Kern County Museum Reviews

This museum has many historic houses on it property to look at. there is an oil museum, and a really fun children's museum. tours are given. school tours are available too. We took our students there for the Native American lesson. It can be warm outside, but bring a lunch to eat there. Check the prices--they are expensive, but a year family pass may be cheaper or just a bit more and worth it.

We went during the week and pretty much had the place to ourselves. It is pretty much a whole village of buildings with varying amounts of access to the insides. The markers at each building told the story well, and you wander around at your own pace.
You need to be aware that they take liberties -- for example, "Doctor's Office" may not be a Doctor's BUILDING, but rather a period residence where an array of old doctor's implements are displayed. This was not a problem since there were many more "residences" than trade buildings, but the different exhibits were more interesting than just seeing household goods.
The displays and buildings were well presented.

This is one of the best historical venues we have seen in a long time. The museum has taken great effort to re-create local history by saving historical buildings and sites from around the central valley of California. A must see!

My wife and I were married in the gazebo. My wife participated in the Teaching U.S. History grant on site. My family helped chaperone the South High prom in the main building. We have a lot of history here. We love it.

Im not much of a museum person so i was dragged by my wife to this place. But upon arriving and seeing inside the grounds and how they have created and maintained the buildings that were apart of Bakersfields history it was a joy to step back in time. A definate must for anyone visiting or living in Bakersfield who is interested in local history.

A choir group of my friends chose the historic museum for their spring concert. The settings and the staff really made a great impression

The outdoor museum depicts original buildings and structures that were relocated to the museum to preserve Kern County history. Structures are very well preserved and shows pioneers way of life. Museum holds venues from hosting arts and crafts shows to weddings and banquets. Highly recommend as a must see in Bakersfield.

I love going throught and looking at all the old building and reading up our past history. My kids and Grandkids love to take pictures of themselves in front of the old building, train and keep in their photo book, so they can out at a later day.

This is the Bakersfield version of Greenfield Village. Lots of old buildings that illustrate Kern County's past have either been moved or reconstructed here. In addition, there's a full size oil derrick, and a display about the oil industry. An excellent outdoor museum! (But don't come if you don't like to walk; everything is outdoors and covers a fairly large area.)

A great place to learn about Kern County History and how like in general was at the turn of century. The clock tower outside the facility was from downtown Bakersfield and fell during an Earthquake in the 50s.Inside are various buildings from around the county including the old Jail the courthouse trains and a church to name a few. There is also an oil exhibit that shows our great oil history for the county. There is nice park like grounds so a picnic lunch can be eaten. The facility does host a number of events for non profits safe Halloween and Christmas tours. If you like antiques history and learning about the area this is the place.

Plenty of local history and lots of photographs. I found the oilfield history especially fascinating. Gives a nice overview of the development of Bakersfield.

This museum is a must see in Bakersfield, at least for those interested in history. It includes a variety of historic houses and also a very interesting, super modern and super interesting, exhibition on the oil industry.

The KC Museum has stayed 'current' while presenting the past (history) of Kern County. A great way to spend time together as a family, or a couple, walking around Pioneer Village. The special events/Living History are great for kids (& adults) to see 'history' in action.

Very interesting history of Bakersfield. Pieces of the past from the Oil industry, farming, and the Bakersfield sound, including Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and many more.
The grounds are filled with buildings from Kern Counties past along with grass, trees and a train engine. Peaceful walk through history.

It is an experience to be enjoyed. The interior of the museum is composed of local and indigenous memorabilia, and the surrounding area is composed of old turn-of -the 20th century, and late1800's homes and oil field memorabilia. At the entrance of the museum, the old clock tower, which used to be located at the Center of town before the devastating earthquake of 1952.

Been wanting to visit this Museum since Huell Howser featured it in one of his TV shows, many years ago. An unusual concept, the principal feature is a collection of buildings moved from their original sites and relocated to the Museum grounds. Historic homes, commercial buildings, hospitals, jails, schools, and other buildings of significance in the history of the County can be found and visited here. Placards give the history of each structure, citing early settlers who constructed them. The Museum includes a Black Gold exhibit that provides a comprehensive history of the Kern County oil fields, and a very well done primer on methods of oil exploration and production, very educational. This Museum is a jewel, and anyone with an interest in this part of California should see it!

Staged as small towns with buildings displaying occupations with their various tools & furniture. Movie about oil in the county is worth the 18 minutes (no additional cost. Can get hot so bring a water.

Especially love the special events like Halloween and Christmas. The oilfield museum and western music museum are not to be missed.

Second time there and still will go back to finish visiting all the spots. Fun gift shop and staff wonderful.

Lots of well restored old buildings.
Dislikes.. hard to find....no signs on street.
The old woodshop was well outfitted.

I tried to go to this attraction on April 13, 2013 and arrived at 9am. I had only 2 hours to try to see all that it has before I had to leave for work. There were signs pointing to an entrance that didn't exist. When I did find the entrance, there were 50 kids infront of me. I finally got to the ticket counter and because it was "western days" they would not honor the senior rate I had seen advertised online. As I had only 1 hour and 45 minutes to try and see everything. It didn't seem like a good deal for me. The museum may be a great place but my experience wasn't.

Went on Veteran's day and I love the army trucks to the helicopter display it was great. My children had so much fun

This little museum is a great way to spend an afternoon.Relax and walk around learning about history in the San Joaquin Valley. To me, the highlight was the oil exhibit. The staff is friendly, the place is well taken care of, and the little museum store is cute. I would have never found this great place had it not been for all the positive reviews-Thank you guys!

The Kern County Museum, aka Pioneer Village Museum, has been around since my teen years. I used to like to see the old jail and courthouse buildings and the steam locomotive in particular. For many years, the cornerstone of the museum has been the Beale Clock Tower. Once located further south on Chester, it can now be seen from Garces Circle on Chester Ave. to the ‘rivier bridge’ north of the museum. More recently than that, the Lori Brock Museum was added for the children.
On my most recent visit, I was accompanied by my wife and granddaughter along with two friends, none of whom had ever been here. My friends were somewhat in awe of the age of some of the buildings which have been preserved here. One area is set aside for Kern County's oil heritage, including an oil museum with a video history of the oil industry and an oil derrick. Another area has signs from local businesses which operated during my youth.
Weddings and special events can be planned here also.
Unless you're in a rush, plan to spend most of a day here. You can leave for lunch and be re-admitted at no charge.

This museum did a great job preserving all those buildings and constructions for generations to come. It however deserves a larger lot to show it all in context. With all the material available, a proper landscaping setup could really bring you back to the 19th century!
Give those guys some extra acres, and the funds to hire a well-informed historian, (and maybe a Hollywood set designer), and this already great museum will appear on many's bucket list.
No bad word about the oil exploration/exploitation exhibition though. It is very informative, and gives good insight into the relevant geology, and into the development of drilling techniques from the mid-1850's to the present.

This museum has several components. There is a living history section, where they have brought old buildings from elsewhere in the county to this location- a complete train station, a county court house, a fancy house, a plain house, a one room school, a church mission. Very interesting. And there is an oil exhibit. As should be expected, the exhibit is pro-carbon fuels. But they present a lot of history and a lot of geology, which was very interesting. Don't miss the diving simulation, which takes you below the ocean floor. There is a kid's section, which we didn't visit, and a country music section, which we would have visited, but we ran out of time. Very good experience.

My wife and I go to the Kern County Museum at least once a year. The staff is always helpful in answering any questions. We have had the pleasure of friends being married there to events like the Nut Festival which we always enjoy.

Great place to look over our beginings in Bakersfield. Especially all of the beautifull buildings in the museum

great history here of what ancestors could accomplish without modern tools great for kids, teens
moms and dads very relaxing no rush. Old buildings and homes little bit of everything.

Decided to come have a look on my last day in Bakersfield as a big history buff and I must say I was not disappointed. The admission price was reasonable and there is so much stuff around. Definetly recommended

Had my wedding here in 2013 at the old Fellows Hotel. The staff was very nice and accommodating. They worked well with the caterer and the DJ. The grounds were beautiful. Go and enjoy.

We took our kids on a Saturday, they had lots of interactive activities. They particularly liked seeing the inside of an oil well setup. At times throughout the year, they do 'gas lamp' tours. If you are a resident of Kern County, you should probably go at least once.

Dan's Travel Tip #1: Did you know the Old Church in the Museum (and much of the grounds) is available for Weddings or Events? Very unique.

i went wo this museum with family on September 10 and museum was closed. I checked the website 2 times day before and it was not any advertisement that the museum would be closed. The guard athe door was rude and did not provide any indormation and my calls to Admision director and museum director were not answered. So me and family wasted 2 hours driving from Fresno.

This museum has a lot of old historic houses, pictures, furniture etc... my kids have always loved coming here, even when they were younger. They always ask to go back. They have an oil museum that is very hands on and informative.

We had a great experience. My students had fun and learned so many things. They also have habds on activities and a park were to sit to eat

The success the curator(s) had in finding pre-and very early 1900 buildings from around Bakersfield, moving and locating them along "streets" as a "village" with mature trees and shrubbery make this a very interesting visit for young and old. You can see in the windows, walk through a boarding house, take a tour of a Victorian, see old time shops, all at your leisure. Then there is the oil museum, a 1900 drilling derrick you can walk through, a fantastic set of all manner of drilling tools all indexed and labeled as well as a very nice air conditioned museum providing many fact and displays of early life in a farming and oil mining area.

We were dragged by our grade school in field trips here as children and I remember it bit being super exciting. However as an adult I love and cherish this place. I am quite disappointed that I didn't appreciate it as a younger child. They have so many beautiful buildings and the area itself is mesmerizing.

I used to come here as a youngster and I brought my kids to visit. The museum has enough to keep their attention. The grounds were beautiful with blooming trees. Most of the buildings were open to look/ go in, including Merle Haggard's childhood home.

We went to the Kern County Museum. We liked the town layout with all the different buildings such as historic homes, dental and doctor offices, mercantile stores, the adobe and log houses, the jails and courthouses, the drugstore, and farm equipment. There is a historic church and school. There is the Havilah Courier newspaper office. There is the Hotel Fellows.

