Yosemite Museum

Well done displays and the interpretive rangers that work the museum are incredible in delivery and knowledge. Some amazing baskets are on display.

Very small but clean and informative re Native American Indian life for tribes who had been and are still there (the Ahwanee tribe). Behind the Museum are the Indian Village wood teepees and hut life walk-around area. The Yosemite Valley Visitor's Center next door was closed for renovations until November 2023.

Super cool museum! You can read all about the earlier days if the Yosemite region! Tons of neat arts and crafts. They had someone inside weaving baskets when we visited. Out back the have an area where you can walk and see all the Native American huts and buildings! Super cool!

So amazingly cool. One of the best places in the park. Ranger Shelton has an amazing flute collection and ability to play them, and had a wonderful way of speaking about the natural history of this place, and the greater picture.

This is a small museum but it offers good insight into Native American life here in the Yosemite valley. Best part is this is free. Definitely recommend checking it out.

Interesting concept, but it's the smallest museum I've ever visited. Small gift shop inside.

The Yosemite Museum is a great way to learn about and appreciate native American life in the Valley before the park was established. You'll find many historical photographs, articles, and tons of baskets. Also included are ornate pieces of wardrobe like dresses and head pieces. Ancient tools and weaponry are also on display. The native American village is located just behind the museum. Be respectful in both areas.

Yosemite has not always been a place where visitors from the world over come to experience awe inspiring wonders. This was home for Native Americans that created their own folklore and lived off this spiritual land. The Yosemite Museum has rotating exhibits dedicated to their memory. Outside, you are invited to enter an authentic village.

I had expected a little more than we found there. The basket displays are remarkable, the dispaly that allows visitors to feel is interesting. The hand-made costumes are beautiful, but not typical of the region. The best thing was the live display of a man mKing rope from the natural fibers found in the park. He explained to onlookers as he worked. The space is quite close with little room to move around.

This is such a quaint museum right in the valley! It features treasured items and sometimes special exhibits. We love spending time in the museum as it highlights Yosemite's past and promising future. On our last visit, we had the opportunity to view art by Chiura Obata as well as from local high school students. It was fantastic to see the gallery curated so perfectly. I do wish it was bigger but nevertheless a wonderful gem!

Featuring the cultural history of native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 onward. The Miwok/Paiute baskets are just exquisite. Each one detailing a different pattern and shape. Very impressive work as it takes many years to finish one basket. The depiction of native peoples in the far area of the museum, specifically the recreations with mannequins, is in dire need of improvement. Other than that I enjoyed taking in the beautiful artwork. The gallery was not open when we visited. Perhaps it will be next visit.

The Yosemite Museum is a great way to learn about and appreciate native American life in the Valley before the park was established. You'll find many historical photographs, articles, and tons of baskets. Also included are ornate pieces of wardrobe like dresses and head pieces. Ancient tools and weaponry are also on display. The native American village is located just behind the museum. Be respectful in both areas.

First of all, a tip: If you're planning on hiking, do that first. Don't go to the museum first. We made that mistake, and ended up staying far longer than we planned to, and it cut into our hike time dramatically. We came to the Yosemite Visitor Center to get a stamp on our map, and as I walked in, I caught a glimpse of the museum, and told my family we had to visit. We easily spent a good half hour in there, and I only got through about 1/3 of the display. It was a very well thought out display - started with the geological makeup of the valley, explaining the different rocks and minerals, then examples of the wildlife and flora, then proceeded to cover the history of the valley. I loved, loved, loved the hands-on displays that kids could touch and learn from, and the grandeur of some of the displays were breathtaking. It made me feel like a kid again (which is probably why I lost track of time). Next time, when we're staying in the valley for more than one night, we are going to dedicate a whole morning to the museum. And (to my family who are reading this), I promise not to take so long in the bathroom in the morning.

I'm a museum junkie. I love all museums and I love learning about almost everything. Yosemite museum is no exception. Like other yelpers have mentioned, make sure you do your hike and then hit the museum. For us, the air conditioning in the museum was delicious after hours of hiking in the sun. It was interesting to learn about the history of Yosemite and see how close it was to being a city and not the beautiful park we have today. Plus, it's included in your park admission so you might as well!

The Yosemite Museum is right next door to the visitor center and it's worth combining a visit to both at the same time. It's not the biggest museum but the exhibits keep changing. I've been here 3 times and seen historical exhibits as well as works depicting Yosemite by different artists. Always interesting to see how different try to depict my favourite place on this planet.

I've been a Museum Professional for a decade-plus now, and one of the reasons I got into Museums is this place. I love the way they look at the history of the park, and I especially love their collection. I always make sure to stop by, and my most recent trip was great, with a fine selection of their baskets, and especially the paintings, though I do wish they had more modernist pieces.

My first impressions of the Yosemite Museum were quite positive; I appreciated that there were many Native American "artifacts/cultural pieces," and that there is both an indoor and outdoor component of the museum. Inside there are mostly baskets (woven by Miwok women), clothing items, photos, and other cultural pieces. Many of them are well described, giving the reader good insight into the lives of the Miwok, and other Yosemite peoples. One of the most rewarding parts of the Museum, was a man (whom I believe was Miwok) who had lived in the park with his parents when he was younger, and drove back often to sit in the museum to share his culture. On the day of my visit he showed us how jewelry was made using pine nuts smoothed by a volcanic stone. It was so nice of him to do so, and he just seemed so passionate and caring. The outside portion consisted of at least 20 information stations, that talked about the daily lives of the Yosemite people. In particular they talked a lot about the use of acorns to prepare acorn mush that seemed to be a staple food. They also focused on the herbs that the natives used for various ailments, which was refreshing since these practices are often forgotten or ignored. Overall, I thought the museum was very nice, small, yes, but nice. My only reserves are that it should be advertised a bit better, and possibly diversified more. Also, the gift shop sells nice Native-American-looking jewelry, but it doesn't say where it can from or who made it, which draws into question its authenticity. Don't just go to Yosemite to hike its beautiful falls or Half Dome, go to learn about its history and its past inhabitants as well. Peace

We visited the museum in February, when most people don't visit the park. We spent a lot of time visiting with Ben, the native interpreter, who is one of the most knowledgeable people we've ever met. He talked with us and demonstrated native flutes, history of the park, local tribes, the science behind the obsidian samples we handled, and entertained several people with amazing knot and rope tricks. He was great! I also noticed that he spoke with several international visitors in their own languages. He's a great person to have at the museum.