A very small, but wonderful exhibit/museum for local maritime history. It's free, but please leave…read moresome sort of donation as this is run by volunteers who are extremely friendly and so knowledgeable. We stopped by with our 3 kids (8, 5, and 2) and the gentleman working there gave us basically a VIP tour of all the exhibits. He was friendly with out kids, answering all of their questions and showing them all the little details of all the ships and exhibits we might have missed if we had walked through it on our own. It was just a lovely experience. Honestly, I just wish it was bigger so we could have spent some more time there. I really hope that they get enough donations over the years to expand. Even if it's slightly. This museum is such a hidden gem and if you have kids, you really should take them to see some important ships to the area's history.

Fantastic outdoor, free maritime museum. Free parking adjacent to the museum…read more The ships and submarines on display are fairly well kept with information about each. They have an outdoor kids area the kids are sure to love. Their indoor exhibit, although small, is also informative and fun for kids and adults. I highly recommend this museum for families and those interested in some maritime history.

Check site for open hours Bring Grandpa here with the kids…read moreand hear about... I enjoy these small local aircraft museums, there is nearly always a something that triggers a thought or memory. There are plenty of artifacts here to see and read about. Admission is $15 and more is always appreciated. Relying on donations and volunteers. Oh did I mention there is the Woodland car show here too, today a group of Corvettes stopped to show and tell. Cool Stuff. I sat outside and remembered several of the planes here as the plastic models..ha, I assembled and blew up. Check for special showings and other related events. Its a good inexpensive way to share a day and a story. Thanks to all...great show Foodguy, Martin

Wow this place was so cool! They have student discounts, military, and senior as well. Otherwise…read moreit's just $15/person and you see a lot. I posted some pics here because even though it's amazing, you'll still have to see it for yourself. So much history and wonderful volunteers who really know all about the museum.

My husband and I have been visiting Cambria once or twice a year for nearly 30 years. Not once…read morehave we been able to visit this Museum because, every time we go there, we are greeted with a sign on the closed door saying they are closed for one reason or another. We were in Cambria in April of 2021. I complained about this fact to my friend Diane who is a resident. She told me that the staffing problem had been resolved. I think she said they were replacing the wealthy volunteers who always had more important things to do with actual employees who would want to work in order to get paid. Yeah, right. In preparation for this visit, I went on-line and found that their hours are "Friday through Sunday 1-4 PM and Monday 10 AM - 1PM." So my husband and I drove into town and parked nearby. When he got to the closed front door, it said that they had closed in January due to COVID. (Two years in.) I get a lot of emails from the Cambria Historical Museum. They seem to open when a Local has a book signing or other event. But, boy oh boy, they are 'never' open to the public. Maybe if they'd open their danged doors consistently during posted hours, they'd earn enough money to keep their doors open. Maybe it's a Catch-22. I don't know but I do know that "they" (whoever is in charge) really should be ashamed at themselves for not making this Museum available to the public. Lest you suspect that I'm exaggerating, please notice that there are only two reviews. That is because the Museum IS NEVER OPEN!

If you're strolling around downtown Cambria, this is a fun little stopover. It's a pretty…read morehistorical structure, a fun little piece of history and yet another reason this downtown is so beautiful. We were first attracted to the expansive grounds where families were sitting on benches and enjoying a sprawling, well-maintained garden. I always love when a museum doubles as an open to all place to stroll and enjoy without some fee required. You'll find a plaque that gives you some history. turns out this was the Guthrie-Bianchini house, built way back in 1870, occupied many times over and then saved through the efforts of the locals. The structure itself is quite nice and matches the aesthetic of the other occupied houses and businesses around it. It's not much, but it is just another thing people might take for granted when exploring. Consider sitting on the museum grounds and having lunch while in the area.

A beautiful free and fun experience if spending the day in down town SLO…read more They had just enough exhibits and it was clean with great AC if it's warm out. We loved the Lake Valley creative video art by Rachel Rose. It has a beautiful touching story that all of us enjoyed.

