This place blew me away. I had Rhanda (I think that's the spelling) as a guide and she was SO…read moreterrific. This is a historical landmark and she walked me through every room with great detail on the origin story and the rooms we were in. One of the best tour guides I've had. I have never experienced anything this - you have to really appreciate the amount of work, design and detail by Baldassare Forestiere - truly a feat! Very grateful the family makes this available for tours. Highly recommend if you appreciate gardening, architecture, art, engineering etc. They also did a great job of reminding me of my appointment and following up afterwards. If in Fresno area, this is a don't miss!!

My family along with our cousins and aunt decided to tour the Forestier Underground Gardens. It was…read moresuch a gem to visit. The gardens were built in an unexpected park of Fresno and these is a lot of history behind them. Parking was somewhat difficult but once you enter, the staff were very kind, organized, and positive. Our tour guide Raul was super sweet and provided a lot of history regarding the gardens and the family who built them. Raul had my 3 young boys engaged and interested. He answered all my questions and was so open to conversation. You could tell Raul was proud to be there telling all of us how the Gardens came to be. The Gardens are very interesting. I've never seen anything quite like these. The smell of all the citrus trees combine with the natural cooling underground was amazing and made the tour comfortable. If you have any time i do recommend visiting these secret gardens.

Fantastic place for the city of Hanford! From 1905 to now, we must preserve it! You should know…read morewhile other museums are dying our Hanford and surrounding area youth are enjoying it. Luckily the Pokemon group that uses it as a start point for their game are becoming members. Give it a looksie. Interesting items inside including articles from Amelia Earhart and the Mussel Slough Tragedy gunfight from 1880

This museum is the result of some people putting out the word to folks to bring in their treasures…read moreto preserve some local history. There is an odd, but lovely mix of things: antique medical equipment, a dress remade out of Amelia Earhart's dress, a fire-charred doll from the 1700s, a set of plastic California Raisins--circa 1986, old china, an impressive array of taxidermy. The "Hanford Horse", discovered during excavation at a construction site, gets prominent display downstairs. The building itself is interesting and appealing. Don't miss the huge hair wreath near the front door. It is made of (you guessed it!) human hair and was a wedding present long ago. If you're looking for some local color in Hanford, this is definitely worth a look.

We met family from Sacramento here today, we're from Bakersfield. We have never been here before…read more It was a great deal at $3/person, since it's the 1st sat of the month. We spent about 3 or so hours playing & exploring. It's really meant for younger ages,probably up until about 10-11. My son is going to be 11 next week & loved it because he loves dinosaurs, digging & science. Not sure i would go out of my way to go back, only because we don't live locally but if we lived in fresno I would consider getting a membership. They have a lot of great programs throughout the week which would be great for school field trips or homeschooling co-ops.

A wonderful place for kids with lots of different events that can cater to any of your kids'…read moreinterests! Got to volunteer at their Star Wars May the Fourth event and it was a great time!

First time here with the kiddos and their little cousins! They had a blast! And I'm just at awe…read moreevery corner I look and go to! Down to the restroom with the tiny tiny toilets for the littles! Lol! Love the fact there's kid friendly washing stations through the museum making it easy for the kids. The indoor treehouse has cameras on the outside so parents can keep an eye on the littles while they are in the treehouse which is awesome! The entire time we were there I saw workers tidy up and sanitize and clean the whole time so that is reassuring! Like the indoor didn't impress me enough.. when we went outside.. I was mind blown at how much is outside and how even cuter it is! They had balance bikes with helmet and a track for kiddos, fishing, building, learning to milk a cow, dinosaurs, farmers market, and so much more! Also, kid friend height table and benches perfect for snacking and breaks. Is to note there isn't any food or drinks available for purchase at the museum but we were able to bring our snacks. Price point was so affordable especially for the experience and what they offer for the kids. We will definitely recommend this place and would highly likely return!

Heard this is a great place for young kiddos, and boy that rumor was true! Our kids loved it! Our…read morekids were entertained the whole time. Loved all the hands on activities. Everything from a fish aquarium, to a fire truck, slides , kitchen, and more. Could have spent the day here , if they were open longer. They have an outdoor area, however was closed due to the rain. Will be back to check it out though. Only open to the public four days a week, other days closed for field trips. Can be pricey $15 for kids one and up and $10 per adult; $7.50 for seniors. Can add up quickly for large families.

Beautiful little place in downtown Hanford! My son goes to music therapy there. Love the garden and…read morecharming atmosphere.

Very cute place. I enjoyed this stop. The kids had a lot of fun running around and visiting the…read moredifferent storybook homes. They also enjoyed going in the water. I didn't bring swimsuits so I let them swim in their underwear. The kids loved it.

The Lord told me about this place in a dream, and the upstairs is a temple. I been here 3x first 2…read moreI came it was closed but the third time I came they were open however to visit the temple upstairs you will need appointment in advance. I pray that this place will be preserved forever in Jesus name because the spirit of the LORD dwells here.

