Cool 2-story museum in Tahoe City Passed through the town of Tahoe City many times but only this last time was when we actually took a moment to tour inside the museum, a small house right by the water of Lake Tahoe. Immediately, as you enter the museum is a small shop and this is also where you pay admission. Admission is $5 (take $1 off at Yelp check-in). The ground floor featured the Indian Basket Exhibit. These are Indian basket collection exhibits dedicated to the native peoples of western North America. These baskets were well crafted, detailed and are beautiful, after taking a few photos we entered the next room. The next room is actually a replica of the Gatekeepers cabin. It was recreated to have the same features as the cabin that was destroyed in the fire of 1980 and it is beautiful. Inside there are lots of different exhibits dedicated to the cabins history as well as the Tahoe region's history. There was also the Black Bear Exhibit. It featured the different bears of the area. Black bears can range from white (rare) to blue-black to brown. They can be six feet long and grow up to 600 pounds There is even a stuffed bear on display. There is a short educational film that you could also watch if you have time. We proceeded to head upstairs and there they had the 1960 Winter Olympic Display and Sierra Ski History exhibit. There were lots of artifacts and pictures telling the story of our wonderful ski history from ancient times to the present. It also had memorabilia from the 1960 Winter Olympics which was held nearby at Squaw Valley. It was cool to see especially seeing the old ski lift chair they had as well as the different skis used and how they evolved through time. Frankly, I'm not sure how they attached those early skis on to their snow boots without them coming off downhill at some point. The museum is open everyday from 10:00a-5:00p and parking is free. Outside is peaceful and there are some picnic tables scattered about. Enjoy a relaxing stroll under a woodsy area and check out the resident Canadian geese by the lake. You can also walk over to see the Lake Tahoe Dam from here. Review #1396 (17th business review) read more

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Liked it. Small but well done museum of Tahoe's abbreviated history over last couple hundred years. Especially liked the video presentation of movies made in Tahoe. $10 per adult admission. Free parking if you're not staying too long, across the street at the restaurant. read more

Gatekeepers Museum - Movies filmed in Tahoe. - Museums Near Me - Tahoe City, California

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We stopped off here for a restroom break. While they others were "taking care of business," I wandered around the area. Unfortunately, the museum was closed when we stopped by. But it was great to see the surrounding area. I'll have to check out the museum the next time I am here. read more

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Nice little museum w some Indian baskets from the past . Some local Tahoe history bits. Come by and support this place! read more

Very nice place to visit . Walking around the vicinity is free . I like that fact that my kids and I were able to enjoy the nature of Lake Tahoe . The small Dam on the website looks enormous and once you see it in person it's cute . read more

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My husband and I visited the Gatekeepers Museum thinking we were going to learn all about how the water is controlled around the Lake Tahoe area. However, due to the tremendous collection, artifacts and information at this Museum, we were delighted to learn quite a bit about the Washoe Native Americans who lived in this area for hundreds of years before the gold rush and white pioneers started to come. It was all very interesting and well displayed. We were impressed with how these people lived quite successfully off the land, intune with nature and it's seasons. The woven baskets display caused us to read and look in wonder at the artful talent it took so make such exact, beautiful, yet practical pieces of all sizes. Upstairs we enjoyed looking at the various maps showing the history of how terrirories became states. Also the photography was quite interesting. If I had only one constructive comment to offer, it would be that the staff in the entry store should be aware how much the building echos. Their conversation while we were trying to concentrate on what we were reading seemed loud and made it difficult to process the very information we desired to learn. read more

Update, just one day later! We came back after disappointment at finding the museum closed. Tahoe City had a certain draw that made us want to return, for this and other reasons. Glad we did. The museum was, oh joy, open. While there are two levels to this small museum, the downstairs displays are by far the most interesting, and thankfully accessible to all. They have a large room filled with fine baskets and Indian artifacts from tribes all over the western states. The basketry is stunning and each tribe contributes its own character, designs and colors, some incorporating beads or shells or feathers into their design. Below some of the display cabinets are drawers filled with more collections of tools, jewelry, etc. This is a wonderful experience. Thank You Marion Steinbeck for bequeathing this collection for posterity. The other section of the downstairs is dedicated in part to the mid 19th to 20th turn of the century pioneers to this area. While the collection is more sparse, the pictures and stories are interesting. There is a small library collection that is available for those doing research. Upstairs is all about the bears that inhabit(ed) this region. The kids will get a kick out of seeing a life sized stuffed black bear, and watch videos, including one of twin cubs having a 17 minute banter in the forest. The gift shop features some educational books, geodes, jewelry, kids' toys, etc. I loved the little fuzzy finger puppets (small critters and birds) I picked up there. The grounds surrounding this museum are great for a nice stroll and maybe a picnic. The view of the lake and Truckee River Dam make this a special place. read more