We liked the Southern Pacific train history and engines and railroad cars.

There is a small NEON historic sign area. It is by the old fashioned Union 76 gas station.

There is the horse and harness shop.

Then there is the superb Black Gold (Oil) Museum with its exhibits and videos.

There is scenes from Bakersfield's past such as pictures of Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard from 1965. There are also pictures of Edward M. Kern, who was an artist who went with the John C. Fremont expedition party. Kern County is named after him. There is also a picture of Colonel Thomas Baker,who was known for his friendliness towards travelers. Bakersfield was named after him.

There is more to see. The Children's Museum is also located in same area; as well as the Chamber of Commerce.

There is a small admission fee to enjoy this museum and grounds. Its a superb community and oil museum.

The staff is very nice. There is also a gift store.

On entering my daughter & I thought we wouldn't be here for long but we managed to spend 2 hours looking around. Lots of old buildings, some original that had been moved to this site. It was disappointing that a lot you couldn't enter & it all looked a bit unkept, felt like I wanted to get a broom & give it all a good sweep

Really nicely done outdoor museum. Many restored buildings furnished with period antiques.

If you want to know about oil the interactive oil building is really great. Chevron and the rest of them must have donated a lot of money, but the end result is perfect. You come away from here really understanding how and when they found oil all around Kern County and then see all the modern drill bits and scientific stuff they use. Great cross sections of the oil fields. I really recommend this for anyone. Kids will love it. I did and I still think I'm a kid when it comes to cool museums.

We were there a few weeks ago to watch the installation of Merle Haggard's childhood home. We'll definitely be going back when it's open to the public.

I've been to the Kern County Museum at least 3 times in the past 10 years. Our family always enjoys going there when we are in town visiting family. Unfortunately, this time was disappointing. Half of the houses were not open and it seemed a little run down. If i'm going to pay $50 for my family to get in, i'd like to at least go inside the houses. The discovery kids area was average and our 1 and 3 year old enjoyed it.

Had a great experience here at Easter for an egg hunt and visit to the Museum. The grandchildren all and the hunt for clues allowed us to see a lot of history.

This museum has one of the country's premiere oil history exhibits. Well worth the time and effort. They have special events, like swing dancing under the stars, and lots of large trees for shade - essential in Bako in the summer.

We had a wonderful time at the Discovery Center. We brought my 7 year old grand-daughter and even after three hours there she didn't want to leave. It's a clean, well layed out activity center

I have been to this museum on more than one occasion, and every time I visit, there seems to be something new that has been added. For those who have never visited, you have no idea of rich history of not only Bakersfield, but of some of the local surroundings as well. Take a step back in time to see and walk through buildings, and homes that were once part of our landscape. Visit the oilfield museum, where you might learn a little something on the liquid ooze known as "Black Gold". The museum is also a place where you can find out about the "Bakersfield Sound " , made famous by the legendary Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard. The museum also puts on a Halloween night for the kids. I would highly recommend this to anyone,

This is a must see museum. You will understand the man and woman that produced energy for America and the world. Interactive, good for kids, good for adults. Informative and educational

Quite an educational experience if you're interested in both the history and the technology of getting crude oil from the ground into your gas tank.

When I visited, there were a few exhibits that were out of service, but overall, it was a good learning experience.

historic buildings from the area rebuilt here. However there is not much to see we saw signs of oil museum and historic cars but the buildings were closed.

I have taken my students here for field trips and my family loves to go to all the holiday festivities. The oil exhibit is fantastic! My daughter got married on the premises and everyone in attendance loved the surroundings and the western feel of Old Bakersfield.

We found the whole place interesting and well worth the price of admission. The young man who gave us a tour of the vehicles building was very nice and very knowledgable.

We unexpectedly had a night in Bakersfield having realised we could save a lot on accomodation with a slight detour. I dragged the non-museum loving husband in to the museum. When I say museum it's an amazing collection of buildings generously donated from the 50s onwards.

I myself love looking into old houses and shops and imagining life in the past! Pretty tough. Buts that's not all. There's a major section devoted to the discovery of black gold (oil) and a magnificent old steam train.

Couple of downsides to point out. We arrived thinking there might be a cafe but only a gift shop. And, it was really really hot which was quite taxing as there's tons to see!

I'm from Connecticut so the sense of history in Bakersfield is very different from what I knew growing up. This is a living, hands-on, outdoor museum. I commend the folks who started and maintain this beautiful historic treasure. The treasures of the pioneers are palpable. The oil section is phenomenal. This is a must visit spot!

We stopped here on our way through Bakersfield on our way north and we really enjoyed it. My son who is 14 loved it. It is like visiting 50 small museums as all of the buildings are like a museum. The music section was cool as I was unaware of the Bakersfield Sound but I did check out some of the singers (Merle Haggard and Buck Owens) on Youtube when I got home. They have some interesting stories.The staff were super friendly and made a big effort to get us directions to go to Vallarta (a supermarket) where we wanted to go to before we went home. And Bakersfield itself is a nice town with lots there - plus it is very convenient (we have stayed there a couple of times before) as it is close to Los Angeles so a good place to stop before going to LA or when you leave. We want to come back to the Kern Pioneer Village in the future.

We have had so much fun during special events hosted by the Kern County Museum. I recommend Pioneer Days when horse drawn carriage rides and train tours are available and wine festivals that are held there.

Basically this is a VERY interesting museum. It consists of a group of buildings, somewhat unspoiled - including historical homes, a log cabin, an Elk Lodge, old movie theater (showing "Black Gold," illustrating how Kern County made billions of barrels of oil and still does), general store, dentist, hospital, doctor's office, a hotel, barber's shop, train cars, oil derrick, courthouse, jails, an adobe, old gas station and so many buildings that I cannot even list.

The buildings are all authentic and carefully brought to this location (from other areas where these buildings existed) to recreate a "town like" feel and you really feel like you are back in time. Yes, you can see the inside of them and they are just as they would have been when they were operational.

The historic "green" house photographed in this review near the entrance needs an "appointment" as it does not have Plexiglas as you walk through it. I would have liked to have seen it and was told if you contact the museum ahead of time you can actually get in!

I truly enjoyed walking around this "ghost town." It was part museum (world class) and part town! The coolest part is that it was almost completely empty as no children from the county attend field trips there (sadly) and not many tourists in Bakersfield. I am so glad my friend took me here.

All in all, I saw MANY highlights Bakersfield had to offer but this was by far the best one. Enjoy, because I sure did!

I'm not one for Pioneer Villages but strolling through the Museum on a beautiful day was really nice. I wish there were docents around that could answer questions but the information plaques in front of each stop were informative enough. The Black Gold area allows for interactive learning and is air conditioned. Great place to stop in if its a hot day. We were there on a Friday but there were no refreshments of any sort to be found, causing us to skip a few places in favor of leaving to get some lunch.

The "museum" is actually a relocated/recreated town. Lots of blocks of building, many of which you can access at least a part of. The property is 16 acres. One large building is dedicated to Petroleum. Open 7 days week. Sr $9. If you have interest in such a venue, I would suggest 3-5 hours, maybe more if you break for lunch or want to do it ALL. We were there 3 hours, but it was very hot and we are seniors. We just could not do more. Guess we missed about 1 1/2 hours worth. The walk is flat, lots of benches and enough toi;s. Something for everyone. Recommended.

Its a nice place for a walk and experience the history of drilling and oil recovery in this area, many old oilfield service companies have been working in this area.

This museum will let you walk through the 1800s. It is like walking through a frontier town. Also you can see and experience how oil is brought out of the ground.

Was expecting to find a typical type of museum with interior displays so was really happy to see the unique layout for this museum. There were some interior displays showing local history, but the bulk of the museum was the large collections of homes and businesses from Bakersfield scattered on a very large piece of land giving you a feel for the Bakersfield of years past. Most homes had photos showing the building in the original location along with a photo during the move. Very interesting. And then along with the building, was an explanation of how it was used. The place was packed with grade school kids on field trips but the layout of the buildings was so well organized all the groups stayed separated, and there were no problems at all with crowds. Kids seemed to really enjoy themselves.

This is a museum of structures, buildings and industry and within each is a mini museum of the period that it represents. To explain further by example. There is a general store from the late 1800s, inside you will find it stocked with all the items you would expect from that time. Mostly outdoors but there is an vehicle exhibit that isnt always open but has some unique vehicles. The oilfield portion has an operating oil well pump (not actually pumping oil), an old wooden derrick you can walk through and a lot of equipment that is used in oil recovery. An old steam train and caboose that you can walk through. Kids can run free as its mostly grass with asphalt walkways. Lots of trees so even in summer its tolerable. Very unique and if you enjoy history its super cool.

The museum has been expanded and made far more comprehensive than when I visited it as a 3rd grader many decades ago. I loved every minute of the visit, even though the weather outdoors was in the high 90s.

I have been going to this gem since High School. Many of the old buildings, signs, businesses, that were in the way of "progress" were moved here and preserved and or restored. Merle Haggard's boyhood home was just dedicated this week.

A great place to go and see the history of Bakersfield. Lots of buildings that keep your interest and a very informative Oil Museum, learned lots there. We spent 3 hours viewing the full property so plan on spending time. Not a lot for youngsters to do with exception of some areas in the Oil Museum so plan accordingly. If temperature is above 80, best to take umbrella for moving shade and some bottled water as it can get pretty hot.

The museum is a great place for children of all ages. You can visit buildings from yester year including old jails, churches, mercantiles etc. Lots of shade trees and areas to sit, run or play. Also, the Oil
Museum is very interesting!

This is one of the best places to educate yourself on the local history of Bakersfield and the surrounding areas. From agriculture to the oil business this place has it all. Walk through the restored old buildings or check out the oil exhibit, you’ll enjoy spending a few hours at this place.

Great exhibit about the oil insdustry. Numerous historical houses have been moved to grounds and restored.

What a blast from the past! It was sure nice to see some of the history of Kern County as well as play Ingress (quite a nice farm) at this Historical Museum. It is very well kept and they are always adding new things.

