California State Mining & Mineral Museum - Mariposa (CA)

5 /5 Andrea K: Wonderful little museum showcasing the history of California mining and abundance of mineral deposits of the state. $4 in November 2023 is well worth this quick stop to stretch your legs and expand your brain. Kids under 12 go in for free. Located within the Mariposa Fairegrounds, there is ample parking right outside the main gate. There are bathrooms inside and outside the museum. NO photography allowed. The mineral collection here is quite impressive and includes some donated items from around the globe. The highlight comes from a gold rush Era find. A GORGEOUS looking gold nugget is kept in their vault. It was never smelted due to its beautiful shape. You can also explore a 175 ft long replica of a mineshaft. It is dark, damp, and a bit musky in there, so dont go if you suffer from claustrophobia. It does not get to a point where you need to duck or squeeze through. I am 510 and had no issues.

5 /5 Rachel Wakefield: Wow! There were so many cool things to see here! We really enjoyed looking at all of the displays, and got to see some really pretty stuff wed never seen before. The Fricot Nugget was breathtaking as well! Highly recommend!!

4 /5 Louise D: Really interesting museum. It was took us about an hour to wander through. Reasonably priced and some good interactive exhibits. Staff were helpful and friendly. One improvement could be made: signage from the main road! We struggled to find the building!

4 /5 Claudia Campos: Great little museum for kids that love gemstones! My 11 year old really enjoyed the folding in of Minecraft!

5 /5 Jamie K: Unexpected gem of a museum. Very interesting and the staff were very informative!! No cameras allowed inside so only have pictures from the outside.