorite areas focused on the birds, wildlife and natural history of the state. I love this place and would definitely return. If you haven't been yet, I highly recommend it.

It's really interesting being at a place like this. My friend brought me here as he's a huge…read morehistory nut. I'm not, haha! So it's funny to come to a place like this, but, even if history doesn't interest me. It's still important, so I came along eagerly with him! The first part we walked through was all about the Indians and their history in Nevada. It talked about the different tribes there were, their locations and some of the artifacts they had and ways of life they had. Next we went to a "Basketry Gallery" which, as the name implies, shows a ton of baskets weaved a long time ago! A very small room, with only three display cases. But they had quite a few baskets each and little descriptions for them too. It was pretty cool. We also went to an area that was just a collection of different art pieces, small displays, and other things that were displayed all around. It seemed to be the "random stuff" part of the museum, which gives a lot to look at! We went upstairs and saw a bunch of rocks and minerals that are/have been found in our state. There was also a big skeleton of a mammoth up here as well. I'm not too sure why it's with all the rocks and minerals, but it looked cool nonetheless! We then went to another place where it showed some big displays of historic things! Stuff like a map of an old town, an old house interior, stuff you'd see inside a railroad, things like that. It was all pretty neat! There was even a small exhibit of old casino stuff. There was also a small bit about the history of the Mint Building. Which apparently is what this museum used to be! It was stuff that kinda went over my head, especially since it was a Lot of text and reading. But it was Very in depth! We went into a room full of a Lot of old guns, ammo, crossbows, and other things! It was pretty cool to see so many ancient type firearms! Then we went underground into the mine exhibit! It was really cool as it actually went underground and had lots of cool displays! Walking around on a minecart track too! It was really cool to see! It also looks like the mine exhibit has been expanded recently as my friend told me that some of the stuff here wasn't here the last time he was here like two years ago! So it's cool to hear that this is still being expanded! Then finally, we checked out the gift shop. Always a nice final stop to any trip like this one! I ended up picking up a little coin thing that says the museum on it as a little memorabilia! Overall, it was a Very pleasant and fun experience! 100% recommend for anyone who really loves history as it was insanely in depth with how much it has, and with the continued expansions it seems to have! Even if I'm not much of a history person myself, it was still very fun to see and explore!

My son really likes here, so I became a member of this museum. I can bring him back anytime. He…read moreespecially loves Truckee Connects area, he spend time for an hour easily. Also, we can bring a lunch and eat there, because there has microwave. It's so helpful. The staff are so kind. If you have some questions, you can ask them, and they'll teach you kindly!

This is a really well done children's museum. The water exhibit featuring sensory play and…read moreeducation about the water cycle of the Sierra Nevadas, lakes, river and system of dams was awesome. My boys loved the space exhibit and the builder workshop, the project that day was building flower boxes out of wood. Kids could use real tools and fill them with soil to take home.

It was a first time, but my son really liked here. Every toys are fun for him, educational, and…read moreencourages him to use his imagination and play. My only concern is some of parents were talking too much, and they didn't notice that their kids were fighting. But there is a great indoor area for kids on a rainy or windy day. And it was really convenient that there is a potty in the restroom. Also, staff was friendly and kind.

The staff was very helpful and talked to us about the area and what they had for the kids…read more They had Fishes, a Turtle, and Guinea Pigs in the front entrance, my child loved them. They have a small gift shop with a place to shif your our rocks, fossils and stones for only $5 which was very fun. They play areas were well maintained, and clean. The play structure with slide is definitely for older kids but everything else was easily playable by my 2 yr old. Thank you for a great visit!

The people here love what they do. They were excited to explain any object you had a question about…read morein the museum, true local historical enthusiasts. You can't get much for free entertainment nowadays, and this spot delivered an hour of educational entertainment. Make sure to purchase something at the front desk to help support their efforts.

