About Kern County Museum
Pioneer Village and the Story of the Golden Empire
The Kern County Museum traces its beginnings to 1929, when a letter from the Bakersfield Lion's Club published in the local paper urged residents to donate historical materials to the County Chamber of Commerce. The response was overwhelming, as family after family brought in items and papers documenting Kern County's past. In 1941, by issuance of County Ordinance, the museum was formally founded with a mission to "collect, preserve, research, and present the history and culture of Kern County for the education and enjoyment of the public." The scarcity of resources during World War II delayed full operations until 1945, when the museum officially opened in the Kern County Chamber of Commerce building, with an 1868 Barnes family log house as its first outdoor exhibit. Today the museum is administered by the Kern County Museum Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, under an operating agreement with the County of Kern.
The museum's signature attraction is Pioneer Village, an outdoor complex spanning 16 landscaped acres with more than 50 buildings, including historic structures relocated from across the county that represent different aspects of Kern County's history. Among the most recognizable is the Beale Memorial Clock Tower, originally built in 1904 at the intersection of 17th Street and Chester Avenue in downtown Bakersfield, destroyed in the 1952 earthquake, and rebuilt at the museum in 1964. Another landmark is the childhood home of country music legend Merle Haggard — a 1910 railroad refrigerator car his family converted into a house in 1935 — which was moved to the village after a "Save Hag's Boxcar" campaign, restored to its early-1950s appearance, and opened to the public in April 2017.
Indoors, the Aera Energy Gallery in the historic Chamber of Commerce building houses the History of the Golden Empire exhibit, a detailed outline of Kern County's history and agricultural significance, while the Black Gold oil exhibit documents the petroleum industry that shaped the region (check the museum's website for current exhibit availability). The Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center, opened in 1976 with assistance from the Junior League of Bakersfield and merged with the museum in 1993, offers hands-on educational experiences for visitors ages eight and under, part of a broader slate of lifelong-learning programs for all ages.
Plan Your Visit
The Kern County Museum is located at 3801 Chester Avenue in Bakersfield, California 93301. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (no admission after 3:30 PM) and is closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and federal holidays. General admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and military, and $5 for children ages 3-12, with members and children under 3 free. For current hours, event closures, and group tour reservations, visit kerncountymuseum.org.
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