This museum is actually a large outdoor display of historical buildings collected from the area.
A must to grasp some idea of how people lived and worked in this region.
Additionally a very interesting exhibition of how the oil industry influenced the area...sounds a bit dry but it is actually very engaging.
Don't miss this if you have 2/3 hours in Bakersfield.

I'm surprised how many people never go to the Kern County Museum...unless Brews or some other event is taking place there. It's a terrific place to take your cranky kids during their school breaks. The Pioneer Village historic homes are fun to go through, and the Lori Brock children's museum always has fun things going on for the kids. I believe they even have summer day camps.

My absolute favorite time of the year is Christmas when they do the Lamplight tours and the Christmas tree exhibition in the hall. I always look forward to this event to start off my holiday season.

There's also a safe Halloween event that has really grown over the past few years. It's almost a do-not-miss event in Bakersfield.

Overall, there's always something going on here. Just check out their website http://www.kcmuseum.org/

Oh, and the museum store has some great gift ideas like local cookbooks.

Kern County Museum has so much Bakersfield History to see. It’s a Great place for a Family Adventure Day and is also a Fabulous Wedding Venue!!

When wanting to know the history of Kern County this is the best place to go. My mother and I stopped in on a Sunday. Yes, they are open on the weekends.
We are both writing books and needto have photos of certain time periods of Kern County. The photos we acquired from our four hour tour are priceless.
From five years old to eighty years old there is so much you can learn from this museum
The staff was nice.
Make sure you prepare yourself to walk aways, and up and down the stairs.
the grounds were clear to walk without hazards.
My mother's favorite place is the Merle Haggard house.

Here's the good news: There is quite a variety here.... a children's center that is all interactive, houses and other buildings to look in, a theatre with a 10 min show about oil in Kern County, a reminiscence with an older man's and older woman's voice (taped) and as they talked a spotlight would shine on the household items they spoke of. The black gold section is quite interactive and has a "diving bell" that you step into and sit while hearing how oil is created. We arrived about noon and by 5 PM when they were locking up we still had a few buildings left to see. We packed lunch and ate on one of the many benches.

Here's the sad news; this place needs help. I wonder why the people of Bakersfield and area are not behind this more. This wonderful place needs the support of volunteers to better maintain these great buildings that have been graciously donated. Artifacts in some of the buildings have a thick coating of dust and the buildings themselves need some TLC.

Similar places in Canada have people dressed in period costume baking bread and making candy like the pioneers who originally lived and worked in the buildings. Most buildings have at least one person dressed in character to talk and answer questions. In most cases you can walk right thru the buildings. Even though many of the rooms are roped off, you don't have to peer thru the windows to see the furnishings. Pictures I have attached were taken thru the glass. At pioneer type places we have visited in Canada horses and buggies are on the streets giving rides and some places have story tellers at the door for those who want to know more. There is SO much potential here. Bakersfield, this place needs you!

I have no idea how much goes on here in the summer but we were there on a long weekend and saw a few other seniors and 2 or 3 families. Perhaps in busier summer months there are more volunteers present.

Gina is a great ambassador to greet guests at the door. Her voice boomed with enthusiasm and instantly made us feel glad we were there. Even though the store and ticket area were locked when we walked out, she ran to the door and asked how we enjoyed our day.

Not all buildings are wheelchair accessible so they offer a discount. Gina gave me the senior discount even though I am not qualified.

Great museum. We didn't know very much about oil history. Very informative and displayed so well. Enjoyed walking around the "little town" and enjoying the displays in each building

Plan on spending a couple of hours here because there is a lot of local history to take in, even without docents. By the end of 2016 the restoration of Merle Haggard's boxcar home (which is already on location) should be complete, which will make the visit compelling for fans of the Bakersfield Sound.

This museum is a "living museum" which collects in one place over 50 historic buildings and structures that add a tactile flavor to the lives of many of Kern County's early pioneers and inhabitants.

It demonstrates life in this Central Valley area town, including agriculture, oil production and mining industries.

It is a window back in time. A great deal of effort was put forth to bring so many historic buildings onto the property which abuts the original Chamber of Commerce, a large meeting hall located near the city center of Bakersfield.

This is also a walking tour, and it is mostly accessible to those who are disabled.

I suggest if you go, take about 3 hours, and visit the oil exhibit near the oil display in the read of the property.

There are also other items along the periphery of the property that people often miss so when walking down the main path starting to the left of the gift shop, don't be distracted away from the peripheral exhibits by focusing only on the central exhibits. There is a hospital, a livery, a chuck wagon, a steam shovel, and other items that are out towards the outskirts. There is also what appears to be a warehouse, and if you look at it closely you will see an early 1920's style gas station there.

The oil rig in the rear is located next to a machinery display and there is a museum which you may just miss if you do not look closely.

The oil rig is 100 percent accssible and you can tour through it and marvel at the technology used to extract oil from the ground.

Note also two things: (1) The Chamber of Commerce building is undergoing renovations so many of the displays in that building are being stored so its not part of the exhibition as of June 2016. (2) The entrance to the museum is opposite the parking lot behind a tall, black, metal gate next to the clock tower. So you have to park and take the long sidewalk all the way opposite of the parking lot.

it had a lot of homes on display from the earliest times. log cabins to stores and dental offices. also they use the grounds for weddings and things. since oil is they main product they had an excellent display of beginning oil industry tools and such and a good video. dont miss this

As a history buff, I was absolutely floored by the Kern County Museum. The actual museum is rather small with a modest collection of fossils and artifacts. It's not the museum itself that is the gem here but the collection of authentic historic buildings outside that includes an oil rig and "black gold" museum. Dozens of historic buildings from log cabins to hotels have been relocated to the museum grounds.

Buildings have been restored and some have been repurposed to create a small town. The beauty is you can walk into most of the buildings and look through glass panels to see a recreation of history. It is simply delightful for a history buff. I stayed the entire day except for a lunch break.

I went on a very hot July day so it was hard to be outside in the heat. The museum has some drinks and snacks for sale and very tiny gift shop. The fossils were a fun thing to see and I enjoyed the videos of Bakersfield and the "Dust Bowl" of the 1930's. I had no idea that many of the people escaping devastated farms in Oklahoma and Nebraska headed for the rich farm lands of Bakersfield. I also had no idea that Bakersfield is a producer of cotton and oil.

Back outside, country music fans will appreciate the childhood home of legend Merle Haggard. His father bought an old train boxcar and added rooms and created the Haggard home. It just was fascinating to walk into old buildings and see historical recreations. Only a handful of people came and went so I had the "town" almost entirely to myself. I was amazingly thrilled and pleased with my time exploring the buildings

The Kern County Museum is a great experience for all ages. The turn of the century homes and businesses are arranged as a small town might have existed. Strollers work well on the paths, and small children have space to run around. The neon area is interesting, especially to locals. For Pokemon players there are several Pokemon Stops and Gyms!

My parents, grandparents and I went here while I was visiting them (and to get the grandparents out of the nursing home). Despite having lived in the area (not me, them) for three decades none of us had ever been here before.
To be honest, I was deeply impressed by the quality of the exhibits and the size and scope of the museum. Even as a "native" I learned a lot, and being there with people in their 90s was interesting as they enjoyed seeing thing from their childhood.
I am also appreciative of the front desk letting us know we had arrived on "Smithsonian Museum Day" and we could get free tickets online. Not that the tickets were very expensive for the size of the museum, but it is always great to save money.
I highly recommend this museum and would like to go back again and show my kids.

Nicely put together with old pumps and many old businesses to view through the windows. Well organized and laid-out. Take at least an hour to ramble around this place to take it all in. Plenty of parking outside.

We were in Bakersfield for 2 days and found this gem ... an historic village of original homes that have been relocated within this large park environment. Gina greeted us and gave us a quick review of what we would be seeing. Gina was so enthusiastic and we were caught up in her description of the buildings. She even gave us an informative tour of two of the houses. As we strolled through the village, we recalled many good memories and viewed furniture and antiques, some of which were similar to what we had in our homes in the 1940's or remembered from the homes of our grandparents.
If you are anywhere near Bakersfield, take a couple of hours to walk around the dentist and doctor's offices, banks, jails and even a mortuary of an earlier day. It is a very worthwhile stop.

Stopped by really quickly to see the black gold exhibit which is really very nicely put together. I wasn't really excited going into the museum but the exhibit was very informative covering all aspects of oil production- history, geography, geology n machinery. The video and the experiential content is interesting and engaging. Definitely recommend it if you are in and around Bakersfield.

I attended a wedding here and it was very tasteful. The lighting the sitting and the event itself.

Located on N Chester street, exhibit of real train, train station, houses, mansions, petrol plant and petrol station from the 19th and 20st century

Very interesting history of Kern County. They have a lecture series I have been attending on various topics that has been very informative.

One of the hidden gems of Bakersfield! The history is always good in the pioneer village , the museum is a great collection of artifacts, but the oil exhibition is one of the best I have seen! Also the museum has some great local events with good parking and a low entrance fee.

I am very impressed with the amount of exhibits this museum has to offer. You start at the gift shop and then enter into a recreated village of historical homes. There are many different houses including an Adobe, a log cabin and many shops and businesses. There are placards in front of each that gives the history of each building. The buildings are also furnished according to the time period. It's very shady so even though it was a hot day it remained cool while I explored.
There is also a separate museum that gives you a history of the oil industry. It was amazing and the docent was knowledgeable and friendly. I noticed there was also a child's discovery center, but I didn't visit it.
I could have wandered for hours and I found all of the exhibits interesting. My only complaint is that I didn't have nearly enough time to see everything. Next time I'll block off at least three hours. There's no food or drinks, but there are many beautiful areas under the trees for a picnic and lots of space for kids to run and play.
If you love History this is a must do!
(Cost is $10 for adults and in my opinion a bargain).

My wife and I spent an afternoon at this historical park. It's actually a real gem, with a very interesting set of exhibits about the rich oil history of the region. This is in addition to the various historical homes and other structures scattered about the property. I was a bit surprised at how much I enjoyed wandering through this place. An enjoyable, educational stop-over on our drive to San Diego which I'd definitely recommend to anyone passing through Bakersfield...