We came by last Saturday to check out the  Western Days event at the History Museum Complex. It was…read morea cute mini festival with a few merchandise and food vendors, activities for kids, live music, and access to the Lake Tahoe History Museum and 1930's Log Cabin... all free of charge. It was cool seeing the horse drawn carriage rides happening throughout. And we purchased some sage, and bird whistles for the nieces and nephews back home. We even checked out the Tahoe Art League Gallery, which was right next to the History Museum, and they had some pretty impressive pieces. Event parking was unclear/nonexistent, even for such a small festival. Nothing too exciting, but if interested in seeing old artifacts (slot machine, S.S. Tahoe miniature, weapons, etc.) and learning about the history of Lake Tahoe, they cover it pretty well in the history museum, especially for such a small space.

This museum is a hidden gem. They're constantly bringing new and exciting exhibitions to our…read morecommunity, specifically those that are geared towards our elementary aged kiddos, which I sincerely appreciate. Most recently we visited Toytopia. This exhibit offers the chance to explore a hands-on history of toys from the past and into the future. My kids loved the oversized robotic claw, reminiscent of an amped up arcade machine. It was a blast trying to get the individually articulating fingers to close around the ball in order to lift it into the basket for the big reward. We also enjoyed the oversized battleship game. So fun to play and we spent 20-30 min there. Mr Potato Head was old school fun too. We made a competition out of it to see who could make the wackiest example. I think I won... or maybe my kids let me win. But the favorite had to be the mini arcade they had setup with some of the best old school cabinets. Donkey Kong, DK Jr., Dig Dug and so many more are all here as part of the exhibit and you could spend a long time here without realizing it! Oh and there's even a Zoltar fortune teller too! When you're done at toytopia you can go learn the history of Wilbur D May on the other side of the museum. I personally love exploring the artifacts and treasures he collected from his travels, especially the hunting and fishing trophies! All in all, a great little place to spend a

Wonderful experience for my family. Roaming around the gardens and taking a tour of the museum…read more Plenty of places for a picnic on the grounds. Just understand that May was a "big game" hunter when that was not frowned upon as it is now. Many of his "trophies" are found throughout the museum.

A treasure of rich history that dates to before Nevada was a state! There's drama and beauty…read morepreserved in this firehouse museum. Originally housed on the second floor of Station 1 on the corner of Musser and Curry, the concept was retained as the station was moved to Stewart Street, and a dedicated museum room now displays the memorabilia. "Fire trucks" from bygone ages are on static display and how lucky we are to see them in person and imagine the stories they could tell us. Each one of the vehicles is a literal work of art! A history of the Carson City Fire Department is available to read at Carson.org. Reading it can bring to life the photos and displays you'll see in the Museum. There is no charge for visiting the Museum. There is a donation box available. Parking is adjacent to the fire station. At the time of visit, there was a restroom available in the reception area of the station, near the entrance door to the museum. A few blocks away is the Warren Engine Company building at the corner of Musser and Curry Streets. Directly across from it is the site where Station 1 used to stand. History buffs and firefighting enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the CC Fire Museum!

Driving down Stewart Street we see a sign for Carson City Fire Museum…read more Let's stop and check it out. It may not look open, but check in with the receptionist and she will open the large one room museum for you. It houses original fire equipment, memorabilia, and a couple of engines. The history of Warren Engine Company No. 1 (WECO) is- it was organized on June 17, 1863, in Carson City. WECO is the oldest volunteer fire company west of the Mississippi River. And probably the oldest continuously operated fire company in the nation. The name comes from the Revolutionary War hero, General Warren. The original Hunneman hand pumper, two hose carts, and 300 feet of fire hose on display in the museum. In the late 1800's it was an honor to be a member of a fire company. There was a pride of being the first to get water on a fire. Today WECO is still an all-volunteer company that works beside other firefighters and paid personnel of the Carson City Fire Department. In 2023 WECO is celebrating 160 years of continuous service. Stop in for about an hour and check their history. The equipment is in beautiful condition and plaques are full of great information. It's free. Just park behind Carson City Number 1 station in the lot.

