if youre thinking about going, or are passing through barstow - do it!!!! this museum is WAY larger…read morethan i expected and full of the largest, wildest collection of clown souvenirs and historical pieces that probably have ever existed. not only is everything so cool looking, but its super educational and feels like youre walking through something way more fun and exciting than your typical museum. also - the booking process is SO easy! although it says its "closed", just go to the website and send a quick text and steve will reply so quickly to schedule a time that works for you. thank you steve!!!!

From the owner: The California Clown Museum is the largest clown museum in the world. With pictures, paintings,…read moreantiques, porcelains, plates, tattoos, T-shirts, music boxes, plushies, toys, posters, jewelry, everything and anything with a clown on it. Unique beautiful works of art. A clown ally playground and clown car garage. There is the world history of clowns, rodeo clowns, famous clowns, harlequins, scary clowns, killer clowns, clown cars. You will learn everything about clowns. Great fun and educational for kids and adults with free tours, videos and performances.

This is a non profit museum. They have trains on the outside you can view 24/7. They are located in…read morean old Harvey House, next to a working train yard. Inside they have a variety of things relating to BNSF railways, along with a small gift shop. Manager Noah, is friendly & knowledgeable.

On a Sunday morning in November, this is where Huell Howser taped an episode on train depot. We…read moretook the bridge from Del Taco and recognize the train depot museum. We got there too early but able to look at different trains parked outside. So much history in this little town. This place is great for train enthusiasts and children.

Awesome place! This place is free to enter and has a lot of time capsule items. Prices are…read morereasonable and I would absolutely recommend checking this place out if you are in the area or passing through!

Great little museum. Right across the street from the Barstow Park. Really nice people in the…read morestore running the museum. I'm impressed as to the collection indoors and outdoors. Very educational. Really great little stop if you have young kids learning about Route 66.

My kids love this place! We decided to get a membership to make it worth it, since were locals. You…read morecan take your ticket total towards a membership if you purchase that same day. If you have EBT, WIC etc. you get in for $5/person so definitely would do that if you have it! I love how big it is, and that is has different buildings for different activities. They also have a nice outdoor picnic area that has benches to have lunch/snacks. Plenty of space for kids to run around (outside) and explore. If its your first time just know youll be there for a couple of hours. The only con I would say is they dont allow strollers inside the buildings (theres a parking area for them in the front if needed). So if you have a baby make sure to bring a baby carrier. I understand why they have that policy, but it just makes it a little hard for parents with small babies. P.S. make sure you say hi to their tortoises outside!

It was our First time back since they remodeled the place.... My 10 yr granddaughter and I decided…read moreit would a fun day for us to take the great grandson ....He is a very active 2yr old...... each room had things to capture his attention... he loved the little slide.... the ball with the air machine...lots of giggles and laughter... They could use a better WiFi system... we had a hard time getting signed in to complete the waivers.... We arrived early so plenty of parking...

This was our first time visiting this museum, and we had a great experience. We came specifically…read morebecause it participates in the Museums for All program, which made admission only $3 per person, such a great deal. They do close at 4:00 PM, which feels a little early, but the museum isn't very large, so you can comfortably experience a lot in a couple of hours, which is exactly what we did. We stopped here to wait out the rain on our way to Knott's Berry Farm, and it ended up being a perfect pit stop. There are so many hands-on activities for kids. One highlight was the theater and tech area, where kids can explore sound and camera equipment, that was especially cool. Another favorite was the live bee exhibit, where kids can put on a little bee keeper costume and go inside to learn about bees up close. Such a fun and unique experience! Overall, this was a really enjoyable visit, and we would definitely come back. It's a great stop if you're heading to Knott's, and with the Museums for All pricing, it's incredibly affordable. Highly recommend!

I went to the La Habra Children's Museum with my two sisters and my nephew, and we had such an…read moreamazing time! I took so many pictures because there were so many cute and fun moments. The dinosaur by the entrance was one of our favorites--my nephew loved it so much and was excited the whole time. One of the best parts was the stage and dress-up theater section. It was so engaging for the kids! They got to play, pretend, and really use their imagination. It was fun watching them interact, perform, and just be themselves. I also liked how social it was for children. Kids were playing together, sharing, and exploring as a group, which made the experience even better. It's not just fun, but also a great place for kids to build confidence and connect with others. Overall, such a fun and memorable day. Definitely a great spot for families with kids! Side not get camera ready! I took so many photos I only posted what I could for privacy reasons but such memorable experience!

Don't just make a Barstow stop on the way to Vegas to go to the restroom or to get fast food; check…read moreout the NASA Goldstone Visitor Center... 4 stars!!!! Learn all about the satellite ground station located in Fort Irwin, CA that tracks and communicates with interplanetary space missions at this visitor center. Located in the second floor of the historic Harvey House at the Barstow Amtrak Train Station, the visitor center offers interactive exhibits to learn how the Jet Propulsion Laboratory tracks and communicates with interplanetary spacecrafts. Not just kids, but also adults can find this center a worthwhile stop in Barstow. As a bonus, you can also learn about the historic Harvey House as well as visit the Western America Railroad Museum and the Route 66 "Mother Road" Museum, all during the same stop.

