Presidio of Monterey Museum

The volunteer docent was incredible and kind and put up with my talkative nature, and questions. He is the heart of this place, and what made it such a wonderful experience. However, I LOVED the replicas of the buffalo soldier uniforms, on mannequins both black and white, as well as the write up about why a black man would fight for a country that did such horrors to. I believe this is a new addition to the museum, there’s also giant horse replicas from when the presidio was mostly Calvary. Fun for the kids to maybe look at the big horses, run up the hill to the monument , and this docent is a history teacher, so if you have kids, who like history, this little free museum might be really fun for them.

We came here for a school book report and we're very happy with the museum volunteer guide. He was especially knowledgeable and kind with my young son. I highly recommend you visit and walk up to the monument. This location has some of the best views of the bay.

The Sloat Monument is located at the Presidio of Monterey Museum in California, commemorating the landing of Commodore John D. Sloat in 1846, an event that marked the beginning of the U.S. military presence in California during the Mexican-American War. The monument itself is a stone structure that honors Sloat's role in the capture of Monterey and symbolizes the transition of California from Mexican to American control. The Presidio of Monterey Museum showcases this historical context along with various artifacts and exhibits related to the military history of the region. The museum provides insight into the life and times of early California, the role of the U.S. military, and the diverse cultures that have influenced the area. It's a great place for visitors interested in maritime history, military heritage, and the broader narrative of California's past. The surrounding park also offers beautiful views and a peaceful environment, making it a lovely spot for both education and reflection. Make it friendly The Sloat Monument is a lovely spot at the Presidio of Monterey Museum in California, celebrating the arrival of Commodore John D. Sloat in 1846. This event marked an important moment in California history, as it led to the U.S. military establishment in the area during the Mexican-American War. The monument itself is a charming stone structure honoring Sloat's role in capturing Monterey, symbolizing the shift of California from Mexican to American control. The Presidio of Monterey Museum is filled with fascinating exhibits and artifacts that tell the story of the region's military history. Visitors can learn about life in early California and the diverse cultures that shaped the area. It’s a great destination for anyone interested in maritime history or military heritage! Plus, the park surrounding the museum offers beautiful views and a peaceful atmosphere, making it a perfect place to explore, learn, and enjoy some time outdoors.

Very nice, tiny museum with very, very friendly docent who enjoys talking & explaining history to visitors. Free admission but we donate money to help pge bills. I’m

This place is nice, very little museum but good. Entrance is free and the volunteer very friendly and told us a lot about what happened and also let us wander around on our own

Interesting place, so be sure to read the history plaques on the wall. Run by volunteers, and supported by private donations, strictly. So be sure to thank the volunteers, as well as please leave a few dollars behind...

Rich history of soldiers, their stories and sacrifices. Grateful for your service

You will have time travel for Monterey.

We turned a corner driving along the Presidio in Monterey and came upon this small Museum featuring the Cavalry that was stationed at the Presidio Army Base. The museum presents the history using great artifacts like saddles, bridles, and full size horse and soldier mannikins decked out in full regalia. The history progresses chronologically since the time of the discovery of the Monterey Bay, and gives a great overview of military activity in the area. Some short videos displayed on a TV fill in the print and poster information using footage of Army activities from various eras. A very personable docent greeted us and narrated quite a bit of the historical background of the area as well, which gave some context for the displays. There are hiking trails up the hill behind the museum to the Sloat Monument, and we look forward to returning on a sunny day to enjoy the view and perhaps a picnic!

A small niche museum that really shows the military history or the local area. The visit is free but the gentleman sitting inside would always stand up and give a personal tour to everyone that walked in. He even gave information about the local area. The artifacts are well preserved. The area also has plenty of FREE parking. It's located right in town so you can park here for free and walk a few black and be right in the middle of town. The area is patrolled by the MPs so it's safe to park. Definitely a budget friendly spot to visit.