Great displays throughout...I visited for GHOSTBUSTERS DAY…read more Classic vehicles on display from every era of the Automobile!

I'm not into real old cars that look like they are from a gangster movie or Mary Poppins. But I…read morefound this museum well worthwhile especially considering the modest $16 entry fee in today's inflated price world. While most of the cars are in the 1900-1940 year range there's enough other variety to keep it from feeling monotonous (like a Porsche race car, NASCAR cars, jet car, a handful of interesting motorcycles, etc.) Imagining the man hours that went into building some of these intricate older cars is mind boggling. What I found most interesting was reading the couple of paragraphs on most of the plaques next to the cars. Just looking at the cars without reading the story behind them is a big mistake here. To go slowly through the entire place and read everything is probably a half day (4-hour) endeavor. So plan to devote at the absolute minimum 2 hours to your visit. The only downside is there isn't a cafe to have something to eat or drink. Hosting private events seems to be the focus here when it comes to food and beverage service. Still a must visit for anyone interested in cars or not.

The Nevada State Railroad Museum is located at 2180 South Carson Street, Carson City, NV. There are…read morealso several short train rides on vintage trains within the property. This is a great opportunity to actually ride on an old train! The museum has 65 Engines and cars. Forty of them were built before 1900. There are 35 Locomotives and cars from The Historic V-T Railroad (Virginia City & Truckee). There is a gift shop on the property. Here's some more information: *Phone: (775) 687-6953 *Open Thursday through Monday, 9:00am to 4:30pm *Closed Tuesday and Wednesday, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. *Visit The Nevada State Railroad Museum online for more info. https://www.carsonrailroadmuseum.org/#

While on a road trip hubby & I wanted to include Carson City as part of our itinerary…read more It's Nevada's state capital. Where to go? My sis & BIL, locals in Reno, suggested the railroad museum. We arrived promptly at 9am, and parked in the free lot. It's $10 admission fee into the museum No senior discount. Train ride is additional cost. We passed as the train goes around in a circle on property a few times. Most of the restored locomotives are local - the V&T aka Virginia & Truckee. Used primarily to haul silver & timber. Staffed mostly by volunteers. Hubby & BIL spent a great deal of time with a volunteer who took them behind the scenes. At least an hour. Sis & I waited in the front lobby where there was AC. Outdoor temperature in the high 90's. There's a small museum gift shop.

Dark Prison The Dark Prison haunt in Carson City, Nevada is…read morean exciting addition to the haunt scene. Installed in the Nevada State Prison which closed in 2012, the haunt used the history and setting to maximum effect. The starkness of the prison cells and hallways is a perfect setting. Enhanced with theatrical lighting, creepy actors and well timed jump scares, plus a friendly engaged staff, this haunt is a captured my attention. The haunt has three sections, each getting more intense and more actor interaction as you went. The cast was slightly understaffed the night I went but they utilized them most effectively. They played their roles with frightening conviction even through I walked passed a couple I didn't see. Make up and costuming was exceptional. I paid extra for the VIP package that included a visit backstage and we got to talk to the make up designer. Many of the masks, makeup designs and props are originals made in-house. I've seen so many off-the-shelf haunt products, it's nice to see original The tour also covers the history of the prison which was fascinating as this prison was actually built by inmates, was the first site for executions by gas chamber and lethal injection. The VIP package also included an exclusive VIP bar and a markup and oddities museum. I suggest a live CC camera view inside the haunt so we can scares from a different perspective. The haunt is run by the same group you ran Dark Corner in Reno in cooperation with the Nevada State Prison Historical Society. The mix of horror and history give the haunt a unique character and the reported paranormal activity adds to the dark aura surrounding the property. Located close to central Carson City, it's well worth the drive from Reno or Tahoe area, and if your big haunt or history fan, this is a must do!

The ghost tour was highly disorganized and the "investigation" portion was very disappointing. I…read moredon't think the people here have much knowledge of or experience with the location. It felt like one of those cheap US Ghost Adventures experiences. The location is amazing so hopefully it will turn around.