Five Stars -- A Must‑See Hidden Gem in Southwest Idaho!…read more Looking for family‑friendly attractions near Boise, an Idaho history museum, or roadside Americana along Highway 78? Lawson's Emu‑Z‑Um checks every box. With guided tours, photo‑worthy sets, and genuine Idaho heritage, it's a perfect day‑trip destination for history buffs, homeschool groups, church groups, RV travelers, and curious kids alike. Just 60 miles southeast of Boise, right along the Snake River outside Grand View, this family‑friendly history museum packs more pioneer artifacts, vintage farm machinery, mining memorabilia, and Silver City treasures than many big‑city institutions -- spread out over 50‑plus themed rooms and an 1860s replica frontier town. My family spent an entire afternoon here and still didn't see every corner. From antique automobiles to hands‑on sheep camps, every exhibit sparks stories, thanks to the warm, guided narration from owners Jessica and Eddy. Their hospitality is second‑to‑none; you'll leave feeling like longtime friends rather than first‑time guests. The museum's What to Bring page recommends weather‑appropriate clothing, sturdy shoes, and sunscreen, since several collections sit in unheated barns or outdoors. Until Jessica and Eddy finish their on‑site café, grab a sack lunch and take advantage of the shaded picnic tables and drinks for sale on the grounds. Bottom line: If you're searching for truly unique things to do near Boise or in Owyhee County, pencil Lawson's Emu‑Z‑Um (now officially "Lawson's Legacy Museum") onto your itinerary. Lawson's is the definition of a hidden gem -- affordable, welcoming, and overflowing with Old‑West charm. Bring your curiosity (and your lunch), and give yourself plenty of time; you'll be talking about this place long after you leave. Post‑visit tip: Say hi to the last resident emu on your way out!

This venue is so far above what I expected I'm lost for words to describe it. How anyone could…read morecollect all the objects on display is beyond astounding.

What a wonderful find! Sadly none of the buildings on site were open but we enjoyed walking the…read moretrails. The beautiful peacocks that were everywhere were a wonderful surprise. We saw many deer and a variety of birds. We loved all the positive signs and many birdhouses. There are many trails to explore. If you climb the hill to the three crosses you will have a beautiful view of the Snake River and the Owyhee mountains. There is a guest book to sign in on when you arrive and they take donations which I guess is for upkeep. You can tour the grounds for free. It would have been great to have a docent or someone around to ask questions to and it would be nice to be able to share about the history of this place. We will be definitely be back now that we know what to expect.

This will probably be one of the most personal reviews I write on yelp. Cleo is my grandmother and…read morethis was her nature trail, her passion project, her sanctuary. (She passed in 2008 and is actually buried on-site in a little family cemetery, a long with a few other family members). Growing up I watched this space turn into what it is today. Cleo took a simple path along the snake river and turned it into a very unique place people would find delightful, a place people would come and find peace and smile because of a surprise or two a long the way. As a kid it was the best. Exploring all the new with fake animals and statues I didn't quite understand. As an adult I now appreciate all the thought that went into trying to create a space to preserve all the history of what went on here. And then of course you had to know Cleo, she had flare and was full of sayings that she then put on bird houses...hoping to encourage and inspire others. There are a lot of birdhouses. There is a lot of things to see and it's definitely different and that is the point. To me this is more of a nature trail you can walk any day. The trail is paved 90% and is 75% flat. 10% that's not paved takes you through an enchanted forest which loops you back to the starting point. The ground is still flat but depending which direction you start on the trail there will be a bit of hill to climb (very reasonable). And if you're feeling adventurous climb up to the prayer house or at the far end of the trail before it loops back there is another trail that shoots up to a bench that over looks the snake river and the views are breathtaking. I added a picture of that and details on how to access below: To get there it is just right as you come out of the enchanted forest or just before to drop down into it. Go to the end of the trail just passed the seven cardinal sins display and look for a " white trail" marker arrow. Follow it up to the top .25 miles there is a bench at the top and that is when you know you have arrived. Don't go any further to persevere the area. The views are breathtaking! Gate closes at 5pm, when you enter look for parking on the left-nice big lot. The museums are open on select Saturdays through out the summer but check the website for official times and dates. Since I don't live in the area I make sure I come out here at least 2 times a year and during the Christmas season with the lights up it's truly magical. Add it to your list for the next year.

I like to check out the historical museums any time I visit a new city to learn the history of said…read morecity. The Boise one was fascinating and covered everything from the geography of Idaho to the great fires to winter sports. Definitely worth your time.

A fun stop with a lot to share. One exhibit was depicting…read morethe treatment of Japanese Americans during the war and where they were relocated and how they were treated. One exhibit showed the past uses of clothing and its importance. One exhibit was more interactive with a train whistle you can make blow. I never knew there were two notes involved. Along with how things were different in years past. Outside there are historically significant homes. That's just a few exhibits we can remember from what we saw. There is a really nice gift shop to pick up a souvenir.

Warhawk Air museum Today we used one of our Idaho Adventure…read moreBucket List cards. https://reachinternationaloutfitters.com/products/idaho-adventure-bucket-list This is one of 50 of the sites these cards take you to. This one took us on a trip to Nampa, ID at the Warhawk Air Museum. The card says its a 1-2 hour event. But we weee there for two hours and could gave easily spent two more. This is a great place to take kids to learn about history. When we arrived the staff was very friendly and fave us all information. They offer daily pass, yearly and lifetime. Throughout the facility there were volunteer there to answer questions and tell you more about the exhibits. All exhibits are all donated I mean everything. The museum is divided up into areas and has a self guided tour. Space, moon landing, 911, world war II, all branches are represented. Many of the items are from local Idaho veterans that their families have donated. If you get time check it out. We did leave with another ornament for the tree a mini plane. This is something we collect as we visit different.