I have been coming here since I was a kid in the 80's. Still fun after all these years. You walk through a village with homes, businesses, and other buildings that range from pioneer to early 1900's. But wait, you can go inside each one thanks to glass panels that prevent the tourist from touching the antique items. These buildings are set up with items that were typically used in the time period the building comes from. There is also an oil museum on the grounds that is really fun and interactive. For example, there is a chamber you can get in that is suppose to mimic a drill. It moves and makes drilling sounds like you are drilling under water. A monitor shows you what it would look like. There are lots of things for kids (and adults) to play with that also teach at the same time. Speaking of kids, there is also the Lori Brock Children's museum located on the grounds with tons of interactive exhibits. Your ticket price includes the all of the above mentioned. Excellent fun for the whole family or just for one person to travel to the past. A must see in Bakersfield.

What a find, we love history and the museum and grounds have an excellent overview of the history of Bakersfield and surrounding environs. The 16 acres has over 40 buildings that served various purposes such as homes, businesses, a church and a school to name a few. Each one has a placard that gives the background and where it originally stood. We especially liked seeing the childhood home of Merle Haggard. Train buffs will enjoy the exhibits and train cars/engines, enjoy!!

The Pioneer Village is very interesting and makes you feel like you've stepped back in time. The actual museum is pretty bare. I wish there was a way that it could fill up again. The Lori Brock Museum is also a neat experience for children.

The exhibits in the entry building are fine, but it's the eclectic collection outside that makes the museum. Most aspects of pioneer life in Kern county are shown, with an extra emphasis on the petroleum industry, both past and present. Toward the right rear of the outdoor area there is a building devoted to drilling for oil, which is apparently not always open, depending on volunteer availability, and may in fact be open even when the cashier thinks it isn't, which was the case for us: we got lucky.
There is not the slick presentation of a big-city museum: This looks very much like the work of a lot of dedicated volunteers, whom I thank.
I would not go to Bakersfield just for this, but if you're there, and have the time, I think everyone in your party will find something of interest.
After visiting I learned it's in the North American Reciprocal list, but I don't begrudge paying: they can probably use the money.

Our son was here visiting and we decided to go to the museum as we had not seen it yet ourselves and made for a very enjoyable day. It is laid out so nice that it makes it easy to navigate to all the buildings.

If you live in Kern County and have not been to the museum, get there now. If you are visiting the area, put the museum on your list of things to do and see. This museum is a great place to get In a good walk and marvel at the wonders of the past.

Kern County Museum has so much to offer and it will take you back in time if you are a senior citizen. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM and Sundays noon to 5 PM. Our cost was $8 a person and it was worth every penny. You will feel like you have just entered Mayberry USA as you walk through the iron gates into the the small streets of California's history dating back to the early 1900's. There are a total of 16 landscaped acres and 56 historical buildings all of which have been moved to their current location. We just about had the entire place to ourselves on a late Tuesday afternoon and it was wonderful to explore each and every old structure. It brought back such fond memories of how life used to be....pretty simple with none of today's things that people think they just can't live without. It took us about 2 hours to walk along the old streets and then we found the museum and watched a great twelve minute movie on the discovery of oil in the Bakersfield area. This was a great afternoon and killed some time before checking into our hotel and finding a place for dinner.

I really like taking my out of town guests to this place for a nice walk around. With the old houses to check out, you can spend better part of a day here.

We enjoyed our visit. There is a lot to see mostly outside so not a great idea on a hot day. Price seems a bit high for what it is. Was disappointed that not all the places were open, and the ticket agent didn't even know if they were or not. The indoor oil exhibit was nicely air conditioned so that was most enjoyable.

Over 50 historic buildings from Bakersfield area were donated and transported to this site including an adobe house, a beautiful 2 story victorian house, a bank, school house, a shepherd's shelter, general store, church, courthouse etc. All are furnished. Only 2 houses are offered for touring thru out the house. The rest you can enter to a certain point and view in the large windows which are more than ample. It took us about 4 hours to view all as we meandered thru the large property under shady trees and stopped to rest at the many benches provided. We took a small ice chest for water and a snack as we took our time. It makes you feel like you are walking thru an old town. Many have wheel chair ramps but not all. It was just lovely. If you enjoy a step back in time, I recommend this place.

It is a Very interesting and historic place with old houses, a train, a jail, barber shop, dentist and many more

Great place for employees to come together and visit the past. We visited Merle Haggards home as well as other places. Homes and business's from the early 1800's to present. Great place for families to visit.

We found this to be a great place for both young and old. We visited this place with our grandchildren, and they have wonderful examples of homes that have been restored and many different historical artifacts from the early days of this area. There are many attractions for both adults and children. Would certainly revisit!!

We took our entire third grade (125 students) to History Day and we all had a blast! There was so much to see and do. The kids loved panning for gold, seeing the old school house, and climbing on the train. Even though there were a thousand kids there, we still had a good time, learned interesting things about where we are from, and had many opportunities to explore.

You could spend a day here. So many things to see. Definitely take the 11am tour of 2 of the houses. It lasts about an hour and is so informative about early Bakersfield. Like stepping back in history to the 1800s. Very nice gift shop.

Now I have no idea how this ended up on my itinerary and when I got there, it looked sort of meh, but upon paying and asking what the heck this place was, I was informed that it was another reconstructed open air village. Which was nice. I’m not sure who started this trend, but I wholeheartedly approve, even if this one consisted of houses brought in from miles away (albeit still within the ‘county’ line). There was also a “Black Gold” exhibit showing the history somewhat of Kern County as it came to gas and oil drilling all around this area. It was pretty good, although you had to go all the way to end to catch a brief 10 second movie clip where someone basically admitted that we are running out of gas, oil and coal and we should be looking to wind, water and the sun for alternative sources. This was of course surrounded by a giant “ain’t petroleum great” diorama.

Great place to go if you don't get a chance to see any other open-air museums.

This is a great venue but shows signs of insufficient maintenance and poor artifact curation. Many active displays were "out of order" and some things had no explanations at all. Tires on the old cars going flat.

This Museum is a tribute to what the area was like from 1890s to 1930s. It has an excellent review of the local oil industry at a museum inside the larger one. this is a whole city including homes, railway station, jail, schoolhouse, etc. Also if you are visiting the area, check out the activities. There are often concerts or other activities at the Museum or next door at Stramler Park.

It was interesting to see the old buildings and specially the part with the Equipment from the oil industry.

A great place for the family to learn and get hands on experience for the little ones. take a sack lunch, and some drinks and enjoy sitting around history

The name has changed, but Pioneer Village is still a great way to spend an afternoon in Bakersfield. The place is full of historical buildigs from Kern County's past, like the old Norris School, a one room building, or the newest addition, The Lopez House. There are tree's galore along the 'streets' of the village, giving ample shade from the hot summer sun of Bakersfield, and plenty to see. And the kids will love the atmosphere as much as the adults.

Well laid out, self-guided, open air museum. Takes you on an interesting historical walk through Kern County. We learned a lot.

Pretty awesome-if you work in oil fields definitely will appreciate this museum-like of original pieces and the photos will take your breathe away.
It’s free-donation accepted very well worth the time

We only had time to visit the Museum’s Pioneer Village on the day of our visit. The historic buildings (exterior/interior) were displayed with care in a peaceful village setting . Information on the history of each building was displayed in front of each building, and made the visit even more enjoyable. There are also other areas to visit within the Museum for the whole family to enjoy. We will be back to visit again in the future! The Kern County Museum is definitely worth a visit!

A village with old homes, etc. that have been moved from other parts of Bakersfield to make up this old village setting. Definitely worth stopping in the city to take in this wonderful site.

Bakersfield Downtown seems a ghost city, luckily for us and our two children we found this small museum. Upstairs there is a nice collection of fossils, minerals and some reconstructed environment are really nice. Keep up the good work!

This museum is great. All old kern county treasures. Old school house , undertaker , hotel , great old oil signs and some historic lit signs. Old gas stations early early houses. Merle Haggard's box car house. And much more. Worth a stop by. And the old clock tower.

This is a must if you are in the area. Over 40 buildings all outside and some you can go inside, all with their own history. Like walking down an old street in the days of the settlers. There is also an oil exhibition which is incorporated into the museum.

Not having been born here I really knew nothing of Bakersfield history. The curator was very pleasant and Travis really knows his paleontology. So I recommend doing this if complaining nothing to do at the least but I always encourage the exploration of culture.

You need your walking shoes and lots of time to explore the grounds and various buildings/exhibits. Somewhat disorganized in the layout, but interesting too. The oil exhibit is a must-see.

The museum has collected a variety of buildings, many of them about 150 years old. They are laid out in a few streets and are representative of a community of that era.

The buildings are filled with appropriate memorabilia of the period. The doctor, the dentist, the barber, the newspaper, the sheriff, the court, dwellings rich and poor and many examples of engineering associated with the oil industry. There is an excellent film played in the museum.

The museum staff and volunteers were so charming and so helpful, clearly anxious to make sure our experience was vivid and enjoyable. It was.

On our way home from Yosemite and gold country we stopped in Bakersfield for the night. In the morning we wanted to check out something in Bakersfield so I found this place online and thought I'd at least stop by. We ended up staying over three hour looking around taking pictures and on the day we went they had some kind of antique fair going on it was really cool laid back and there was music and food. Overall totally worth stopping and checking it out, the kids museum was pretty awesome too, we stayed and watched a movie about the discovery of oil in kern county.

This museum is a collection of historical artifacts and buildings from around Kern County, including oil field equipment and a smaller oil themed museum on the grounds. There is also an exhibit dedicated to the Bakersfield Sound, and a children's play center. A majority of the museum is outdoors, so plan accordingly. Overall, it was a good visit, and my kids actually learned a little bit about the area.

Good for an afternoon with family, display of old buildings from across Kern County. Many special displays?

