Scenic 395 - The Official Guide 2026

44 2026 Scenic 395 Goldwell Open Air Museum, Beatty, NV The Goldwell Open Air Museum is located in Nevada near the ghost town of Rhyolite and the mining town of Beatty. Just out- side of Rhyolite, a spectacular ghost town off the road leading to Death Valley, a group of prominent Belgian artists, led by the late Albert Szukalski, created a self-described art situation consisting of seven outdoor sculptures that are colossal not only in their scale but in their placement within the vast upper Mojave desert. It is approximately 4 miles west of Beatty off of State Highway 374. Beatty is 115 miles north of Las Vegas on Highway 95. Parking is available on site. There are seven outdoor sculptures to enjoy. Free Self-Guided Tour Brochure Available! Donations appreciated. For organized group visits and tours, call (702) 870-9946. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visitors Center and Gift Shop open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 775-553-2303. Beatty Museum, Beatty, NV A nature exhibit that has hundreds of miles to view, with wild- life and plant life known to thrive in the Oasis Valley and the Great Basin area. See the Ordovician Fossils at the Great Be- atty Mud Mounds overlooking the town. Learn how the miners lived, worked and played in the early 1900s. Beatty is located on US Highway 95 at the junction of Nevada Highway 374, 115 miles north of Las Vegas and 6 miles from the California-Ne- vada border. Phone: 775-553-2303. www.beattymuseum.org www.goldwellmuseum.org Tehachapi Museum, Tehachapi, CA Built in the Art Deco era of 1931, this museum served as a branch of the Kern County Library system until 1982 when the Tehachapi Heritage League moved the museum. Tehachapi’s roots began with the Kawaiisu, who arrived 1,500 years ago. Miners did pass through the area, but the railroad in 1876 cre- ated the city of Tehachapi. View the large collection of various art and life examples from many generations. Open Satur- day - Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Address: 310 South Green St., Tehachapi. Phone: 661-822-8152. www.tehachapimuseum.org Twenty Mule Team Museum, Boron, CA Dedicated to the history of Boron and the opening of the Bo- rax mine. The museum is open seven days a week 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Special museum hours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more. The Twenty Mule Team started out in Death Valley; how did they get to Boron? 26962 Twenty Mule Team Road, Boron. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 760-762-5810. www.20muleteammuseum.com Boron Aerospace Museum, Boron, CA Dedicated to preserving flight history and flight research per- formed over Boron and the surrounding Valley, located next door to the Twenty Mule Team Museum. Find out what aero- space has to do with the Mojave Desert. The museum is open Sunday noon to 4 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday Special museum hours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 442- 247-6781. www.boronaerospacemuseum.com Borax Visitor Center, Boron, CA Just west of Highway 395, at 14486 Borax Rd. in Boron, lies California’s biggest mine — and one of the richest sources of borax on the planet. The Borax Visitor Center brings you to the edge of this awesome deposit. Here you can view mam- moth mining equipment, learn about the geology that forms the deposit, and see how processed borates are delivered to customers world-wide. What does your TV and Borax have in common? Just off Highway 58, The Borax Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed major holidays). For information, call 760- 762-7588. www.borax.com The Rand Desert Museum, Randsburg, CA The mission of the Rand Desert Museum is to provide educa- tional support for the desert’s historical resources including the preservation of historical buildings and artifacts of the Rand Mining District and adjacent areas. Learn about one of Califor- nia’s biggest producing gold mines and be sure to ask to see the glow in the dark display! 161 Butte Avenue, Randsburg, CA. The museum is open 11 a.m. - 2 p.m Saturdays, Sundays, or by appointment for special groups. 760-608-7776. www. randdesertmuseum.com Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, CA Exhibits of cultural and natural history of the Northern Mojave Desert, plus a hands-on discovery area for children. Changing art exhibits in the Sylvia Winslow Gallery; Death Valley Tourist Center and Northern Mojave Visitors Center provide extensive information. Tours of Little Petroglyph Canyon and its world- class rock art are available by reservation. Also check out the newest additions to the museum. Be sure to tour the Gladys Merrick Gardens, and don’t forget to look for the human sun- dial and labyrinth! Located on the corner of China Lake Bou- levard and Las Flores Avenue in Ridgecrest. Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily except major holidays. 760-375-6900. www.maturango.org China Lake Museum, China Lake/Ridgecrest, CA Explore the history of weapons development for the United States Navy. Can you find the Sidewinder Missile? Located at 130 East Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA. Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m, closed Sundays, Mondays and selected holidays. Special tours can be arranged by calling the museum at 760-677-2866 during regular busi- ness hours. www.chinalakemuseum.org Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert, Ridgecrest, CA The HSUMD’s offices, libraries, history collections and exhibits, meeting area and performance stage for community events, gift shop and museum are located in the Historic USO Build- ing and in the various historic buildings on HSUMD proper- ty. The Historical Society also acquired a historic one-room schoolhouse that was built in 1905, restored it to its original configuration, and opened the region’s only Veterans Memorial Building. Buildings under the stewardship of HSUMD include the Historic USO Building, the Original Kern County Jail, the Original Kern County Firehouse, two Original Engine Houses, and the Original Kern County Library. Located at 230 W. Ridge- crest Blvd, Ridgecrest. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Sundays. www.hsumd.org Southern Inyo Museum, Lone Pine, CA See artifacts including bugs and reptiles of the Mojave Desert. Open April-October, Thursday through Sunday. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Closed Monday through Wednesday. 760-937-0876. Located at 127 W. Bush St., Lone Pine, CA 93545. https://www.facebook.com/DarwinMuseumLonePine The Museum of Western Film History, Lone Pine, CA “Where the real west becomes the reel west” Showcasing memorabilia from more than 650 movies filmed in the area. The museum offers tours of movie locations year- round, and you can enjoy screenings in their air-conditioned 85-seat theater (check the front desk or the website for latest details). Hours are Monday-Saturday 19a.m. - 4 p.m, and Sun- day 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Check the website or call for winter hours). 701 S. Main St. Lone Pine, CA 93645. Call 760-876-9909. www.museumofwesternfilmhistory.org A treasure hunt at local museums