The Greater Sacramento region is rich with museums and popular destinations that offer plenty of must-see and must-do experiences to explore before summertime makes way for a busy fall season. The community is encouraged to show support for local museums by making plans to visit favorite locations (or discovering new ones).
A sampling of must-see and must-do experiences and special activations offered by local museums this summer include the following:
- California Automobile Museum – Wild Horses: Sixty Years of the Mustang is a must-see exhibit on display now that features the comprehensive 60-year history of the Ford Mustang, from when it first hit the roads in 1965 to the current era of the beautiful and beloved automobile. Beat the heat and visit this limited time indoor exhibit before it’s gone. For more, please visit https://www.calautomuseum.org/wildhorsesexhibit. Plus, enter for a chance to win a 2025 60th Anniversary Mustang; to find out more details and how to enter the sweepstakes that benefits the California Automobile Museum, please visit this webpage.
- California Museum –This summer, the California Museum presents two thought-provoking exhibitions exploring the power of art and activism. “Mission Gráfica: Reflecting a Community in Print” (June 8–Sept. 14) showcases four decades of vibrant, activist screenprints from San Francisco’s renowned Mission Gráfica print center. “Revolutionary Grain: Celebrating the Spirit of the Black Panthers in Portraits and Stories” (June 14–Nov. 2) features the portraits and stories of former Black Panther Party members, offering a humanizing perspective on the movement’s enduring legacy. Together, these exhibitions highlight the voices and visual storytelling of communities fighting for justice. For more, visit CaliforniaMuseum.org/plan-a-visit.
- California State Railroad Museum & Foundation –Always a summertime favorite experience, the California State Railroad Museum & Foundation are proud to offer the only train ride experience behind an authentic, historic locomotive in the Sacramento region. As a highlight, the Granite Rock 10 steam locomotive will return to service on August 9 and is expected to ride the rails of the Sacramento Southern Railroad pulling excursion trains on two weekends per month (note motive power can change without notice). Appealing to all ages, the experience offers guests the chance to enjoy train travel from an earlier era. For more details and/or to book a train ride, please visit www.californiarailroad.museum.
- Crocker Art Museum – The community is encouraged to experience three recently-opened exhibitions at the Crocker Art Museum this summer. Reform to Restoration: French Art from Louis XVI to Louis XVII from the Horovitz Collection brings 110 works from one of the world’s preeminent collections of French art, offering a stunning display of masterful paintings and drawings that highlight a period of sweeping artistic and social change. Cara and Diego Romero: Tales of Future Past brings together the photography and ceramics of the artist-couple whose work shares themes of Indigenous identity and contemporary life. Finally, Arts, Letters, and Power: Van Dyck and the Portrait Print presents 60 prints, drawn from the Crocker’s world-renowned collection of works on paper, from Anthony Van Dyck’s famed Iconography print series which showcase a panorama of educated society in the 17th century. For more, visit www.crockerart.org.
- Fairytale Town – Get ready for a sip-sational evening as families and beer lovers take over Fairytale Town on Saturday, August 23, from 5 to 9 p.m., for the epic Tales & Ales Brewfest fundraiser. Adults will be able to sip and savor their way through an incredible lineup of 20+ vendors pouring craft brews, wine, cider, and kombucha, plus there’s a VIP option that will allow guests to get in an hour early along with access to a VIP lounge with catered food and exclusive pours—cheers to that! Plus, there will be root beer floats for the kids, mouthwatering eats from local food vendors, and live music that will keep the good vibes flowing all night long. Advance tickets (with early bird pricing before August 1) are available here.
- MOSAC – The SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity is a brilliant destination for explorers of all ages this summer. Guests can dive into interactive exhibits spanning space, nature, engineering, and health, or catch a breathtaking show in the state-of-the-art planetarium. Special summer programming includes science demonstrations, and hands-on activities designed to ignite curiosity and foster discovery. Whether the plan is to marvel at the wonders of physics or construct a new invention, MOSAC offers excitement and learning in equal measure. Make plans to visit and explore the full schedule of events at www.visitmosac.org.
- Museum of Medical History – Always free, the Museum of Medical History is open on Second Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through September. Guests will journey through time and learn about medical treatment during California’s Gold Rush, the flu pandemic of 1918, Prohibition-era medicine, Polio and its groundbreaking vaccine, modern advances in cardiology, radiology, surgery, and so much more. Reservations are not required, and physician docents will be onsite giving tours and interpretation of the hundreds of artifacts in the Museum’s collection. For more, please visit www.museumofmedicalhistory.org.
- Sacramento Children’s Museum – Kindergarten Readiness is a new pop-up activity at Sacramento Children’s Museum that encompasses social, emotional, and cognitive skills that prepare children for the transition to a school environment. Ranging from letter and number recognition, fine and gross motor skills, to social-emotional skills like following directions and taking turns. The museum looks forward to welcoming little ones on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. through August 6 to prepare for a successful transition to kindergarten. For more, visit www.sackids.org.
- Sacramento History Museum – Chronicling the fascinating history of the canning industry in the Capital City, an all-new exhibition “Sacramento in A Can – Featuring the Campbell’s Sacramento Story” is on display on multiple levels at the Sacramento History museum through September 1. On the first floor, the history of the Campbell’s Sacramento Plant and its impact on the South Sacramento community is showcased with images, artifacts, and more. Upstairs on the third floor, guests can learn more about Sacramento’s cannery industry that left behind a cultural legacy of union struggles, family traditions, and the indelible scent of syrup and steam. Now through Labor Day, guests who bring a can of food to donate to the River City Food Bank will receive half-off admission (one can/discount per person). For details, visit www.SacHistoryMuseum.org.
For more information about upcoming activities offered by Sacramento area museums, “like” them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SacMuseums, follow them on Instagram and X @SacMuseums or visit the user-friendly website at www.SacMuseums.org.