We visited for about 2 hours before closing but wished we had arrived earlier in the day to enjoy more the museum has to offer. There is a pioneer village with a large variety of period buildings explore, the indoor oil exhibit (Black Gold) is easy to miss but look for it behind the large moving oil pump. It is air conditioned and very informative, even for a group of Texans familiar with the oil industry.
If you find yourself in Bakersfield, thinking that the town has nothing to offer, seek out the Kern County Museum.

You'll balk at the admission price ($10- initially seems pretty steep), but OMG, it was so worth it. If you like early American history, are an architectural snob (i.e., the sight of old Victorian mansions makes you swoon), you will think you've died and gone to the good place. Here are some of the good and not-so-good points:

PROS: Really extensive collections of early American memorabilia, neat interactive exhibits, wide variety of businesses are represented (you're not just looking at old houses, there's an adobe, a church, a dentist's office, a school house, etc.). If you fill out a little survey at the end of your visit, you get to pick a neat little gift from a variety of different things, which was totally fun! The Black Gold exhibit was very thorough and was in a THANKFULLY air-conditioned building.

CONS: It's not their fault, but Bakersfield is so hot it will crush your soul. There's not much in the way of tree cover, so shade is scarce and wind even more so. If you go in the summer, be prepared to SWEAT A LOT! There were tons of bugs, spiderwebs, and flies both inside and outside of the structures. They really need to get some volunteers to wipe away the cobwebs and see to the water damage before it becomes irreparable.

All in all, I was completely surprised at how much my daughter and I enjoyed our visit. This is the first time we have ever spent two hours at any kind of "historical or cultural site." YES, it's really amazing!

Well maintained, interesting exhibits. Good for families, lots to interest both children and adults.

The Kern county Museum is a large collection of historical buildings which have been moved here from the surrounding area. There is and old school, a pharmacy and lots of old houses. Some of the buildings are open and contain lots of original furnishings, etc. We spent several hours looking at everything.

Wow, really surprised at how big and well done the museum is. Lots of historical buildings, artifacts, huge oil rig display, train, kids play area, etc.. this is a must see if your in the area.

Kern County Museum has captured the heart and soul of over 100 years of our History. Oil is and has been a big part of our history, as well as Country music. Both Buck Owens, and Merle haggard claim Bakersfield as their home. The Haggard home, where MerleHaggard grew up has been moved to the Museum, has been restored or in the process , and clearly shows the humble beginnings of the Haggard Household. The whole family is welcome..

Have friends or relatives visiting from out-of-town? New to the area? Lots of local history, all in one place! From the homes of our founders and Kern's movers and shakers of history to info on the oil boom, it's all here!

Many buildings from around Kern County were moved here to preserve them. Each one is either set up inside as it would have been or used to show you how a business would have been set up (such as undertaker, seamstress, etc.) Plaques outside of each building explain that building's history. They have also saved some old neon signs and train cars. There is also a large building that is a Children's Museum. We didn't go in as we had no kids with us. Another large building explains the local oil industry. I think every county should have a museum like this to preserve old buildings that are slated to be torn down in the name of progress.

If you are in Bakersfield, then this is a must see place. It took us about 3-4 hours to see the entire museum.

The cost of the attraction is not much, the people who helped us were very friendly. It is an outdoor attraction, so wear comfortable shoes. Also, there is no food on site, so eat ahead or carry some snacks or fruits. You get water and soda on site in the gift shop.

We started the tour by checking out the various homes and buildings that they have brought from all over Kern County. After about half an hour, I forgot that I was in a museum; it started to feel like I am in some old town which has a few homes, shops, banks, doctors clinics. After visiting all the buildings, we went to the oil museum; it is awesome. There is an oil rig outside, and a gas station of olden days!

We visted the museum and Pioneer Village on Super Bowl Sunday. The weather was great and we pretty much had the place to our selves. There are all the same great old houses that have been there since we were kids .Plus the Merle Haggard house and some cool vintage neon signs. The Bakersfield sound exhibit is smallish but well worth a look. Strolling thru the museum and grounds is a great way to spend a couple hours and remind ourselves of the rich history of Kern County.

Nice grounds, old, original buildings. Lot's of fun for the whole family. Be sure to stop out in front and admire the old clock tower.

I love this museum. I love every visit and all the activities. It's good to see that people are keeping the history of our town alive and will preserved.

Will make a note to return when the temperature drops and not during the Nut Festival when it is so crowded. We looked at the exterior buildings outside the museum which was interesting, but need to return for a more peaceful visit.

Tucked into downtown Bakersfield, the Kern County Museum is an oasis within an often run down city. The museum's tree lined streets are bordered by historic structures that tell the story of this area's growth. Family homes, doctors' offices, jails, etc. have been brought to the museum's grounds and afford a glimpse into a world that no longer exists. In addition to the historic structures, there is a real wooden oil derrick and an amazing indoor oil museum. In addition, the museum is open at night in December for what looks like an amazing trip back to Christmas past.

This is an excellent collection of houses, stores, oil drilling and railways.
The Oil section is especially informative for all ages.
Very good value for money. Allow a minimum of three hours and try to avoid school parties and children if possible.
The whole thing would have been even better had there been "house guides in period time" as we have seen in other such museums eg Dallas and Sturbridge.
TIP: Make sure there is no outside events on eg Peddlars Fair because it will cost more and the properties will not be open to view. We asked for our money back and visited the following day.

It‘s a nice open air museum in Bakersfield. It was not crowded when we were there and the lady at the small cinema was very helpful in explaining a lot of details about the history of the area. We really enjoyed it.

I've been to the museum for large events like Villagefest and the 150 birthday of Kern County. The museum is great for large events. The historic buildings and structure are nicely restored and reflect the regions of Kern County. It is on a large property with plenty of room to walk around or lounge in the lawn areas. Definitely will be back for the next event.

The grounds of Pioneer village showcase historic homes/businesses moved to the Museum; staged right on the grounds and chock full of historic furniture/period items. Best secret: collection of local donated photographs, but only seen by appointment with curator. It's worth the visit!

I have lived in Bakersfield all my life and this is my favorite place to go. I have probably been here at least 50 times and never get tired of it. I brought my kids and now my grandchildren too. It's great so don't miss out.

The museum consist of many buildings and cover large area. History of oil exploration are very interesting.

This museum is entirely outdoors, so go when it's not so hot.

I think this place is great; you get a really good view of the history of the area and some important buildings. Last time I went, I was 29, and I still had a great time!

You can't go into most of the buildings, and to go into the big house, whose name escapes me, you have to go on the tour. There's an interesting oil exhibit that includes displays on what it was like to work the oil fields in the past.

This is a great whole family experience. You can see real old time oil rigs, buildings, gas stations, trains, etc. There are also interactive exhibits and a separate children's museum where everything is hands on. It was much more than we expected.

This is not your typical walk around the building and look at dusty treasures. This is an entire town that you walk through and see the artifacts in place just as if you were there. Very well laid out, expect to spend at least 3 hours here. Lots of walking. Both adults and children will enjoy this place!

If you haven't been out to the museum in awhile, now is the time - the gift shop has been remodeled and Lori Wear has a new building to safely house thousands of important documents vital to preserving our local history. The outbuildings are adorable, worth your time for sure.

The Kern County Museum provides a fun glimpse into local history and the history of the oil industry.

It's always an enjoyable visit.

Oil is a big part of Kern County and the Black Gold Exhibit is the star of the museum. Nicely done throught donations of time and materials from the local oil industry. The old wooden drilling rig shows how far we've come. The artifacts laying all over inside and out tell the evolution of the industry. You can spend half a day here easily. All the old buildings on the property tell a story as well. The whole place is for rent for events. Lots of neat places to explore. Go and enjoy!!!

We stopped here to break up a long drive to Death Valley, and were really pleasantly suprised. Outside there are a collection of historical buildings that have been moved, restored and displayed for all to see. They ranged from jail houses, to oil rings and barbers. It was a fascinating 90 minutes, and felt like walking around giant doll houses. I doubt we will be back in the area, but would encourage anyone close by to attend. It is a real gem. I don't feel we did the museum justice, but we were on a tight timescale.

Loved the walk around old town and the museum hall. Well done Bako! Can't think of anything to do in Bako? Go here. Cheap entry fee and lots of interesting things to see. Great for family. Fall and spring are perfect times. Lots of parking. Safe. Have fun! We did!

Just curious about what the town was like long long time ago. Spent around three hours, had a tour in the big green mansion, the house belonged to the richest man in the town at the time and the whole house was moved to the county museum in late 70.

There was a small building, the courthouse is on the second floor, and the jail is right below on the first floor, I guess there were just a few bad guys back in the old days in that area. Each building has its own job like dentist, photographer, butcher, bank, temple, and school etc....

There's a real train and a tiny station too and an museum about black gold. There're many large oil drilling machine and tools. Outside the museum, there're old time travel horse driven carts and some others things I don't know what those are for.

An interesting history and cultural trip!

Some of the homes were inaccessible..self guided tour...probably would not do this tour again..should not be a fee for tour...

We stopped in Bakersfield on the way from Yosemite to Death Valley. We knew nothing about the area, but we learned a lot about it from the Kern County Museum. It was a small but excellent museum that had very interesting exhibits about the very significant oil industry in Bakersfield. In addition, outside there was a 16-acre property where historical homes and buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s had been relocated and refurbished. They were all most interesting. Each home or building had an informative plaque in front that described the former inhabitants and their history in the area. There was also a special exhibit on how oil is found, drilled, and turned into other products. We didn't have time to take it all in, but we wanted to go back and see more. This museum would be great for school age children and young adults.

Who knew that the history of Bakersfield, California was so interesting? The Kern County Museum is an open-air collection of this and that including more than 50 old structures dating back to the mid 1880s that chronicle the development of Kern County, California. We did not know that Kern County provides a significant portion of the USA's oil production, but there's an extensive exhibit at the museum, housed inside one building, that will tell you all you want to know about oil prospecting and drilling and more. What made this part of the museum particularly interesting was the docent at the front desk to this exhibit who works in the oil industry and provided a lot of information not in the exhibits. Another indoor exhibit chronicle's Kern County's participation in World War II.

