The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art and Bowers Kidseum
2002 N. Main Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706
(714) 567-3600

The Bowers is accredited by the American Association of Museums, an honor only 5% of museums receive.

Heritage Museum of Orange County
3101 West Harvard Street
Santa Ana, CA
(714) 540-0404

The historic plaza features several buildings from the 1890s set among extensive gardens and citrus groves. Among these is the Kellogg House, where it is open to the public on limited days.

Laguna Art Museum
307 Cliff Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 494-8971

The Museum focuses on the cultural heritage of California, and on the unique history and accomplishments of Laguna Beach.

Mission San Juan Capistrano
Ortega Hwy and El Camino Real
San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano, the Birthplace of Orange County, was founded more than two hundred years ago. Today it is a monument to California' multi-cultural history, embracing its Native American, Spanish, Mexican and European heritage.

The Muzeo Museum
(Formerly the Anaheim Museum)
241 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, California 92805
(714) 778-3301

The MUZEO hosts three traveling exhibitions per year which would otherwise not be displayed in the region.

Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
117 North Sycamore
Santa Ana, CA 92701
714.667.1517

The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) is artist operated and dedicated to the pursuit of professional excellence and freedom of expression in the arts.

Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
8001 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
(714) 993-5075

A privately supported institution which is dedicated to educating the public about the life and times of the 37th President and encouraging interest in history, government and public affairs.

The nine acre Library & Birthplace features a 52,000 square foot museum, 22 high-tech galleries, movie and interactive video theaters, the First Lady's Garden, the President's faithfully restored 1910's birthplace, and the flower-ringed memorial sites of President and Mrs. Nixon.

Susanna Bixby Bryant Ranch House and Museum
5700 Susanna Bryant Drive
Yorba Linda, CA
714-694-0235

Yorba Linda Heritage Museum where visitors can glimpse some of Yorba Linda's unique heritage. Each room depicts a different period or aspect of the area's history, from Indian times to the first settlement by the Yorba family, and into the modern age. Opened to the public on limited days.

The Dr. Willella Howe-Waffle House and Medical Museum
120 Civic Center Drive
Santa Ana
714 547-9645

The Dr. Howe-Waffle House was built in 1889 by Dr. Alvin Howe and his wife, Dr. Willella Howe. The House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as a California Historic Point of Interest, and as a landmark building on the City of Santa Ana's Historic Register. Tours are given by the Santa Ana Historical Society.

Casa Romantica
415 Avenida Granada
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 498-2139

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, the historic Spanish Colonial Revival estate of San Clemente founder Ole Hanson, embodies the Romance and Reality of the Southern California experience.

Kellogg House
3101 West Harvard Street
Santa Ana, CA
(714) 540-0404

The Kellogg House was designed by Hiram Clay Kellogg and was built in 1898. The house is now used for hands-on education about the Victorian era for more than 18,000 children each year. Open to the public on limited days.

Richard Nixon Birthplace
8001 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
(714) 993-5075

On January 9, 1913, Richard Nixon was born in this little Yorba Linda Farmhouse. The Birthplace has been restored with attention to historical detail, on the exact spot where President Nixon's father built it.

Children's Museum of La Habra
Portola Park
301 S. Euclid in La Habra
562-905-9693

A hands-on environment that opens the world to even the youngest child, this museum offers touch tables, a science station, changing exhibits and much more.

Discovery Science Center
2500 Main St.,
Santa Ana, CA 92705.
714/542-CUBE

Lie on a Bed of Nails, play Virtual Volleyball and explore Dino Quest at Discovery Science Center in Orange County! More than 100 interactive exhibits and annual events such as Spooky Science and BubbleFest spark children’s natural curiosity!

Heritage Museum of Orange County
3101 West Harvard Street
Santa Ana, CA
(714) 540-0404

The 1898 Kellogg House is the focal point of the Heritage Museum. Inside you will find unique architectural features, antique furnishings, historic photos and maps, and hands-on activities for children. The tour is primarily self-guided, but a docent is always available during public hours to answer questions and provide additional insights into the house, the Kellogg family, and life in historic Orange County. On the same grounds, visitors can find nature trails, a working blacksmith shop and the Maag House, ranch house of citrus and nut grower John Anton Maag and his family.

Pretend City Children's Museum
Located in Irvine

This interconnected city allows children to "pretend" to be the adults. Children can experience a variety of features every city has to offer. With over 15,000 sq. feet of interactive exhibits and activities, Pretend City brings to life every profession, necessity and daily occurrences of a real city. They can do anything and everything from grocery shopping to banking to visiting the doctor to collecting their pay from the local ATM as well as visit the fire station, police station, the café and all of the many other exhibits.

Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary
29322 Modjeska Canyon Rd.
Silverado, CA 92676
(714) 649-2760

Tucker is best known for its wide variety of native and migrating birds, especially hummingbirds. However, its facilities also include a nature science center, two ponds, a bird observation porch and feeders, relaxing patio and picnic areas, a small amphitheater, walking trails, a gift shop, restrooms and an ample visitor parking lot.

ExplorOcean/Newport Harbor Nautical Museum
600 East Bay Avenue
Newport Beach, CA 92661
(949) 673-7863

Explore our region's maritime heritage with family-oriented interactive exhibits, ship models, artifacts and art, located in the heart of the historic Balboa Fun Zone on Newport Bay. In addition to our touch-tank, visitors will enjoy a mix of hands-on activities, interactive programs, and special performances that will connect you to the living museum in our backyard. Our galleries include: The Steele Model Pavilion, the East Wing (Sea of Adventure), Newport and the Extraordinary People galleries. Our goal is to connect visitors to the adventure, inspiration and mystery of the sea with an emphasis on the human experience and man’s impact as it relates to the marine environment.

International Surfing Museum
411 Olive Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 960-3483

View the Evolution of the Surfboard, surf music, memorabilia and a section devoted to the first Endless Summer movie that includes Bruce Brown's original camera.

Marconi Automotive Museum
1302 Industrial Dr.
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 258-3001

30 million-dollar collection of historical, exotic, and classic cars. This collection includes Super Bikes, Open Wheel Racing Cars (both Formula 1 and Indy), American Muscle Cars, Vintage Racing, High Performance Exotics and more.

Ocean Institute
Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point
Phone: 949-496-2274

The Ocean Institute has become nationally known for its hands-on marine science, environmental education and maritime history programs. On weekends, the public is invited to visit and discover ocean science, history, and literature

Rancho Los Alamitos
6400 Bixby Hill Road
Long Beach, California 90815
(562) 431-3541

Twice listed on the National Register of Historic Places—once as the sacred Tongva village of Povuu’ngna, the traditional birthplace of the native people of the Los Angeles Basin, and for its significant historic landscape over time. The site includes traces of the ancestral village, an adobe-core ranch house ca. 1800, four acres of lush historic gardens developed during the 1920s and 30s, and the restored working ranch barnyard of the early-mid 20th century. With the long anticipated opening of the Rancho Center, a new exhibition features the Rancho, the people and place over time, within the region and state.