Truckee museums provide a glimpse back in time, to harrowed crossings of Donner Pass, the landmark construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, and the birth of California ski culture. Truckee’s rich history along with its vibrant, entrepreneurial, artistic community have led to the designation of the Truckee Cultural District.

Truckee Cultural District

Inspired by natural beauty and mountain scenery, Truckee is home to a creative culture that is rugged, vibrant, innovative and resourceful. The Truckee Cultural District includes over a dozen art galleries and exhibition spaces, year-round artistic and cultural events, numerous public art pieces, 3,000-square-foot community makerspace.

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Historic Downtown Truckee Self-Guided Walking Tour

Stroll through Historic Downtown Truckee and discover its rich history at your own pace with this self-guided walking tour. From early settlers to the first transcontinental railroad, discover Truckee's landmark sites and historical buildings, and the interesting stories behind them.

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Donner Memorial State Park - Visitor Center & Museum

Explore interpretive exhibits at the Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center and Museum, located on the east end of Donner Lake. Learn about the history of the area and the people who came into this part of the Sierra, including local Native Americans, the Donner Party, and builders of the transcontinental railroad.

Open 10am-5pm daily
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Museum of Truckee History (MoTH)

Located in the east end of the Truckee Train Station, this new museum houses furnishings and original items from the old train depot and various historical displays of major stories in Truckee history: Truckee’s Chinese, logging and lumbering, Native Americans, the Ice Industry, Boca Beer, Charles F. McGlashan’s Vision, 1960 Olympics, and trains.

Open 10am-4pm, Friday-Sunday
Private tours available upon request. Email tours@museumoftruckeehistory.org.
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Keep reading

History: The Museum of Truckee History now open (Sierra Sun, May 2021)
History: What makes Truckee a historic town? (Sierra Sun, August 2022)

Truckee Railroad Museum

Located next to the historic railroad station in downtown Truckee, this quaint museum inside of a caboose from the Southern Pacific Railroad tells the story of the First Transcontinental Railroad, logging railroads, and tourism by rail.

Open 10am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday & Holidays
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Old Jail Museum

Truckee’s historic jail museum is one of only a few surviving 19th century jailhouses of its kind in the West and one of the few remaining original buildings in Truckee. The old Bastille was used continuously from 1875 until May 1964, and ably withstood the many fires that swept the town in its early days.

Open 10am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday and 5-9pm on Truckee Thursdays.
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Outdoor 20 Mile Museum

The Outdoor 20 Mile Museum is made up of dozens of interpretive signs along a 20-mile section of Donner Pass Road, from Cisco Grove to Donner Lake. Each stop is a window into local history, covering ice harvesting, ski history, Native American petroglyphs and more.

*Road construction is underway on Donner Pass Road. View summer 2022 closures and status updates.

Historical Societies

Truckee-Donner Historical Society

The Truckee-Donner Hisotorical Society preserves the history of the Truckee - Donner area, maintains the historic Joseph Research Cabin (the Gateway Cabin), and operates the Old Jail Museum, built in 1875.

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Truckee Donner Railroad Society

The Truckee Donner Railroad Society perpetuates the study and advancement of knowledge of working railroads in the Truckee Donner area with the goal of building a railroad museum.

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Donner Summit Historical Society

The Donner Summit Historical Society documents the fascinating history of Donner Summit, the site of the first transcontinental railroad, the first transcontinental highway (the Lincoln Highway), the first transcontinental air route, and the first transcontinental telephone line.

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