This is a worthwhile activity and it will give parents a big opportunity to explain a lot of history to the kids. We are just a couple of seniors, with engineering degrees and intense curiosities. We thoroughly enjoyed our two or three hours exploring Kern County's most recent 200 years of history.

In December wh en I took my family to the museum a lot of the Historical equipment houses from the early 1900s quite interesting to see the history of Bakersfield and surrounding areas all buildings there are original there is intermission charge I can’t remember what it was but well worth going

We were lucky enough to be here on the satuday they were doing 150 yea birthday bash. Despite terrible road signage to find the place and little advertising for this event we had a nice time and totally enjoyed the whole day of learing about the history of this area. The structures that have beeb brought to these grounds are awesome. This day was specai l so there were added things like petting zoo . Food and even beer and wine. Even if you come on a regular day and not the bash plan on having a great day and a walk back in time.

There is an assortment of old buildings that are very interesting. They have many events at the Museum and Pioneer Village, you should check their schedule

This is an interesting museum with the only negative being you have to walk around outside to a group of buildings. It can be very hot in Bakersfield but at least lots of trees at the museum

Small but it is a great place to visit. Just on the outside of town, it is easy to get to and the docets really know their job. Perfect for a rest stop on a long travel day. The town of Taft also has many places to get anything you might need.

I have been coming here since I was a child, and there is always something new to see. They have a wonderful Pioneer Village and a fantastic Oil Museum. This is important because they have been pumping oil in our county for over 100 years.

Good selection of Kern County history and "Black Gold" about Kern County's oil production is worth the price of admission. All about the history and science (geology) and engineering of oil extraction and the modern uses of oil/petroleum/gas.

We live close by and are members with the State Museums, I like going often just because it's quiet and I enjoy all the old things provided. It's good for a trip if in town anyway, you never know what you'll see that may interest you, I'd give it an A+

We are spending the summer in Bakersfield while my husband is here for work. Of all the places to spend a summer in California, Bakersfield would not be at the top of my list, but we are making the best of it. We bought a family membership to the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum when we visited over the Fourth of July, and so we were able to get into this museum for free with the reciprocal visit program (or whatever it is called).

Anyways, we had a great time. I think it's important to keep expectations in check, and if you do you won't be disappointed. We (mom + 4 kids ages 8-2) showed up at 10 am when it opened. We checked out all the old buildings first. The place was nearly empty, so the kids were able to run around and see everything they wanted. Plenty of trees with benches in the shade.

Around noon we moved inside to the oil exhibit, which I thought was really well done. Again, we were the only ones in there for most of the time so the kids could do the little interactive activities as long as they wanted.

Then we headed over to the Lori Brock center, where they had a room set up like a small city for the kids to play in, as well as a playground. Part of the building was closed to visitors during the summer as they host a summer camp. Anyways, this area wasn't super slick or new like you will find in bigger museums, but my kids still has so much fun. The staff was all really nice, we spent about 4 hours there total, and my almost four year asked to come back for we birthday in a week. Definitely recommend!

While visiting Bakersfield, we stopped here late one afternoon and strolled around, seeing old Western-style buildings from the original settlement as well as interactive oil derricks from the oil fields. We just had time to visit the automotive exhibit before the museum closed, but there is so much more to see on future visits.

This is an interesting place for kids to see how people lived in the past. There are many interesting exhibits: oil history, gold panning, and hands science. Fun for the whole family.

You feel like you are wondering in a town in the 1800s!
You can walk along the streets. You can see the old businesses and houses back in the day, and you can go inside and see the furnishings.

It also has a special oil museum.

As a local, I have been here many times. I even helped set up one of the displays (the semaphore signal at the steam engine) and I look forward to going back soon.
I have visited museums all over the country and few are as well done, especially ones dedicated to local and regional history, but then few places have such diverse and interesting history as Kern County.
I highly recommend Pioneer Village to anyone, no matter where they're from. From agriculture to mining and oil to the railroad, I promise, you will not be disappointed!

Of course when you drive by you see the derrick, but the rest of the story is inside. A lot of care and effort has been used to show the early history of early Kern County is depicted in story and pictures. I have been several times and each time I turn the corner and learn something else. Well worth the trip.

It's a great walk around the old historical buildings from various towns in Kern County but not being from the area it would have been nice to look at at map to relate to the town locations.
Maps (new and old) tell a lot of history too . . .

This museum has been around for over fifty years and was lucky to have such great donations in buildings, artifacts and the community support over the years to save this history . .

This is a very nice museum. You will learn a lot about the oil fields in the area going way back in time up to present . Very interesting and the staff are really nice. Hope you enjoy.

Very nice collection of area items, from early Indians to modern day items. Sports figures, country music to oil fields.

known for historic landmarks and restored century houses also host to safe halloween tots and many other event you can see the first jail and fire dept indian stones and pottery which has been preserved throughout number one stop for all ages

A great history lesson on Kern County, one of the country's largest oil producing counties..The walk thru exhibit on how oil is produced is worth the price of entry. The houses that are there are well preserved. A fun experience, especially at Christmas

I always enjoy going through the museum and getting a glimpse at the Kern County of the past. They also host come great events such as brews in the village, car shoes and several others.

My family & me visited Olde Time Peddlars Faire at Pioneer Village and had a blast the whole weekend.Tons of antique vendors,food vendors,live jazz music playing in the gazebo plus walking thru all the old historic buildings with perfect fall weather was a great family weekend.

Most of it is outside, can be tough on a hot day. Go early, before 1:30 or so, because the best exhibit is the "Oil Building", and it closed at 2:30 when we were there, but we saw it. Eureka, our volunteer, told us everything about the history of the oil fields and how to navigate the exhibits. There is a great movie, about 10 minutes, in the Oil Building, and then check it out, done really well. Then walk through the grounds, look at the houses, there are tours of the 2 buildings if you're early enough, just overall-impressive!

Is a nice walk around the museum and looking at the different constructions they have, learning about a little history. They also have different activities throughout the year. If you are oilfield there is a section explaining everything about the oilfield, it's nice for kids and families if they want to have a better idea about the subject.
The children's museum is also inside and it's fun for the kids, is not too big but it can keep them busy for a little while.

This place is great, I even got married here. They have lots of old buildings and attractions to check out. Overall pretty cool, good cheap fun!

We had a few hours to spare on our way to LA so we decided to stop and visit. Lovely place, pretty dead to be honest so we managed to take our time and not have to bump into a lot of people. It takes you through a lot of history but I do wish you could walk in more houses than you do. Pretty detailed museum and quite interactive otherwise. Little kids will probably be bored but school kids should find it interesting. Entry ticket is okay for what you get to see. Plenty parking spaces.

If you want to learn about how Bakersfield and Kern COunty was in the olden days this place will give you a very good history lesson!

We enjoyed our visit, the buildings that have been moved or rebuilt provide a good insight into the history of old Bakersfield. There is also an interesting exhibit on the local, and some famous, country singers. Also a great exhibit about the history of oil production in the area. We had a good afternoon there.

Great time at the museum, wonderful buildings and a nice exhibit "Black Gold" that explains everything about oil. Very clean and safe for the whole family, worth the $10 entrance fee. We spent about 3 hours here checking out all the buildings. They have a small gift shop that sells the tickets the staff was friendly

This was a cool museum. So much history of the development of Bakersfield. This museum is a cllection of buildings that once made up the town. The original Church of Bakersfield, a school house, the home of a highly reputed home maker. The first jailhouse and courthouse. Dress shop and general stores. All outdoor exhibits for viewing. Things were so much smaller back in the early 1900's. Tours are avaialble to get more information about the buildings and the people involved by a well versed docent.Great place for a family trip or school field trip. Includes a gift shop and a oil rig exhibit. Very nice and cultural museum.

My wife and I like to stroll around the historical buildings and nice lawns. Even on a hot day it is much cooler in the shade of all the trees around the lot and there are plenty. I was a contractor and worked many years in the Kern County oilfields, so I was enticed to visit the oil museum. After the visit, the ride down the oil well, and talking with the volunteers I found out I didn't know as much as I thought. What an experience! Even the main displays in the first building was all one could comprehend of the history of our great Kern County. A must visit for the Kern County Museum.

We honestly visited because the Kern County Museum is an ASTC Travel Passport participant, so we got in for free with our memberships to the Discovery Cube in Orange County. I wanted somewhere to entertain the kids on the way back from Yosemite to break up the very long drive, and Kern County more than fit the bill. Not only did my kids love the Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center, but they actually got excited by walking around the Pioneer Village grounds seeing all the old buildings, the trains, and the oil derricks.

Obviously, we got more than we paid for. But still I can recommend the Kern County Museum as a great place to visit. Just be careful not to show up on a day they're holding some other big event at the facility. That happened to us when they had a big car show the same day we were driving up, and the museum was closed. Luckily, it still worked out for us to visit on the way home.

Nice historical museum just north of town which can be covered in a couple of hours with an adult entry fee of $10 which is about right.
Highlight was the Black Gold exhibit which was very educational and plenty of interactive exhibit for the kids.

This turned out to be such fun and a good place for all ages! The Pioneer Village with all the houses and buildings was well done!

This is a very nice place to do different events. Right in Downtown. Talladega Freights puts the best haunted house themes throughout the year, also beer and bacon festivals and many other events that go on here.

Sometime prior to our visit, my wife & I planned this evening out with a couple of friends due to a brochure which advertised ‘Gunslingers, Madams and Horse Thieves’ at the museum from 6 to 9 pm. Our leisurely dinner caused us to arrive at about 6:15.
At the door, we were informed that the lecture had commenced, but to feel free to attend, and we were given directions to the building where it was being given. Upon arrival, there stood a woman at the front of a large room with about 25 people in attendance. The room was so warm, I had to step outside about every ten minutes to cool off, missing much of the lecture. I didn’t miss much, as the lecture was rather dry and somewhat boring. It had little if anything to do with ‘gunslingers’, but with 19th and early 20th century Kern County murderers, madams and bordello patrons, police and laws passed to outlaw the brothels in the area. The speaker presented a power point or slide presentation and was reading from the slides which were being shown, adding very little else.
The ‘lecture’ was over in about 45 minutes with a short Q&A period afterward. This constituted the entire presentation and evening. For an entry fee of $10.00 per person, I expected, at the very least, some of the grounds and buildings to be open since there were no gunfight demonstrations.
Of all my visits to the museum, this one was my biggest and only disappointment. In the future I will call ahead and ask for a description of what the events of the day will entail.

