This museum is so neat! The docents (who are all volunteers btw!) are knowledgeable and funny, and…read morethey kept my Girl Scouts' interest with no issue. The exhibits are beautiful and interesting, and there are interactive elements to some displays. I was stunned by the Yokuts display, which had a full replica of a traditional Yokut home. An extraordinary, nearly-complete fossil found locally is on display. The bottom floor also has a fun exploratory area for kids! It's great! Highly recommend this museum to all ages.

Great idea and lots of wonderful information. The pros is the cost is affordable for family. Lots…read moreto discover on 2 floors. The cons it can use a deep cleaning and new display ideas.

A MUST-SEE! If you're in Bakersfield, you love architecture, and appreciate the growth of a city,…read moreyou need to see the Kern County Museum. The best introduction to a region is learning of its history. I stopped by as I told my Mom this is a highly-rated experience and gem of the community! Turns out, it is. Kern County Museum is an immersive outdoor experience set up as a community or town where you go from houses to buildings to barns, exploring what life was like when people lived in the olden days. We spotted a hotel, doctor's office, schools, courthouse, and so many more buildings. All the structures are well-maintained and have descriptions in front of them. You're even allowed to go in some of the buildings! My favorite was a the spooky Mason Lodge! We spent a while enjoying the stories and significance of these locations which led to the development of a well-known Central California city! Kern County Museum even has a research center, mini art gallery, and children's discovery center. The facilities are clean and well-kept. There's an indoor section to the museum with background on Native American and war-time culture in Kern. My Mom and I came during a week day, we saw several parents bring their children to explore the museum. There's plenty of parking and room to move around. As an educator, i highly recommend checking this out! It's also perfect for field trips!

Spring time and fall is the best time to visit kern county museum. It's almost all outdoors so it's…read moreimportant to have good weather. It is THE PLACE to learn about kern county and bakersfield history. I love coming here and learning new things every time. Not all the exhibits are open each time so it's a little hit or miss but fun to try exhibits when they are open. The country music scene exhibit is really cool and makes you proud of the bakersfield sound and the vehicles exhibit was awesome for any car/wagon lover. I was impressed with the amount of historical vehicles. Then we also love the Lori Brock museum which is perfect for little kids to enjoy the arts/crafts area and make believe area and a small outdoor play ground. It's one of our favorite local activities!

The Bakersfield Museum of Art celebrating its 70th Anniversary was truly such an honor to attend;…read moreand what an unforgettable evening it turned out to be. From the moment you step inside, the space feels like pure magic: vibrant, lively, and brimming with creativity in every corner. The evening unfolded beautifully with a delicious dinner catered by Bord A Petite, an open bar flowing with ease, and a thoughtfully curated silent auction featuring artwork selected by curator of exhibitions and collections Victor Gonzales alongside executive director and chief curator Gilbert Vicario. And the décor? Absolutely dreamy. Thousands of balloons were transformed into whimsical sea creatures all floating jellyfish and playful octopuses that created an enchanting, underwater fantasy throughout the space. I was so wrapped up in the moment: laughing, exploring, and enjoying the evening with my sister and her friends that I barely took any photos of the artwork itself... which just means you'll have to experience it firsthand.

We are members so we love the bakersfield museum of art!!!…read more We most recently went on a Wednesday after having lunch at centro Cali brewery around the corner. It was lovely to be one of the only few people in the museum. They always have great bakersfield and kern county focused exhibits. This time we saw bakersfield standards exhibit which was such a lovely look at all the things that make the valley and its history and culture unique. It made me proud to be a valley girl.

A free air museum run by volunteers! How cool is this?…read more Small - we saw everything in an hour, and were given a personal tour by one of the members. A fun stop to stretch your legs and break the monotony of an I-5 road trip!

This is a fun little air museum just outside Bakersfield that packs in a lot!…read more Clean and well kept. Docents are full of knowledge and stories. Lots to look at making it an enjoyable experience! They host a few annual events as well, one notable one is Santa's fly in where the kids get to meet Santa. Give it a visit and you won't be disappointed.

