Robot Lab at the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum.

—San Luis Obispo offers some of the best and most varied museums in the area for history, art, local culture, events, and activities for all ages. Each museum provides a special view of the region’s history and culture. In San Luis Obispo, there’s a museum for every interest.

Check the individual museum websites for more information about visiting, events, and activities.

The San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum

The San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum was created to provide a fun place for children and families to explore, discover, and learn through hands-on exhibits and programs. Three floors and an outside playscape are jam-packed with exhibits for children ages two to ten. Unique, educational programs and activities are scheduled throughout each week.

Reservations are encouraged and can be made through the website. Visitors are also encouraged to read the museum’s Open & Safe policies on the website.

Located at 1010 Nipomo St. in San Luis Obispo. Hours are Thu-Mon, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information call (805) 544-5437 or visit www.slocm.org.

San Luis Obispo Museum of Art

Every experience at SLOMA delivers a unique view of the artistic and creative side of the region’s lifestyle and interests. Exhibits include all manner of artwork, paintings, sculpture, photography, fine crafts, and a permanent collection that defines the roles of artists that are important to the local region and California. Along with the exhibits, community programs include films, concerts, art talks, and educational programs. Admission is free to the museum but there may be an admission fee for some of the events and activities.

Current and upcoming exhibits include:

• Whose Waters? Running through October 20, 2024, this exhibit explores the experiences and reflections about surfing from nine artists.
• The 2024 mural project by American artist MOMO, is scheduled to be completed in August and open for public viewing into 2025.
• Maria Molteni: Beautiful Seven, until November 6, 2024, creates a cycle of beats on the fingers and illustrates a childhood shortcut for praying the Rosary when beads have gone missing. The artist has returned to the modular, rhythmic orb-based practice of prayer, which transcends boundaries of faith and constructs of time.
• Whitney Bedford, from October 26 to February 16, 2025, an exhibition of paintings by prolific Los Angeles-based painter Whitney Bedford, whose work depicts evocative landscapes and seascapes, blending gestural abstraction with precise, delicate detail to explore themes of nature, memory, and emotion.

The Art Museum is located at 1010 Broad St, San Luis Obispo, and is open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thu-Mony, open for school and group tours only Tue-Wed. Closed on major holidays. Admission is free. For more information about current events, exhibits, and programs call (805) 543-8562 or visit www.sloma.org.

SLO Railroad Museum

San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum

The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum has it all, from the first narrow-gauge Pacific Coast Railway that carried people and goods from Avila to San Luis Obispo, through the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1896, to modern times. The exhibits include a variety of railroad cars and railroad equipment, including a 1926 Pullman observation car. The museum presents a variety of displays and artifacts that cover railroads and railroad topics such as Surf, Santa Maria Valley, Southern Pacific, Amtrak, Port San Luis, the Pacific Coast Railway, Orchard Express, Union Pacific, and more. A variety of community events are hosted throughout the year.

The museum, located at 1940 Santa Barbara Avenue, is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children, members and kids under 3 are free. For more information, see slorrm.com or call (805) 548-1894. Visitors are encouraged to visit the website for the most recent visitor information.

History Center of San Luis Obispo County

The History Center of San Luis Obispo County has been a favorite place for historians for more than 60 years. A vast collection of correspondence, newspapers, directories, maps, and photographs are resources for historical and genealogical research in San Luis Obispo County. The exhibits are opportunities to explore the history of the area as it leads to today’s lifestyles and cultures.

The museum is located at 696 Monterey Street. Hours are Wed-Mon 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information visit historycenterslo.org or call (805) 543-0638.

Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum

The Veteran’s Museum honors all veterans of all generations, with emphasis on those from the Central Coast. The collections and displays include military artifacts from WWI to today, historical memorabilia, and a research library. The Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum is the only Central Coast site certified by the Library of Congress for recording interviews for the Veterans History Project.

Located at 801 Grand Avenue, the museum is open Wed-Sat from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information visit vetmuseum.org or call (805) 543-1763.