Presidio Museum

The Presidio Museum in Monterey, California offers visitors a chance to explore the military history of the area. It begins with exhibits from the time when the population of the area was comprised of only Native Americans and continues through the Spanish and Mexican eras forward to modern times. One of the main uses of the town of Monterey was as a military training base and much of the museum is dedicated to this training. The museum is connected to the Lower Presidio Historic Park and works in partnership with the City of Monterey and the Presidio of Monterey. Visitors can park for free and the outdoor park offers free parking. The museum is open on Mondays from 10 am until 1 pm, Sunday from 1 pm until 4 pm and Thursday through Saturday from 10 am until 4 pm. Exhibits at the museum include the Year on a Calvary Post video that shows what live was like in the area in 1938, photos of people who played important roles in the Presidio, a mural of a Native American woman greeting visitors and a life-size horse and lieutenant, dressed in a uniform from the World War I and World War II period. The museum is an excellent way to learn about the history of the Monterey area.