A great exhibit of the early days in the area. Well planned and executed. A nice half day visit to the past, and very interesting. Interesting because the presentation relates not only to the Bakersfield area, but of many early California areas. Worth the time and small expense, and one of the few things to do in Bakersfield. Very family friendly and good for the kids. Lots of walking for the mobility- impaired, but ADA accessible for most of the exhibits.

This is an amazingly interesting attraction in what's a pretty low key town these days. If you like local history, this is a great place to visit. Quite a few buildings have been relocated to this large property to give you the flavor of old Bakersfield in its early days. You can wander through most of the structures and there are plaques which give historical descriptions of the who, what and when of each. There's a lot to see. The new(ish) oil exhibit is also very interesting. I thought Bakersfield was a farming community and had no idea it was such an oil producer years ago. This is an excellent place for family and friends to pick up some local color. We were there on a beautiful spring day but if you go in summer wear a hat and sunscreen. It will take a couple of hours at least to walk the entire property.

Every December the Kern County Museum is open with Christmas themes and activities. I personally like seeing the historic buildings and "old west locals" in 1800s style. I get the feeling like I'm in a Charles Dickens novel!

The Kern County Museum is a "Gold Mine" it is full of history with the lots of the original artifacts right there for you to enjoy. While visiting, you may recognize a set or backdrop from a movie. The informative tours about the California Gold Rush are amazing! This is also a really fun and safe place to go Trick or Treating on Halloween. Just be sure to bring plenty of water,after all this is Bakersfield! ,

Always a favorite outing choice for my family. Lots of old buildings to explore and spread across their property in a way that you can get a lot of steps in if you need to get out and about. Also, the property is covered in trees - Very nice in that Bakersfield heat! Kids love it because they can run around respectfully and safely, and so do we because they always learn something new with every trip there.

The vast array of exhibits is outstanding. The oil museum theater is great. So much history. Love to take out of town guests here

My family visits this museum a couple times a year but I suggest you don't do it during the summer it is very hot in Bakersfield. If you must then do it in the evening. We also go to the safe Halloween 👻 which is fun but busy so make sure and keep an eye on your children and practice a lot of patients.

The family/ myself was tired by the time we arrived, so all we really wanted was to sit and eat look

Really torn on this. I like these historic town sites where buildings are moved together in order to tell some history - there's a good collection of specimens and quite diverse too. According to the website there are a number special attractions as well - every single one closed the weekend day I toured. No docents available anywhere, just a maintenance man who let me out after the main gate closed, locked and the sole park employee departed. Plus side, there are short descriptions on almost all properties, there is a good variety as well as quite a number of things to see. Downside, many can be viewed only through windows, and some barely at this (the sole large Victorian you see pictured offers barely any interior views). Some can be accessed by plexi viewing areas at the front, but not far into the structures. Honestly, something like this, being completely gated, can afford to have open wander through structures - I've been in several. There's nothing of great value that could wander off, and most of it wouldn't make it past the main gate anyway without detection. The only real problem would be children not minded by parents, but again, we're not talking diamonds of historical rarities. Perhaps if the place actually did have some docents, but absent that - full access at 2x the price would work too. You leave wanting it to do better, you know it could - and the fact that it isn't more engaging means people won't learn as much as they otherwise could from the experience / and won't come back.

This is an amazing place just to walk around. We attended an outside wedding that was fantastic. Visit the museum, you won't be disappointed and great for all ages

This is a terrific place to wander around and learn about the history of Kern County. Of particular interest is the Oil Exhibit. Developed in concert with some of the local oil companies, this is an exhibit that will be of interest to both young and old. The Museum has relocated several historic structures on the property, and you can wander around on the "streets" under the many shade trees that are on the Museum grounds. It has an interesting gift shop if anyone is looking for a souvenir of their visit to Kern County.

It's a nice size museum. Can be walked easily in one afternoon. Most building are only able to view through the outside windows. Others you may walk into, but again may only be viewed through glass. Our favorite time to go to this museum is when they hold the peddlers fair. Antiquities with a bit of local history and the beefy jerky is amazing.

Full of interesting displays. The beautiful and well cared for buildings and grounds were a perfect place for a picnic.

The Kern County Museum is a trip back in time for ALL who visit. It is a one-stop-shop for Kern County's history.

Well laid out museum with a lot of information about Kern county. They did an excellent job on The Black Gold oil exhibit. It is on par with the Houston Texas exhibit in their Natural Science museum, which gets a lot more traffic due to location. The historic town around the museum is fun to explore as well.

The Kern County Museum does a wonderful job of expressing the history of Kern County in an engaging manner. With many original buildings and displays, it helps one gain an accurate sense of life during the early days of the county's expansion. The staff is friendly and helpful as well.

My wife and I stopped in Bakersfield to go to the Buck Owens Crystal Palace country music venue. We got there early and went to the Kern County Museum. We were pleasantly surprised to find a 16 acre village of historic California buildings. The exhibits inside the museum were also interesting. This is definitely worth a stop for an hour or two.

We enjoyed our visit here. We had a guided tour of two houses by an awesome and informative docent. We also enjoyed the interactive oil exhibit.

The grounds are very well kept and the exibitis great for all ages. Old style buildings in a mini town setting. Railroad exhibit, oil field structures and so much more. In addition, many events are held here as well. Lots of fun and something to see for everyone.

Different organizations have supported the transport of historical homes and businesses to this location. You can learn about local pioneers, Indians, and the oil business. There is also a building which houses many items of local significance. Different children's programs are sponsored through the Lori Brock Foundation. I especially love it here for Halloween and Christmas programs when the place becomes lit up at night. You feel transported back to another era. They also have antique shows here. Nice gift shop. Good value for the money.

Very quaint collection of buildings and very friendly/helpful staff. Went there for a wedding which was held in a church on the grounds which was over 200 years old. Very hot (104 degrees) but that was not the fault of the museum. Reception behind the church outside and the staff was very helpful in ferrying people back and forth to the rest rooms which were quite a distance away. All in all a nice place to visit.

The oil exhibit, which is in the "pioneer village" part of the Kern County museum, was awesome! We were visiting family in Kern County and stopped by to see the old homes and buildings I've known since childhood. We weren't expecting such a well done, interesting and creative way of presenting the rich history of oil in Kern County. I grew up in Kern County and now live in another oil-producing state and yet I learned so much. My third grader even raved about the experience for days later and compared other museums (unfavorably) to the Kern County oil presentation. Lots of fun and you'll learn a ton!

not saying this was on my bucket list, but I was stuck in Bakersfield. That being said, this place was interesting since I got interesting history tour of this area. Again, I was stuck here for days and had nothing else to do. So, if u are like me, go ahead and check it out. Military discount too avail.

Had a lot of interesting information regarding the oil industry and loved the old homes where we were able to go inside.

This is one of the best museums I've visited in California with many interesting displays. It does take a time to view, so plan on being there a few hours!

Kern County Museum is a cool venue to visit, but the best way to see it is around Labor day when they do the "brews in the village" music festival. That is one of the "must see" events in Bakersfield.

A very good place to visit and learn about Kern County history. The oil industry , what old tools they used and other historical items!! Good for family visit!

I grew up in Taft and McKittrick. This museum is excellent if you enjoy history. This museum has some of my family members pictures displayed. Taft is a small town, but this museum is very worthwhile especially good for,those who are interested in the history of the California oil fields.

Historical homes and businesses put together in one place . Fun for kids and to learn the history of kern county.

I really enjoyed going through the museum. My granddaughter loved the old school in the kids area. Actually, I think her mom enjoyed it as much as she did. Very interesting to see the clock tower.

Local Artists show there works and my wife is a docent.

Nice place and only takes a little time. You should enjoy

This is an excellent place to visit with the family on a Sunday afternoon. It's a walk down memory lane with all the old homes and displays and a nice walk under huge trees. Very easy to spend an entire afternoon here enjoying the day. We had an awesome time.

A collection of older Historical buildings from all over Kern County that were bought, moved to a central location in Bakersfield, and restored. A little bit of history brought home.

This museum is a gem in the middle of busy Bakersfield. There are many old buildings that have been moved here to preserve them, including the train box car where Merle Haggard grew up many years ago. The grounds are tranquil and beautiful. There are many interesting exhibits, such at the neon signs and the story of oil in the Bakersfield area. Well worth the entry fee and a great place to spend an entire day!

My daughter and I had a great time seeing the historic homes/businesses and oil industry exhibition displayed at the Kern County Museum. I thought the way it was set up, where you view the exterior of structures while peaking inside through window viewing areas, was very clever. During the current pandemic times, it is a great place to visit, since all activities are outdoors.

This is a great place to go with the family, lots of wonderful "old" homes and the grounds are tranquil. It's like stepping back in history, not to mention a great place to wander around. Visit when special events are taking place, well worth it!

Small, local museums rarely have big budgets, so I find the best way to enjoy them is to relax and find a few tidbits to savor. Here I found myself fascinated by the equipment used to drill oil wells and the music the oil workers pioneered: the Bakersfield Sound. Others might enjoy the Victorian-styled houses, the coal-fired train engine, or the photos of days gone by.

Whether you visit the old buildings on the grounds, go to the museum, or the children's museum, you will enjoy yourself. Our grandkids love the Lori Brock Children's museum. They have interactive exhibits so we can relax knowing they will have a good time and we don't have to say don't touch to everything. The gift shop has interesting, affordable items. I always enjoy browsing through it. The grounds are lovely and you can enjoy a picnic lunch if you want. This is one of the best things to do in Bakersfield.

This was not something we expected, but we really liked it - the museum is outdoors, and a series of historic buildings - demonstrating the history in Bakersfield. Everything from Adobe house, log cabin, church, school, and railroad and oil industry. Artifacts are strategically displayed to take you into the past and picture yourself living that life.