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The Gatekeeper's Museum located on the banks of the Truckee River where it exits Lake Tahoe. The museum is a fascinating look into the history of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Some of the exhibits were very compelling - I love history and learning about how things were back in days of ancient yore. A couple of the exhibits left me wanting a whole book on the subject at hand! Admission to the museum is $3.00 - and gets you into both the Gatekeeper's Museum and the Marion Steinbach Indian Basket Museum. There is also a gift shop - sells post cards, books, trinkets, and other stuff. read more

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We have been coming to the woodsy grounds around the Gatekeepers Museum for many years. But until this past October, we have never visited the museum. (Closed on several occasions.) So glad we finally had a chance to visit this small museum. Fee is reasonable: $5 and $4 for seniors. We first entered a room full of exquisitely woven Native American baskets. Piqued my interest to learn more. In an adjoining room, DH and I took time to read several very detailed posters about conservation/environmental issues of the Lake Tahoe area. We also enjoyed old photos, various memorabilia, and an informative 17-minute film about bears. Kids -- and even big kids -- will like the stuffed black bear. We opted out of the display on the history of the 1960 Olympics. Perhaps another time. Gatekeepers Museum gave us a better understanding of the history of the area. Glad we stopped by. read more

We visited here to learn more about the town itself. We met and talked to the lady who works at the front. She was very nice and knowledgeable. There is a $5 entrance fee. I believe there is a discount for military folks. We learned about the Native American baskets. They have a bear on exhibition. No, the bear is not alive. We watched a video about the formation of the lake. We heard several stories of how the lake was formed, so I am unsure which is true. They have ski equipment and artifacts on the 2nd floor. We learned about the gatekeeper who monitors the lake water level daily. I really enjoyed my visit here. Something out of the ordinary, but I highly recommend stopping by when in town. read more

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Visited the museum today. Beautiful! Friendly staff, wonderful exhibits. The Native American baskets are incredible! read more

Gatekeepers Museum - Native American basket exhibit - Museums Near Me - Tahoe City, California

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The museum was closed when we came on a Monday, but the grounds we toured around sure were nice. I'd come back with a big picnic basket! read more

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There are 2 places to see here. Admission is $5, $4 seniors, kids under 12 are free. #1: Gatekeepers Museum. Cabin that was made to resemble the original one from 1909. The Gatekeeper dude who controlled the flow of H2O into the Truckee River. Big serious business! Old historic items to look at. If your into Tahoe history you'll like this place! #2: Marion Steinbach Indian Basket Museum. 2-3 minute walk from cabin. Tons of baskets made by Native people from 1890's to 1940's. Other artifacts and jewlery too. There was a wedding the day we visited near the "backyard", if you will....so we couldn't go down far to see Cabin as it was roped off for the wedding. Flip flops are good, although ground is not level. Anyway, a great place to visit with kids and discover wonderful Tahoe history. Beautiful area to picnic. Water faucets. Tables surrounded by blooming columbine flowers of all colors! Limited free parking. read more

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Quaint museum of Tahoe yore. A nice exhibit of Indian baskets. Lovely grounds surround the museum and their is a spot where you can get married next to Lake Tahoe ad evidenced by the rose petals sprinkled on the path. You can walk across Lake Tahoe Dam right next to the museum. read more

This museum is small and has a little bit of everything. We enjoyed learning about bears and the hands on activities they offered were fun. They also had a nice section on basket making and history of baskets of the native people. Also a small section on the history of bikes. If you have an hour or two to kill and your interested in local history then this can be a fun and educational experience. read more

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If you want to see the Tahoe I had the chance to see growing up, go here. Right at Fanny Bridge and across the street from The Bridgetender. See how Tahoe matured, became over developed, and then started to recover. Tahoe isn't just the lake. It's the history of the Washo, the railroad, massive trout, elegant mining era SF millionaires (and billionaires), deep snow and the Olympics. It's right here. read more