Wow I didn't think much of this place until I got home to read the brochures and went online…read more Goldstone is one of three complexes around the world known as the Deep Space Network (DSN) that provides the ability to communicate with spacecraft! This is on the top floor of the Amtrak train station in Barstow, Ca. There work is within the two-way robotic spacecraft communication and radio astronomy. The Goldstone Deep Space Network Visitor's Center is OPEN Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9am-3pm and Saturdays 10am-4pm with no cost to visit and no reservations required. They are closed on Federal Holidays. Historic Harvey House (Casa Del Desierto) 681 North First Avenue, Barstow, CA 92311 The main Harvey House entrance faces South toward the Railroad Tracks and this is located on the second floor. This is a road that is not traveled by much traffic.

Absolute gem nestled in a beautiful canyon. My boys loved the ball blaster, bottle launcher and…read morepulley system outside, great heavy work for high energy kids. Inside they loved climbing, crafting and sensory play. Very well done museum.

Free Parking, confusing at first as it's a shared lot for the park. There was a line upon arrival…read moreso you can actually buy tickets online and bypass the other line. The museum is both indoors and outdoors. There's several activities that are geared towards older kids such as sitting on seat and self-pull to go up. Or a tug a war type thing. The other outdoor activities are for all ages, they have areas where you can bang on stuff to hear the sounds. There's an indoor which I feel the younger ones loves such as the train table or the parachute. Overall there's activities for all ages. There was even a spot if someone wants to read and do storytime. Fun overall. It can get pricey. I'm not big on places charging adults as it truly is more for the kids.

Parking: very narrow lot entrance in the back…read more You have to enter thru the back where the parking is and not thru the front. There is a small desk with an iPad when you walk in and descend to the lower level. When there is no field trips this place is a great place to bring your kids. It is very quiet and not a lot of high stimulation toys. It is no pretend city but it has some interesting toys such as a beach and surfing installation and a camper van.

Best for toddlers. I brought my kindergarten aged kids and there wasn't a lot to do for them. They…read morestill enjoyed the imaginative play but for the price of the kids plus an adult ticket, it was too pricey for the experience. I wish parents had a lower price than the kids or better yet free especially since there isn't anything for adults. Great place for toddlers and families since it feels safe, has clean facilities, small communal snack break area with a handwashing sink and water fountain nearby.

The idea is nice, but for what they charged I expected much more maintenance and upkeep with the…read moremuseum itself. A lot of the structures feel dated, with old and broken toys. The lights are dim which makes the museum look even more dated. The place is also very small and only kept my child entertained for less than 30 minutes. There are many more kid indoor areas that are of similar concepts and much, much more worth the cost.

My kids and I had a playdate at the Chino Youth Museum to try to get out of the summer heat and it…read morewas totally worth it. We spent three hours here and I'm sure the kiddos would have been happier to stay longer. Price was great since we used a Groupon which you can find online. It was clean and the environment is calm. It was a mini city for the kids to explore (bank, fire truck, police motorcycle, a farm, a house). Staff were nice and the restrooms were clean! We will for sure be coming back!

Myself and my children aren't your normal Museum people. I usually don't care for museums but we…read moreall loved the Victor Valley Museum. The outside is very attractive. The decor on the hour side of the building drew me in. They even have a Joshua Tree in the very front. Pros: Lifelike replicas of animals found in the high desert A variety of things to explore: animals, cameras, geological artifacts, displays that can be touched, and information about prominent people in the community. They have a map table where the map consistently flips to show different things. The woman at the front was extremely friendly, helpful, and patient. There's a playroom (queue the parents with children across multiple age ranges). There's a scavenger hunt to keeps the kiddos interested and interacting. You can get reduced admission if you have an ebt card. Plenty of free parking. They have a well-kept, clean facility. They have a sheet with writing prompts near the end of the displays. Great for homeschooling and/or checking to see what your kiddos learned. Cons: I had to leave. They wouldn't let me stay overnight...just kidding! It may be far for you to drive to if you aren't local. In speaking with the woman at the front, she advised me that some displays change roughly every six months! It's awesome because they have wonderful displays.

Wonderful museum for families. With ebt card or wic card, it's a dollar entry and children under 3…read moreare free. The museum is split up into several topics. There is an animal exhibit, early years in the high desert, cowboys, the military and stones. They also have a small pretend city with a firestation, market and bistro. Theres costumes to play dress up and there's a magnetic wall to play on. Theres puzzles and books as well. The day we went, there was an event going on with vendors, food trucks and performances. It was great to learn about all kinds of things while also having a lot of playful fun.