I came here for an event today so really my review is tailored more towards the events that Casa is…read moreholding but also to acknowledge the fabulous grounds and building though I admit I don't have full context for the history or background. I would definitely come back here to learn about the house and to take the guided tour. This wasn't the purpose for me coming today but the gentleman who works here noted that it's a great tour and I know friends who have enjoyed learning about the family and the history of the house, getting a deeper dive of information. I came here with some friends for their first hosted event Sound Bath. A wellness day if you will. From start to finish everything was very organized and thoughtful. The staff hosting the event and the spiritual wellness guide and sound healer was wonderful. Everyone was nice and you felt welcomed. Not pretentious and just very positive and good vibes. We had a nice group and everyone was respectful and on time for the sound bath so it went off without issue. It was a relaxing experience and the grounds were very nice to hold this outdoor event. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, we found an area with shade, very nice. Very faint sounds of cars in the distance here and there which wasn't ideal but out of their control and once things settled in you really couldn't hear much external noise. After the relaxing sound bath we were offered tea and light pastry snacks. I opted for a water and began exploring the grounds instead of partaking in the refreshments. The grounds are lush and lovely, very zen. Loved the beautiful trees and walkways with small fountains and running water. It was green and pretty all around from the recent rains. Definitely a great location for events and to learn a little SB history. I will definitely do my research and come back again soon.

Yikes, this is an expensive tour but it is a rarity to see a period house with most of the original…read moreoccupants furnishings etc. The tours are docent led and very informative. If you like these types of tours, this one is quite worth it.

This was a great place with a bunch of history. Everyone there was so nice and they were very…read moreknowledgeable. Not just about trains, lots of history of Shafter and the area. My family loved the place.

This is not a big museum. But us is run by some nice people who have collected and displayed lots…read moreof Shafter memorabilia. I think you have to have some connection to Shafter to appreciate the place. The museum traces the agriculture beginnings, the first churches, school history and my favorite a display dedicated to General Shafter who the town is named after. Farming in Shafter is hot dirty and dusty work and kinda of a gamble if the crops don't sale. I am so glad there is a place for the farmer and early citizens effort to make a living here recognized. While Shafter is not the potato or cotton producer is once was those potatoes were 5 -stars. I deliberately did not mention water issues it is controversial in this state. This place has very limited hours.

Taft, California…read more This museum/plantation is one of a kind. I have never been to any type of museum catered to petro. The equipment and the sizes are jaw dropping. They have a gigantic oil drilling rig in the middle of the park... It was surreal to see how this old school mechanism worked w/ the plethora of pullies made from wood and rubber. Access/Roads: A Paved. Parking: B Plenty on dirt. Distance: C Appx 120 miles north of DTLA. Appx 40 miles southwest of bakersfield. Costs: A Free Nearby Attractions: Jack dilly squat. hmm. there's some dirt everywhere. Conclusion: A This is one of my favorite museums between LA and SF. It's a must for anyone who cares about these things. No one cares for Taft or the nearby region, and there is no reason too except to visit this museum or visit the nearby prison. Safe travelings. IG @cigarcpa.

This museum totally, totally rocks. A museum, in an ideal word, guides you to another plane or…read moresphere or alternate universe. It transforms, transfigures, transports. It blows your mind and tells you a story in the process. Thanks to our incredible 93-year-old volunteer docent Pauleen and museum staff Agnes and Esther, our minds were officially blown. WKOM provides incredible docents and volunteers who are locals and know the history of the area intimately . What an experience to hear about growing up in a tent house next to an oil rig, dealing with gushers that spewed oil for miles, the positive impact of the oil industry on the area! We came here expecting to spend about an hour, max, but thanks to the incredible volunteers, spent over three hours touring the museum and visiting the gift shop. Now, before people start to message me because they are totally pissed off because "Oil kills" etc., let me tell you that I agree. I recycle. I try to economize on my trips to save gas. I believe in preserving the environment. But history rocks, too.. And when you are presented with a museum of this caliber, created and maintained totally and 100% by volunteers, it is a reminder that the power of community is also something worth preserving. Thank you, all, for an incredible journey back in time.