While the content of the museum is interesting, this place falls flat as a museum, for a variety of reasons. -Only the first floor is handi-cap accessable. While the Marion Steinbeck Basket museum is on the first floor, you lose about 1/2 of the Gatekeeper's Museum. -There are no public restrooms. While this isn't an issue during the summer since there are bathrooms right outside, the outdoor facilities are maintained by the Park Dept, and closed during the winter. -The last time I was there, they had 'authentic' baskets for sale in the gift shop. One of two things was happening here, based on the care given to them: either the baskets are good reproductions being sold as authentic, or they're storing authentic (read: Old. Fragile. Valuable) baskets in direct sunlight, sometimes not even in cases. One of the baskets I chanced to pick up had a nice layer of dust going. So sad :( -The quality of the displays... would be very nice if I were visiting someone's home. I know it's a small museum based around the history of a small town, but I still expected better... at least add a little tape to your signs that are peeling, ya know? All in all, this place has serious potential. I'd very much like to come back again when it reaches it. read more

We pulled into this place on a whim with absolutely no information about it, just to be spontaneous. And I'm so glad we did! The gift shop was cute, and the lady working at it was super friendly. We were expecting to just look at baskets, and we were like, ok, w/e, sure, baskets... neat.... and paid the $5 without really thinking much of it What we DIDN'T know is that actually it's a really cute 2-story museum with tons of Tahoe love! They had info on the local wildlife, history, ecology, art, culture, and a ton of cool Olympics memorabilia! It's way more than they advertise, and well worth the price of admission. After the tour, we hung out on the grounds and admired the lake. It was super peaceful and pretty! We'd totally go again. read more

Our wedding at the Gatekeeper's Museum was perfect! The space was gorgeous and exactly what we were looking for - a beautiful setting, privacy, and value. Marnie was super helpful and quick to respond to emails and requests. Our deposit was also returned within a few weeks of our wedding. All our guests loved the space and were amazed by the fantastic views of Lake Tahoe! I would definitely get married there again! read more

Worth the stop. Wonderful native American basket collection, Olympic memorabilia, conservation info, and the lady that was working was lovely. read more

Great amount of historical items to do with Lake Tahoe, boating, casinos, and wildlife. Though not a huge museum you could spend an hour here if you go upstairs and watch the videos about the local black bear population. read more

Gatekeepers Museum - Museums Near Me - Tahoe City, California

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Fun to visit. The baskets were amazing. What was disappointing was the lack of information about the baskets. The other side was an early 1900s recount of the history of the area. I thought it was fun to go through but it was lacking a flow and organization. I love bears and the upstairs also just lacked information and there seemed to be plenty of space to add stuff. I would recommend a visit but not a great learning experience. I think with what they have with a bit more information and organization it could be a great experience! we'll return. read more

A very interesting place to go in the bustling tourist scene. The gatekeeper is a reconstruction of the original gatekeeper's cabin that was destroyed by arsonists. (What a same). Inside are lots of photos of early Tahoe life, a history of the Washoe people and much more. Take a break from the lake and stop here. read more

It's an ok museum. It is two levels but honestly the bear exhibit felt a bit lacking. You won't be missing anything if you can't manage the staircase. The bottom floor consists of a basket museum and a pioneer section. There's not a lot to it but if you're in the area, check it out. There's a nice view of the bay behind it and picnic tables and a bridge next door. read more

This a great place. Tahoe City is more to our liking than South Lake Tahoe. The Gatekeepers Museum a place to stopover, park, enjoy the area, see the stores, watch the caravan of chp/sheriff/rangers chase a white suburban running on its bare rims through town and hearing local shopkeepers say this is the most exciting thing they've seen, drop by the Safeway grab some brie and the locally made rosemary baguette, walk to the 1908 house, have a mini picnic, then walk around the beach and cove. read more

We were married at the Gatekeeper's on June 24th and we couldn't have been more happy with the site!! It was romantic, intimate, rustic, and dropped dead gorgeous..... rain or shine... :) It was the perfect place for us to start a new chapter in our lives, and an absolute dream come true! Thank you guys!! :) our wedding: http://blog.andrewjadephoto.com/2013/07/08/a-lake-tahoe-destination-wedding-travis-jenna/ read more