Much history here in China Alley. I used tio come here as a kid with my parents. They just…read morerecently had a fire in one of the buildings bt had minimal damage than goodness. But as I figured Id be there when the doors were closed. I strolled through and took some pics. It was fun.

Such I neat museum! So many things to see. The docent is very nice as well. Enjoyed this and the…read moregas station museum as well

I hit the jackpot one evening with being directed to this museum while traveling through Coalinga…read more My luck held when Tim, a descendent of one of the original European families to settle in the area, showed up to give me a tour. Decades of civic pride and love have gone into creating and maintaining this fabulous collection.

I didn't visit this museum this time around, but did watch my nephew and niece in a play version…read moreof, The Wizard of OZ. The theater here is on the smaller side, but is perfect for kid plays and other local theater shows. To help fill the space on stage, they have an LED screen that allows any color, theme, or design to be added and enhance the physical props on the stage. The audio kept popping, not if that's because of the kids touching mics, but was a little distracting. I loved the real fire balls they shot up from the stage whenever the wicked witch arrived along with the subtle fog and light elements. The only available parking is street parking and it's metered. So get here earlier to snag a spot close to the venue.

Great museum. A must for everyone to see!!! So many great displays of the history of all our past…read morewars. Everyone will be overwhelmed.

This was a very interesting place. It's nice someone cared enough to preserve it for future…read moregenerations. It's good to embrace history and this museum is full of that. Our tour guide was new and a little vague on some points of interest but that really didn't bother me. It has a cute little gift shop and tours are by donation so don't cheap out when you visit. What's a few dollars to walk back in time.

This museum is amazing. Tucked away in the historic China Alley, it is a solid presentation of…read morewhat life was like for the Chinese immigrants who lived in that time. Starting out on the farms and railroads to running local herb shops, groceries, and laundromats - not to mention the gambling halls - the Chinese fully took advantage of the limited employment opportunities available to them, a characteristic of the segregated and exclusionary practices minorities faced at those times. The Chinese were pivotal in the success of the Central Valley towns during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Debbie and Larry, the docents, have a wealth of information to share and I couldn't have asked for a better tour! The museum, the temple upstairs, and the China Alley itself. On top of that, because I wasn't able to make it to the museum during normal opening hours (one saturday each month), they accommodated me with a private tour - all I had to do was call in advance! As far as I'm aware, the tours are free, but a donation is highly suggested. This is crucial history and every effort to preserve it needs to be made.

The art itself is absolutely five stars--beautiful, thoughtful, and well curated. Unfortunately,…read moreour experience with the staff completely overshadowed the visit. We came with our kids, including my 10-year-old daughter, who is an artist and was genuinely excited to be there. Instead of feeling welcomed, we were treated like our presence was a nuisance. The staff was extremely strict and repeatedly barked orders at us, with very little customer service or warmth. In one area that had children's blocks, our kids were playing and got a little loud. Wanting to be considerate, my husband closed the door so they wouldn't disturb others. There were no signs anywhere saying the door couldn't be closed. A staff member then came in, visibly upset, and yelled at us--again, with no clear explanation or signage to justify the reaction. Later in the gift shop, another staff member sharply reprimanded my kids for leaning on the glass. Once again, no signs were posted, and the tone was unnecessarily harsh. None of this felt kid-friendly or welcoming. It's unfortunate, because the art and the artists deserve better representation. The staff's behavior made it hard to enjoy the exhibits at all, and it completely turned us off from what could have been a great family experience. We had even considered a membership, but after being treated this way, we will not be returning. The art is wonderful. The customer service is not. ### In response to the owner's reply: your response reinforces exactly why we will not be returning. Your tone comes across as condescending and punitive, with the majority of your response focused on what we supposedly did wrong rather than how your staff handled the situation. Saying you will "talk to your staff" reads like an afterthought when roughly 90% of your response places blame on us. We are fully aware that this is not a children's museum or an interactive museum. The fact that you felt the need to explain this only adds to the condescension. Our children were respectful, quiet, and well-behaved. They were not running, not acting out, and not treating the space inappropriately. In the designated children's area, their voices briefly rose while playing together. Out of courtesy to other guests, my husband closed the door--unaware it was not meant to be closed or that it locks automatically, as there was no signage indicating this. The staff's response was unnecessarily aggressive. You offer a family pass, which implies families are welcome. A family-friendly environment should not make parents and children feel like a nuisance. Because of both the original experience and the tone of your response, I am updating my review from two stars to one star.

This is a great way to spend half a day in Fresno, especially if it's a cold or rainy day. I have…read morecome here twice on their FREE days, which are every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. Their exhibits change periodically, so if you wait a few months to go again there is usually something new to see. The staff is very welcoming and kind. Right now they have a kid exhibit which is cute, they had some art by Diego Rivera. They have a very interesting cemetery piece. I think my fave was The fruit of life and The contemporary art exhibit, using stones from Zimbabwe (I can't remember the name). They have an outdoor area where you can sit under trees and they also have sculptures out there as well. They also have a great little gift shop! Definitely check it out and support Fresno's Art museum. Afterwards you can go to lunch at Sam's Italian deli across the street or Thai Phucket near by!