The Presidio Museum is on the grounds of the Presidio at Monterey , but accessible to the public. We went there to visit on a day with cloudy skies -not a good time to go to the beach. I would recommend the place only to those interested in military equipment and dress attire. The Presidio Museum is a museum if you like military uniforms through the ages. Among the exhibits are life size mannequins fitted with uniforms of the times. These include a US marine corporal dress uniform in 1846 with sword, a infantry corporal in 1902, a "Sergeant York" uniform in 1918, a statue of a cavalry lieutenant in uniform in 1930 with his horse, and an army officer dress uniform in World War II. There are a number of photographs and posters through the different eras, including a cavalry recruiting poster, the great oil fire of 1924, and an Army Language School exhibit, from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism. There are pictures of horse drawn heavy artillery infantry drills, complete with huge artillery piece shields. The weapon inventory consists of canteens, hats, bolt action rifles, mini-ball muskets, and a 1917 Browning water-cooled 30 caliber machine gun. Outside of the one room structure is a civil war era artillery piece that looks like it came out of an 18th century frigate. Admission is free, and the Presidio is open to the public with hours: Monday 10 to 1pm, Thursday thru Saturday 10-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

This is an amazing HIDDEN TREASURE of a museum at the Presidio in Monterey. It tells an amazing history of California and other Western states with regards to Mexico and how the U.S. came to be. It has many Spanish artifacts and inspiring displays. Very well done

This is just like it says in the name, a tiny museum focusing on the history of the Presidio of Monterey , specifically the american interwar period. They've a small lot close by the building with room for six cars -eight if you include the handicap parking. That's usually enough, but if for some impossible reason it's full this is located in a more or less abandoned part of the presidio and is surrounded by empty lots. This is a tiny museum. I've been in apartments that seemed larger. There is some interesting tidbits such as the sack of Monterey by a French pirate with a commission from Argentina. Fascinating stuff which is barely mentioned on a wall exhibit to the right as you walk in. Other then little gems like that the highlight is the Calvary display. Mostly this is of the pre world war two period during which in spite of evidence to the contrary there was strong support in the us army for maintaining all horse formations as that whole tank thing is just a fad that is going to go away surely harumpf, adjust monocle, repeat. Anyway if you're not military trivia obsessed covering this space will take about ten to fifteen minutes. Spouses and those who aren't obsessed with military minutia go climb the hill outside just past the bathrooms. This is a nice walk which will fill the time while someone is inside obsessing over uniforms. There's a statue at the top honoring the american "conqueror" (this wasn't any too much of conquest. More like a frat party with uniforms) of Monterey. The peak of the hill behind the statue is the site of the original fortifications, and allows for a simply amazing view of the bay. The museums okay, the bathrooms are awesome, and that short easy walk with the view is amazing. Seeing as it's all free it's totally worth every penny, and makes a nice change from the kitschy tourism of cannery row.

This small free museum highlights the various stages of local military development. I liked the interpretive videos of the encampments in 1938. My six year old was excited about the Browning machine gun. The exhibition design about the former cavalry was well done. There is a brochure for Monterey cell phone tours and a map of the site on the far wall so you could plan your exploration of Lower Presidio with advice from the docent.

Nice little museum, which, unbeknownst to many, is open to the public (unlike much the the Presidio/Defense Language Institute)--and FREE. The displays are nicely organized (chronologically, for the most part), informative, well-labelled, fairly current, and cover the history & some of the prehistory of not only the Presidio but Monterey as a whole. There was a very informative (perhaps too informative) docent on hand to answer questions. (Note: since this is Yelp, I should mention that if you encounter that same docent, you might want to take his restaurant recommendations with a grain of salt.) In addition to the museum itself, there's a pretty big chunk of land you can explore there without having a military ID card, including some nice park/picnicking areas, the Sloat Monument higher up on the hill (Sloat was the commodore who took control of Monterey, then California's capital, from Mexico, in 1846), a small monument commemorating "pirate" Captain Hippolyte Bouchard's 1818 burning of Monterey, a statue of Father Junipero Serra, and other historic artifacts & markers. For a nice image gallery of the Presidio's history, see http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery.asp?userid=caviews&gallery_id=963740 Down side: some of the grounds & monuments are in a bit of disrepair.

A great little place to learn about the Presidio of Monterey, especially since it IS a closed post since 9/11 and really there's no place on the Presidio where you can go to learn more anyway, unless you're a student there. Small but informative, very limited hours. I encourage anyone with an interest in military history or Monterey to check it out one week day, especially the cloudy ones as someone else pointed out.