SLO Museum of Art is a small museum in downtown San Luis Obispo on the west end of Mission Plaza…read more Although there are only a few exhibitions at a given time, they do exhibit well-known and worldly artists' conventional works as well as of the contemporary art movements of abstract art, minimalist art, pop art, and surrealist art. SLOMA organizes community events, has docent lead tours, and free art-making events for kids & families. Visit SLOMA on the first Friday of each month from 5-8 pm for exhibition openings, music, and wines provided by regional winery partners. Admission is free, yet a small donation is always appreciated. SLOMA is open to the public every day except Tuesday and Wednesday. If you're visiting San Luis Obispo, it's worth the time to stop in and see what the museum has on exhibition.

Great place, educational, worth the trip. I go every time I'm in town. And I spend a ton of money…read morein the gift shop because I want to support the museum. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and have fun doing it. Great for the whole family.

This nice little museum is located just south of the town inside the state park. It's situated on…read moretop of a hill overlooking the bay, so you get a very nice view of the bay and Morro Rock from inside the museum. The museum charges $3 admission and contains exhibits related to the ecosystem and wildlife of the bay and surrounding area. It's not an extensive museum so plan on approximately 30 minutes or so to see what they have inside. It's definitely worth the $3 to pay a visit inside. Parking is free in the adjacent lot.

nostalgic! I got such a feeling of being at my great grandparents home when I was little. This…read moreplace is big and has practically anything you would find from 1950s and before! You begin isn't artifacts from native Americans, then early beef ranchers, becoming the almond capital, various businesses from before the 1950s (like different variations of a dentist chair!) So many different rifles, taxidermy, service people outfits, types of horseless carriages, cars, barbed wire, an old printing press, blacksmith shop, movie cameras, and so much more! Even a toddler touch dramatic play area! This place is so well curated and the docents were so kind ! I can't believe we haven't been here before! I wish I had longer!

All the reviews are accurate. For such an unassuming exterior, the interior is a definite treasure…read moretrove of stuff. Of course, it is focused on Paso Robles history so it is really cool to learn about what got Paso Robles going. It has only been a wine town for the last 20 or so years but before that, it was known for hot springs. I came with my family and we got a kick out of all of it. There are so many recreations that truly help bring history to life. From the cars to the mini models of buildings back then, and the staff, you could spend a good afternoon just reading and learning all about the history of Paso Robles and what it was like to live in the early days. My personal favorite was the blacksmith, not for the history but the proportions. As for more practical bits to my review: There is a small parking lot with Pioneer park where you can park you car. No shade and it is narrow so be aware when you park there. They also have a small parking lot if I remember correctly but we ended up parking in Pioneer park since we got there before they opened. The entire property is dedicated to the museum so once you walk in the gates, you can start learning. It is also free admission so I am honestly amazed it is still going. Donate to help keep it going and maybe buy something from them! They also do have AC so if you want to escape the heat, go there. It is a big building so it did still get warm in 100 degree heat but it was much better than outside. I highly recommend stopping by since it is super fascinating. I sadly didn't take any pictures since I was so busy just learning about everything. So keep an eye out for that blacksmith! ;)

Very nice little aquarium. It's not the largest aquarium that you can go to but they have a decent…read morevariety of fish, starfish, sharks, and stingrays. The price of admission is also very reasonable. It's also nice to actually be able to touch some of the animals as well. There is also a nice little kids area on the second floor and the aquarium itself is very kid friendly. Definitely worth the stop if you're anywhere in the area. - Mr.Narrwahl

I was raised in this area and never went to the aquarium so I'm sure you can imagine how excited I…read morewas to take my toddler here for both of our first times visiting this place! The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable! They were so patient with my baby touching a starfish for the very first time. This place is special and I'm so glad we got to experience it together while visiting Avila beach.

Great experience...very friendly staff and inclusive environment. Highly recommend if you're in the…read morearea. We definitely plan on going back when we are!

The Paso Robles Children Museum is an awesome place to take kids, especially ages 2-8. My daughter…read morehad a blast and has been looking forward again. It's 2 floors and isn't the largest, but definitely can spend at least an hour in there! They even have an outdoor area. Awesome little kids museum!

We are members of the Exploration discovery center... Debbie and the staff work hard to provide a…read moregreat experience for the kids . My grandkid ask to go all the time .

We love coming to the Discovery Museum! It's always fun, engaging, and perfect for kids to explore…read moreand learn.