Something about being at an art museum always fills my soul, and the Palm Springs Art Museum did…read morejust that. We got lucky and came on a Thursday night when the street market was happening and admission was free. It was packed in the best way -- it felt like a community event inside the museum. The space has three floors to explore plus a gift shop with actually cool items (not the usual logo magnets your grandma collects). We ended up buying a beautiful ceramic vase for a surprisingly reasonable price, especially for a museum shop. The art itself was beautiful, with a mix of everything -- photography (my favorite medium), sculptures, ceramics, paintings, and more. I loved how many pieces represented the LGBTQ community and people of color. The stories behind the work were inspiring, and it felt good supporting a museum that prioritizes diversity. And as always, one of my favorite parts of visiting any museum is the building itself. This one is stunning -- natural, open, and thoughtfully designed. Definitely on my list of must‑do activities in Palm Springs.

It's $25 per person but if you have an account with Bank of America, the entrance fee is waived. At…read moreleast that was the case when we were there. Our friend was lucky enough to be able to take advantage of that. Love going to the art museums! This is a small museum but enough to see to spend a couple of hours here out of the heat. Wish we had the foresight to come at the right time to join their docent led tours. The museum was not crowded or busy when we were there on a Saturday. There were many cool contemporary art pieces. We forgot about the sculpture garden until after we had left and we were walking to our car. It can be seen from outside looking down into the garden. We'll have to remember to do that next time we're there again. Lots of free parking spaces in the lot next to and across from the museum.

My wife and I were spending the weekend with my parents in La Quinta. They took us here for a…read morevisit and to be fun touristy. All in all, its a beautifully put together historical account of the native peoples in the area, their struggle, their acheivements. Everyone in there is simply polite. The museum is put together very elegantly. Its a diamond in the rough in that area. The presentations, information, and displays were so artfully presented. I would say, if you are in the area, then pay this gem a visit.

Beautifully laid out, reverent museum. Interpretation done masterfully and artifacts were laid out…read moreclearly. The Section 14 exhibit moved me to tears. Inexpensive to visit and truly a gem of a quick or long stop in Palm Springs.

What a great little space, packed with information, well curated, knowledgeable and friendly staff…read more Highly recommended!

A small museum housed in a rustic 1930s-era cabin filled with historical artifacts, photographs,…read moreand relics from the Idyllwild and San Jacinto Mountain communities. Open from Friday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Free admission, but donations are welcome. A worthwhile quick stop to learn about the area's history.

For my Mom's 82nd birthday, she requested to come here, as she had read about finding prehistoric…read morebones here years ago and subsequent museum being built, but had never made it to visit. She was quite happy about finally seeing the museum! Located on a school campus, the museum sits back a ways from the parking lot across a courtyard from the school building. Parking and walkways are shared between visitors and students alike. The museum is bright and airy, having a nice flow from room to room, through timeline to timeline. The displays are beautifully constructed with thorough yet engaging text to explain each finding or display. The exhibit rooms are large enough to give that gasp that comes with being in the presence of creatures of such size, but cozy enough to linger and read without being overwhelmed. There are hands-on activities for youths and those young at heart, a children's play and explore area, and a theater/presentation area. We really enjoyed the presentation that brought the area to "life" through a realistic, animated depiction. We sat on molded rocks, which was fun. When students came, they sat on the floor. It was cool and quiet. The bathrooms were clean and easily accessible. There's a small gift shop with some eye catching toys, jewelry, snacks, etc.

Great walk through museum…read more Make sure to get a few pages and crayons to color in the scavenger hunt. They have a mastodon and a mammoth. Never knew the difference until my visit. Check out the most complete giant sloth and juvenile mammoth I've seen.

We planned to stop by on our way back home after visiting the Joshua Tree area. As we had both of…read moreour girls with us and I knew they would love this place. Upon entering we were greeted by Ricardo's daughter and asked to donate $10.00 for each person. Then we were directed to pick out a small souvenir to take home! I chose a cute/happy ant presenting a beautiful flower. There is ample parking out front; it is a dirt lot. Restrooms are available if needed and are kept very clean. The self walking tour covers quite a large area and winds around back to the front. I really enjoyed viewing all of the different animal & character sculptures big and small. Afterwards we chatted with Ricardo and pet his very sweet doggie. We thanked him for our beautiful souvenirs and continued the long drive home.

This place is so cool! I drove past this place on my way to Idyllwild from San Diego and decided to…read morestop and go visit. It is a big piece of land with metal sculptures on it made by this man and a few others. You have to park in the dirt lot outside the fence, then walk in and pay $10 per person. There were sculptures of all kinds of animals, people, bugs, aliens, Marvel characters, and more! On your way out, you can take a tiny sculpture souvenir of an ant or ladybug. Make sure to donate if you can! These guys have to make money somehow! And they DO have Bathrooms here!!