Nice military and aerospace museum. I really enjoyed the static displays of military equipment…read more This is a good two to three hour meander through our country's military might, from WWI to the present. I highly recommend stopping by.

Great place to start for a little tour and some history. Our guide was very informative and…read morepersonable making the experience all the more better. The gift shop is great and then a little something for everyone. Like stepping into a time capsule! Definitely check this place out if you're coming for a visit!

This was a wonderful stop in Idaho City. Every school should be planning a field trip to this small…read moretown with so much history of Idaho and the gold rush in it. Chetlene was so helpful and knowledgeable. I wish the state would fund more projects in Idaho City to preserve more of its history.

One of three Basque boarding houses In Jordan Valley, Ambrose and Maria Elorriaga opened their home…read moreto boarders in about 1910. Early boarding houses had private quarters for the host family; simple rooms with separate, shared bathing facilities; and a sizable kitchen-dining-living area where boarders dined together, played cards, and visited. As the number of Basque immigrants increased between 1890 and 1930, so did the boarding houses, often expanding to include a bar and dining rooms lined with long tables where non-boarders joined boarders for meals. These establishments provided a location in which newly arrived herders could meet other Basques; speak their native Euskara; enjoy food and customs of their homeland; secure work with local sheep outfits; store their Sunday suits and extra gear; receive letters from home; recuperate from illnesses or injuries; and stop while en route to their final destinations.

The new museum, the old Elorriaga Home and Basque boarding house of Jordan Valley, is now finally…read moreopened and is providing an incredible opportunity to be used as interpretive center, community hub, and historical education center. It directly across from the refurbished handball court used by Basques for 100 years.

The Nampa Train Depot Museum sits somewhere at the end of Downtown Nampa. It's like any museum in…read moreIdaho, but I think it deserves more of our attention. That is what the problem is with all of the museums in Canyon County. You know they are there, but you have to depend on one website about Canyon County for hours and hopefully the admission. When you first enter it is a little bit awkward because it is like you are entering someone's property. If you continue to journey inside you can see a train set and touristy things to buy that is Idaho related. This area is impressive because they have a wider variety of books about the history of Idaho than Barnes and Noble. I bought a book there by Brigham Madsen who was well known for writing books about Southern Idaho and the Bear River Massacre. They have this cool display of old dresses from I believe the 1800s and the early 1900s. I even saw some tea cups made especially for men with mustaches. I will have to post pictures; I thought it was pretty funny. They have plenty of the same things as everyone else like cameras, typewriters, and old kitchen essentials, but I like looking at these kind of items. I realize how far we have came since many of the inventions were created. This museum is probably one of the tiniest in Idaho and Canyon County. There is there area where people used to purchase their tickets to ride the train then you go outside where there are a few sheds and you can look inside and see that they have more old items.They have some interesting items in what I call the garage. Inside there are old ovens, farming equiment, signs, and old medical equipment. More people should check out the Nampa Train Depot. There is a little bit of history about trains here and Idaho. I think this is a good place for those who are obsessed with trains like my dad is. The admission is only a couple bucks and an interesting building to tour in Nampa.

The Nampa Canyon County Historical Museum has a great team. We sponsored an event at the Nampa…read moretrain depot and had a great time. Wonderful facility and staff I would recommend checking it out!

History lovers this place needs your patronage! Our Memories Indian Creek Museum is a small town…read moremuseum with a large amount of artifacts. 30 themed rooms are packed with local history. Open Tuesday & Friday 11-4 and Saturday 10-3. 1122 Main St. Caldwell. It is sadly under appreciated. Dr. and Mrs. Gulley transformed their offices to a private museum and donated it to the Canyon County Historical Society in 2006. Come on down and take a tour of their labor of love. It is right next door to the newly revitalized Indian Creek Plaza so make a day of it! Check out what's going on downtown and go see them!

The 30 rooms each have a different themed exhibit. Plus a new temporary one for 2022 - 35 music…read moreboxes from the collections of 4 memberss if the Canyon County Hostorical society. And srarting in April there will be a large exhibit on Caldwell from the museum archives that will run to the end of the year. The whole experience in well worth your time.

This was an unexpected surprise! I had just finished touring the Old Penitentiary, and was told…read moreabout the Museum of Mining & Geology next door. I was told it was free, so definitely had to check it out while waiting for my friends to finish up at the penitentiary. I enjoyed checking out all the rocks on display. I enjoyed the large 3D printer dinosaur. The guy working there was nice and gave interesting facts. Definitely check out this little gem after visiting the penitentiary! (See what I did here! Tee hee!)

Free! I highly encourage joining via membership though... to support & get discounts on their many…read moreevents thru the yr. This has a very diverse selection of rocks, educational tools as well as volunteer staff to answer the many questions that can spring from the displays. Accessibility is fairly good though there'd be tight spaces in some books for wheelchairs... though I have no doubt staff would accommodate. Nice big clean public bathrooms are around corner,

I took a group tour of this museum & was so blown away by the diversity of the exhibits as well as…read morethe detail & interaction level of the exhibits. I highly recommend coming to view the museum as well as offer any Eagle area historical gems to the museum. Along with the Dry Creek Historical Society (of Hidden Springs) - these two places have really developed my curiosity for the homesteaders of Idaho. Highly highly recommend!