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Coachella Valley History Museum

4.6 (28 reviews)
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Updated 2 months ago

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Classroom
Marisa M.

It was a nice experience and the guide explained things well. The day was fresh when we went and there's definitely something to learn here.

Native American artifacts
Perry C.

A delightful museum that is full of informative and well designed exhibits. Native American history, geology, farming, the cotton and date industries, black smithing, fabric spinning and weaving, an early school room, the water aqueduct, and more. It is not a big place, but it is chock full! We had a very friendly and knowledgable Docent who guided us through the museum and grounds. This is a must see place when visiting the Palm Springs and Coachella Valley area. I highly recommend it.

Gary I.

Coachella Valley History Museum is in the home of the Smileys, one of the first doctors to live in Indio which was founded as a convenient half way point between Los Angeles & Yuma, Arizona. It pays homage to the original Native American inhabitants displaying woven baskets. grinding stones, other artifacts. Our short coiffed, expert lady docent was well versed in relating to Cahuilla & old Indio prehistory. King Trapper John? was a Desert Cahuilla (kah wee yah) Native American who sports a top hat & US military jacket in a framed photograph. She explained that since President Lincoln wore a stove pipe hat, the King decided to distinguish himself as a cultured man of his tribe, and he wore an US officer's military jacket that was presented to him from the very person saved by the King. Colorful person that the King was, he liked to live alone & often went into the mountains coming back w/ gold to spend although he wisely never told anyone of the whereabouts of the precious metal. In the same room as the Cahuilla, the geography of the Coachella Valley back a few million years shows it once was under the sea as an extension of the Golfo de Cortes/Gulf of California. Perhaps as the San Andreas fault slowly slides open, the Coachella Valley may once again see some beach front property in a million years or so. For the rest of the tour, Ms. Koehler, from one of the early families in Indio, took it upon herself to highlight the rest of the museum. She took great pride in her family running a very successful feed & seed store, showing us a series of the photos depicting the store through the many decades. Also there are photos showing how the hot climate of the area was conducive to all kinds of produce since the rich soil was deposited by the meandering Colorado River. The 1965 exhibit of what was seen, heard, experienced in Indio is particularly of interest for Baby Boomers since it is the last year of that generation before Generation X came into play. Better hurry since it is scheduled to close by the end of May 2017. Ms. Koehler also took us to the Date Museum which is a rather elaborate history & glorification of that sweet, dulcet fruit from the arid yet aquifer rich areas of Northern Africa & the Middle East. Also there is a large two room school house w/ classic blackboard, chair-desks on wooden runners, school bell pull rope. She was so kind as to see us out at the front entrance. Great local museum w/ nostalgic idiosyncracies & interesting characters as well as depicting local color. But more importantly, the two lady docents made the CVHM come to life with stories to tell of this venerable city of Indio. I'm a fan, and will be back when the new exhibit replaces "Indio1965" 4 Yelp stars. AdChoices © 2017 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved

Date palm tree.
Tracey L.

This is a wonderful small local museum worth a visit. There are inside and outdoor exhibits. Date palm trees outside are labeled and varieties explained. One entire building is devoted to dates! Small admission charge. Bathrooms are open. Friendly staff and tours are available.

Entrance
Paul L.

I came here to see the desert submarine, a small metal shack with two beds. Used by railroad and construction crews before the age of air-conditioning, cooling of the interior was achieved by the constant evaporation of water-soaked burlap that covered the galvanized metal exterior. Supposedly, this cool concept lowered the temperature in the shack between 20-30 degrees. There's more to see at the Coachella Valley Museum and the volunteer guides provide a thorough overview as they take you from room to room of a former physician's home and through the exhibits outside. A renovated early schoolhouse (that also serves as a place for meetings) is part of the complex and a date museum will be a new addition in October. The kid in me hopes they think about constructing a working model of the desert submarine.

The Coachella Valley History Museum
Jim B.

The Coachella Valley History Museum is a delightful off the path treasure to discover in Indio. Plan to spend a couple of hours. Tours are given by knowledgeable docents. They have well preserved historic icons of the early history of the Coachella Valley. There is a historic date grove, and interesting artifacts from the Native American population, and the fascinating history of how the Salton Sea came to be. It's worth your while to stop by if you love learning about history.

A real Cork Tree
Paul F.

We were looking for something to do on a cool winter day in the Coachella Valley and had a great 2 hours! Call ahead and make sure you take a very knowledgeable tour with there host. The key things we took away from the visit was a greater understanding of the Salt and Sea and why we find seashells in the desert. You will find many items and interesting reading as you proceed through the old schoolhouse, the blacksmith house, the kitchen from the early 1900s. Thanks for a great time. It is not a glitzy modern place but has much character and ambiance of the time the museum represents.

Crystal S.

Soooooo beautiful and amazing. My daughter and her great grandmother and I were very fortunate to have had a tour by Carole who was the sweetest person we have met thus far in our trip to Indio

We totally enjoyed this little museum. The staff here are super knowledgeable and friendly. We arrived late, half an hour before closing on Sunday afternoon as we received incorrect business hours information. We learned that they won't open until Friday next if we missed Sunday tour, and they learned that we will leave town on Thursday, all three staff decided to stay late and open for us and toured us around the museum. It was a great experience that our kids enjoyed learning the history of Coachella valley. The lady at the store (forgot her name) even drew a map for directions to a local garden since I asked about where to get date.

Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit - the Bracero Program
Rosquete B.

Serendipity! We were looking for things to do in the Palm Springs area & read about a traveling Smithsonian exhibition about the Bracero Program. It is housed at the CVHM which is an unexpected treasure housing 3 sites. The Date Museum shares info about the date industry in Indio, the U.S. date capitol. There is also a great 1909 school house. The History Museum is a fantastic house that tells about the Cahuillas, etc. Docents,Bill & Kathy are fountains of knowledge Admission $10, senior $8 Facilities available for reunions, weddings, school trips

Glad I have curly hair.
Laurel M.

This museum is a perfect slice of Coachella Valley life in the early to mid-twentieth century. It's housed in adobe cottages, and the docents have done a nice job of documenting what life was like. There were wonderful examples of Native American baskets and mortars, a submarine shelter (ingenious idea!), and an excellent exhibit of influential and pioneering women who lived here. Grounds are peaceful and shady, and out back is some neat old stuff from around the area. Don't skip the Indio schoolhouse, it'll take you back! The Date Museum was okay.

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Sarah R.

We're so glad you enjoyed your visit!

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We're so happy to hear you had a great experience!

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9 years ago

Small museum but quite the find! Brings back some things from the gold ol olden days.

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Ask the Community - Coachella Valley History Museum

Is this free?

GENERAL ADMISSION PRICING is: Adult (Ages 18+) $10.00; Senior (Ages 62+) $8.00; Child (under 18) FREE; Military with valid ID FREE. Parking is free. Admission can be purchased at the Museum Gift Shop.… Read more

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Review Highlights - Coachella Valley History Museum

Walked around the outside and across the street to the date museum and the old schoolhouse.

Mentioned in 7 reviews

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Coachella Valley History Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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