Galetta Meadows was one of the most unexpected art experiences I've ever had. It's pretty magical…read more You're basically driving through the desert and you suddenly come face to face with a 350 foot serpent or a herd of wild horses, mammoths, scorpions and on and on and on. The massive metal sculptures are scattered across the desert landscape in the area and are free to explore. It's almost like a treasure hunt. You drive from installation to installation looking for silhouettes in the distance hoping to see more. At one of our first stops, I met a couple of gentlemen who were working on a comic book inspired by the sculptures. They were taking photographs and had lots of information so it was really helpful. All that being said, I did have a particularly terrible experience that was exclusive to me and has nothing to do with the installations themselves, so I'm not reflecting it in the rating. However, it's a good cautionary tale for anyone reading these reviews. There are signs everywhere that tell you where you can and cannot drive and I was in a particularly large vehicle headed down a one-way stretch of road that had signs along the side that said not to pull off. There was a four-wheel drive vehicle coming towards me and my husband commented that it had appeared as if they almost didn't make it across a dip in the road. When they approached our car, they motioned to me to roll the window down and the driver proceeded to tell me that there was no way that my car was going to make it through. He confirmed that he almost did not make it himself and told me that I would need to turn around. Unfortunately, when I tried to do that, I got stuck in the sand. It was terrible and I felt like an idiot. I tried to dig myself out but my car was just too big and didn't have four-wheel drive. It's hot in the desert so after about a half an hour I called for a tow to pull me back the 30 ft to the main road. They wanted me to wait 3 hours and said it would be $2,500 to send someone out. So yeah, it was easily the worst experience of my trip and embarrassing to write about, but hopefully someone else can learn from my mistakes. Watch the signs, follow the designated paths, respect the terrain and if you have any doubt at all, just walk. That said, don't let my misadventure scare you away. Just be cautious and you'll have an incredible time driving around the desert. Looking at these enormous works of art against the red clay and blue sky is just as unforgettable as getting stuck in the sand.

A must-see if you're in the area. The artist, Ricardo Breceda, was commissioned to create these…read morestatues in situ. Admission is free and each set of sculptures are located in different areas. A map is available on line to make sure you don't miss any! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190910471684613837/ The serpent is probably the most famous sculpture (and rightly so) but the others are also amazing in their detail. Truly unique works of art and 100% free!

I've been going to the main museum and didn't know about the architecture building that they…read moreacquired in 2015. They currently exhibit early women entrepreneurs and developers. The building is mid century with terrazzo floors and detailed outside shutters. The gift shop includes the original bank vault. I saw some items that I didn't see in the main museum shop. In January 2026, they'll have an exhibit about fashion design and runways.

Very expensive will wait to explore the place another time. The person that answered the phone was…read morenot very cordial. Still I would love to visit here. Looks great from the outside but not much to do inside. I asked questions over the phone but the nasty man put me at bay and I said not today!

Ramona Bowl 100 yr anniversary performance - Outdoor $27 per…read moreadult $5 parking Food is a bit pricey unless you go for the BBQ Good for kids and families, only available during the weekend before the end of May

My family and I attended the opening performance of the historic play, Ramona yesterday afternoon…read more They bragged a great deal about a new director they have employed for this season, but we believe he didn't do the show or the tradition any favors. Rather than the historically accurate and moving drama of the past, the new director seems to have changed the act into one heavily permeated with frivolity and foolishness. There was a great deal of what he called native dancing that was nothing more than many kids simply kicking their feet in the air. And the girl they have playing Ramona this season does not sing well yet they had her struggling to carry a tune more than once. The show was lightly attended, and I doubt that it will do much better for the few performances remaining.

What a cool experience walking through this air museum and seeing planes from different eras,…read moreincluding a stealth bomber, with the kids. It's both fun and educational, and there is a lot to take in. My one tip is to give yourself plenty of time to explore. We showed up about an hour before closing and easily could have spent a few more hours walking around, taking photos, and learning the history. We had a great time and it definitely gives us a reason to come back.

I really don't know much about planes, but I truly enjoyed my time at the Palm Springs Air Museum…read more We had dropped by for an event, and were lucky enough to look around beforehand. I believe it's $25 a person, but it's so worth it. To start, everyone working here is extremely kind and passionate about what they do. We were greeted with big smiles and directions telling us where we'd want to start off. The museum itself is amazing. There is so much history here and it's amazing to think about what these aircraft's were apart of prior to their retirement. I think you could easily spend a few hours here! We will definitely be back, if you're in the area be sure to check this place out!

Everything says open but it's closed permanently!! Cost me an hour and a half of driving to here…read moreand back. So disappointing!

I recently visited the Museum of Ancient Wonders (on a trip to Palm Springs) and was highly…read moreimpressed with its impeccable organization and compelling thematic connections between exhibits. The curator's presentations conveyed the mission of the exhibitions, including a commendable effort to educate the public on evolution amid the resurgence of creationism. Each exhibit, such as "BEHIND THE MASK," "PALEO," "ALL UNDER HEAVEN," and "STARSCAPE," offered a captivating journey into different realms of human history and natural wonders, creating a cohesive and enriching experience for visitors. Overall, the Museum of Ancient Wonders is a gem for those seeking an intellectually stimulating and visually captivating exploration of our world's rich history. Also--tickets are already inexpensive, but there is a discount for students, which is really nice!