Mendocino County Museum

The Mendocino County Museum is located on East Commercial Street in Willits. It was started in the 1960's by the Mendocino County Historical Society. The building was donated by the City Of Willits, to be used as their long-term location. The museum is a department of the Mendocino County government and continues to grow and share the history of the area with residents and visitors. In 1998, the Redwood Empire Railroad History Project was added to future plans for the museum and in 2003 two expansion projects were completed and included The Redwood Empire Railroad History Project Exhibition and Learning Center. The project is located in an 11,000-square foot building and provides exhibition space and an engine house. The second part of the expansion includes 7,000-square feet of artifact storage space, climate controlled rooms to house sensitive items and a nearly 900-square foot Collections and Preservation Laboratory. The collection includes 100,000 artifacts which include local Pomo basketry, various domestic, mercantile and business exhibits from the 19th and 20th century, and a variety of maritime items. There are also a number of documents and photographs in the collection, as well as several oral histories. All of the items and documents have a significant relationship to the people, places, and events of Mendocino. Materials at the museum can be used for research purposes and if you have special requests for access, you can contact the museum.