This is one of the better museums to visit. The have both inside and out side displays from native American displays and some of the old houses and buildings and even a .old wooden oil Derick set n an easy walk/ wheel chair display. The original brick clock tower that use to set on Truxton and Chester in at the entrance

Saw a program on Sacramento TV and decided to come while in town. Because we arrived later in the day couldn't see it all, but what we did see thought it was great. My husband and I are history buffs and enjoyed this adventure.

Amazing museum and worth a visit cost $10. It takes you back to the 1800s and 1900s era, how people lived in terms of their migration to Bakerfield, their homes, their clothes, their tools, their furniture, their jobs, and their means of transportation. The museum is outdoor and built in the shape of a replicants neighborhood. Walking around the museum, you feel as if you are living in that era. It takes two hours or more to complete it.

We went for the exhibits on the Bakersfield Sound and country music. A home Merle Haggard once lived in - that was originally a train boxcar (!) is on the premises, and was very interesting. There is a huge collection of vintage buildings on the grounds. I found it very interesting, even though it was about 105 degrees out and really uncomfortable walking around outside!

A small museum, with a few old structures. Does have a few nice outdoor functions, antique shows and car shows. Not the best museum I have attended.

This is the best place to see the history of Kern County. Awesome visit, will go back loved it. Teach your kids about where they live

Inside exhibits are well done, but not many. Outside village has no identification of houses. We were looking for the Merle Haggard home and never found it. No inside viewing. Peek in the windows only.

There were just too many things to see, each one very detailed and authentic. Be sure to look through the windows and doorways of the buildings because the interiors are painstakingly maintained or newly refurbished. You will be amazed at the colorful and authentic wallpaper in some of the residences — looks like original to me. I noticed teen-age kids gazing intently at the railroad station waiting room like it was something from another century! Oh, yes, indeed it was! The print shop and the undertakers' (mortician) were fascinating, 1oo, the latter a bit gruesome if you think too much about it.

This is a great place to take the family. Lots of history about Bakersfield/Kern County, and a fabulous interactive Oil Exhibit. Historical buildings from around Kern County, including Merle Haggard's "home" (box car) have been moved and preserved here. There is a nice train exhibit and trolley car exhibit as well. Worth the visit.

The Kern County Museum is a great place! There is so much to see. Spend a good part of a day here seeing actual buildings and history from Ketn's past. Thanks to our forefathers for preservation and thanks to current staff for maintaining our history. Lots of shade on a hot day amongst the trees. Also see the Lori Brock Children's museum where the kids can lean and keep busy with s lot of fun things to see and do. Make sure your little ones visit the Kid City Fire Station and play as if they are riding and driving the Fire Engine while wearing kid sized clothing . Have fun!

My adult daughter and I went and had a fun time. Brought back lots of memories. She had to come here due to a class she is taking. She's a teacher and this was an assignment given to her. Very informative. Very interesting place. Lots of history here. I think it's a great place for families to come. Teaches the younger generations what life was like back in the old days.

This museum is definitely worth a stop if you are passing through the Bakersfield area. We saw the reviews and decided to go out of our way about 20 minutes to visit this very unique collection of history. The displays were authentic and well placed and filled with interesting facts. The only unfortunate aspect was that many of the audio/visual displays in the oil museum were not working. Nevertheless, this museum was very well done and rich with the history of the county.

Each time we visit we ask ourselves why we don't come more often. It's such a great place for adults and kids of all ages to get a feel for our rich Kern county history. Kids can roam freely without the feeling you need to have them "on the leash" like other venues. It's great that you can actually touch and get your hands on pieces of Kern county history. The old oil drill tower is impressive and visually the crown piece. Plan a trip, if it's even for just an hour and you won't be disappointed.

Great place to visit if you are near Bakersfield. It is basically an open-air, full-scale, real-life diorama. The outdoor museum has many historic buildings collected from around Kern County and showing domestic, professional and day-to-day life in early California history. There are various homes and workplaces like a blacksmith, doctor, dentist, train station, jail, courthouse, carriage house, pump house, water tower and much more. There are also a few trains, an oil derrick and pumping/drilling machinery and more.

Follow the map and take your time to walk around the park, each site has a beautiful story and history behind it.

The Kern County Museum doesn't sound great from the outside, but it is actually quite interesting. The homes and buildings are well kept, and the Black Gold Experience offers an excellent history of California Oil.

I guess I am biased because this is a part of my childhood. We used to take field trips here when I was younger (and schools still had field trips) and learn about the natives of Kern County and got a glimpse of what Bakersfield looked like. I grew up and got married here. They have added to it over the years, and made some changes. I am sad that the Howell house isn't open to walk around any more but its still beautiful to look into the windows. We go at Christmas time and whenever we want to just take a walk back in time. Being in the oil industry and in a family that is all in oil as well we enjoy the oil exhibit.

What a fun place to visit (when its not boiling hot!) to learn about Kern County history! All the docents were great and provided extra history past what the info markers provided.

However, after all the lessons are learned, and the place clears out a bit.... this is a great hide and seek place! Obviously never disrupting any exhibit, going in 'employee's only' marked areas, or even running, this provided great afternoon fun for the kids I nannied for. Next time we went, I was able to give them a scavenger hunt off the information that we learned from the last time we were there. Made the experience very memorable and the kids were very engaged with the history in the museum.

I've also taken the same kids to the Safe Halloween and the Holiday Lamplight Tours. Not sure if they're still doing these things, but it was great for the kids.

The museum is also very reasonably priced. Made it easy for our summer budget.

well-maintained complex with numerous restored/transplanted buildings that give a good sense of the history of the area. Tours available of the interior of a few buildings. All have some type of viewing access even when you can't fully enter the structure. Good scattering of docents available if you're looking for more detailed info. Immaculate grounds, plenty of shade trees. Great way to spend a few hours

Small, local museun, the museum has collected a variety of buildings, many of them about 150 years old. Teach your kids about where they live

If you are in the Bakersfield area, the Kern County Museum is a must see. Old buildings, a drilling rig, and old stores makes this something fun for the whole family.

Lots to see and do here. Film of Bakersfield history was excellent. Section devoted to oil industry tools quite edifying. So many interesting preserved structures from 19/20 century that you can walk around/into (houses, bank,gas station, dress shop just to name a few). Highly recommend!

Went here on our vacation, this is a really nice museum, it has a lot of old houses, some you can go in and see how people were living in the old days and it just gives you a feel of an old town. They have a small museum inside where you can go and try the small diving clock that will take you down through the earth to see what is under the ground. I have fun looking at the old steam train and the old gas station makes me think of the movie back to the future when you see the person going to get gas and every one comes out to fill up the gas, clean the windows etc.

We're museum members because my kids like coming here so much! They especially enjoy the Lori Brock Museum with the interactive exhibits, outdoor playground, and "kid city."

There are many local historical businesses, houses and even a train that have been relocated here and furnished for display. There is also an excellent exhibit on the history of the oil industry in Kern County with lots of interactive features.

They have a gift shop with unique vintage style items and Kern County related gifts.

Another great thing about this place is they put on several events throughout the year for some extra fun, such as car shows, trick-or-treating, and holiday tours. If you're interested in Bakersfield history this is a great place to experience.

sad think they got a new manager maybe get younger bands to play the old guys just need to retire they have lost the word country in this town . hire youthful staff

The hours on TripAdvisor show that they are open Monday. After driving all the way across town, found that they were closed. Additionally, the phone number here goes to the superintendent of schools. Visitor beware!

First Class! It will take several visits to see it all! This has to be one of the best County Museums anywhere.

It's a town time capsule really with quite a lot to see and enjoy reliving your youth if that old. It's mostly late 1800 and early 1900's buildings and a few trains and cars, even a church. The gas stations exhibit is 1920's or later with glass top gas pumps, looking new and shining with oil cans and Coke cola machines too. The old oil derrick is ready to have a walk though to see how dangerous it must have been, and hard the work was too. These men and women were tough working hard to build the country we enjoy today, could we do what they did?

This museum was really interesting showing how oil was discovered in this area. That 60% of California's oil is produced here and 10% in the USA

There are also old homes and plenty to look at. Great if you have kids and is very interactive

Here you can find a wide variety of Kern Countys past. Well worth the time. Very informative. Great for kids

While in Bakersfield check out this cool attraction. My husband and I found it very pleasant to stoll among the historical buildings, vintage trains and antique oil drilling equipment. The porches on the old homes and old commercial buildings were my favorite. They could build a porch back then! The oil museum held our interest and we learned a thing or two.

We went with friends from Bakersfield who are members of this 'working' museum. It is a real gem that tells the story of the history of Bakersfield. We never knew about the Bakersfield sound, being second only to Nashville. The hostory of the railroad, the oil and the people.that built this city.

This is a great place to learn the history and geology of the San Joaquin Valley of California including Bakersfield.
Yes, the Pioneer Village, the main building and Black Gold building along with the Children's Learning Center - all are worthy of a strong day of involvement. It is fun, enlightening, and very well done in every way. As history museums go this is a class place.
However - there really is more. Stop and discover! The displays in the front building with their excellent layout, well designed and developed information bites are treasures for all who would give them the time. Resist the impulse to walk past these displays and walk out to the Pioneer Village. This is a great place for all members of the family from preschool to very senior members, walkers, wheel chairs and all. The video in the Black Gold Theater is a great overview as well.
The staff is very helpful and gracious. The buildings are well managed, clean and a tribute to the policies of the museum.

The museum just gets better and better. Make the trip.

New areas and displays are excellent. And look great.

kern County Museum also known as Pioneer Village is the kind of place you can go back to over and over and enjoy it every time. I love this place. There are seasonal activities as well as quiet weekend walks. Very close to freeway access if you have kids and need a break.

My review of this cultural icon is colored by the fact that one of my second cousins, Richard C. Bailey, used to be the museum's curator when I was a child growing up in Bakersfield. Most of my social studies classes made field trips to the museum and Dick Bailey would always come out of his office to greet the group and usually tell us some interesting factoid about the museum. I had not been there in probably forty or more years and I was truly astonished at all of the changes that have taken place there. I really enjoyed seeing it.