Historical Fun in the San Francisco Bay Area

girl near wagon wheel
Something about the different lifestyles, historical photos, and interesting gadgets generate curiousity and excitement in children. Fortunately, the Bay Area has a wealth of historical museums and parks that appeal to a variety of interests, including California history, agriculture, lighthouses, cable cars, and more.

Most historical parks are very welcoming to children and many have special family events. As an added bonus many are free or low cost.

Historical Museums & Parks
Agricultural History Project Museum - Watsonville
Ainsley House - Campbell
Alameda Historical Museum - Alameda
Alcatraz Island - San Francisco
Amador Livermore Valley Museum on Main - Pleasanton
Ardenwood Historic Park - Fremont
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park - St. Helena
Benicia Capitol Historic Park & Fischer-Hanlon House - Vallejo
Bockius/Orr House - Watsonville
Black Diamond Mines Museum - Antioch
Cable Car Museum - San Francisco
California Historical Society - San Francisco
Camel Barn Museum - Benicia
Cameron-Stanford House - Oakland
Capitola Historical Museum - Capitola
Carmel Mission - Carmel
Cupertino Historical Museum - Cupertino
Dunsmuir House & Gardens - Oakland
East Contra Costa Historical Museum - Brentwood
Forbes Mill Museum - Los Gatos
Forest Home Farms - San Ramon
Fort Point - San Francisco
Gilroy Historical Musuem - Gilroy
Hayward Area Historical Museum - Hayward
History Park at Kelley Park - San Jose
Jack London State Historic Park - Glen Ellen
John Muir National Historic Site - Martinez
Los Altos History House and Museum - Los Altos
Market Street Railway - San Francisco
Marin County Historical Society Museum - San Rafael
Maritime Museum of Monterey - Monterey
Martinez Historical Society - Martinez
McConaghy House - Hayward
Mission San Jose - Fremont
Mission San Rafael Archangel - San Rafael
Mission Santa Clara de Asis - Santa Clara
Moffett Field Historical Museum - Mountain View
Monterey State Historic Park - Monterey
Museum of American Heritage - Palo Alto
Museum of Art and History - Santa Cruz
Museum of the City of San Francisco - San Francisco
Museum of San Ramon Valley - Danville
Oakland Preservation Park - Oakland
Old Borges Ranch (Shell Ridge Recreation Area) - Walnut Creek
Pacific Heritage Museum - San Francisco
Pardee Home Museum - Oakland
Peralta Adobe & Fallon House - San Jose
Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park - Petaluma
Pigeon Point Lighthouse - Pescadero
Prusch Park - San Jose
Randall Museum - San Francisco
Richmond Museum of History - Richmond
Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad - Felton
San Francisco Cable Cars - San Francisco
San Francisco Fire Department Museum - San Francisco
San Francisco Maritime National Historicl Park & Historic Ships - San Francisco
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park - San Juan Bautista
San Lorenzo Valley Historical Museum - Boulder Creek
San Mateo County Historical Museum - Redwood City
Sanchez Adobe - Pacifica
Santa Cruz Lighthouse Point Surfers Museum - Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Mission Adobe Historical State Park - Santa Cruz
Saratoga Historical Museum - Saratoga
Shadelands Ranch Historical Museum - Walnut Creek
Slide Ranch - Muir Beach
Society of California Pioneers - San Francisco
Sonoma State Historic Park - Sonoma
U.S.S. Hornet - Alameda
Wells Fargo Museum - San Francisco
Wilder Ranch State Park - Santa Cruz
Winchester Mystery House - San Jose
Wings of History Museum - San Martin
Woodside Store - Woodside
Quicksilver County Park Mining Museum - Almaden

Train Models & Museums
Barron Park Garden Railway - Palo Alto
Cable Car Museum - San Francisco
California State Railroad Museum - Sacramento
Steam Train at Tilden Park - Berkeley
Golden Gate Railroad Museum - San Francisco
Golden Gate Model Railroad Club at Randall Museum - San Francisco
Golden State Model Railroad Museum - Point Richmond
Market Street Railway - San Francisco
Niles Canyon Railway Museum - Sunol
San Francisco Cable Cars - San Francisco
South Bay Historical Railroad Society - Santa Clara
Railroad-Ferry Depot - Tiburon
Western Railway Museum - Solano
Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society - Walnut Creek
West Bay Model Train Association - Menlo Park
Western Railway Museum - Suisun