Tuolumne County Museum

The Tuolumne County Museum is housed in the former county jail that was built in 1866. In 1960 the museum moved into the former jail as it had become obsolete due to the building of a new county jail. The museum moved from its current home in Veterans Memorial Hall downtown to where it resides today. In 1974 new plans to expand the museum were brought before city officials, which included a three phase plan. Phase one included building a new structure for a library and additional space, phase two centered on rehabilitating the current museum building, and phase three called for a remodel of the former prison yard to become a patio and picnic area for public use.

The museum features several displays and artifacts several years old that display the tribes and peoples who lived in Sonora. Displays depict their way of life, culture, and primitive tools that were used to perform day to day tasks. Much of the displays are also dedicated to the gold rush that occurred in Sonora that brought several people to the area.

The museum is open to the public for walk-ins and reserved tours. To make a reservation for a large group it is required to call ahead of time with details.