r. c. Baker museum

If you’re ever in the central California/San Joaquin valley area, this museum is a must see. This was a Harvest Host location and though not open the day we were there, they gave us a private tour! Tim, our tour guide was phenomenal. He’s the son of a commercial printer in Coalinga and was a wealth of information. So much history here! Oil industry, cars, home life, the printing trade… it’s all here!

This was a nice little museum to visit. I learned more about the city and the historical significance during WWII and its establishment in the oil industry. The volunteers who run this museum are friendly. There are cars, tools, fossils, and replicas of different periods of U.S. culture.Visited onPublic holidayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNoPrice for adult entryFree

Lots of cool stuff to see. Interesting things to learn. Very nice and knowledgeable staff. Check it out on the weekends or call of appointments during the week. A really cool thing to do in town plus it's free!

This museum in COALINGA is the best, if you have not been down to check it out, you need too...Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNoPrice for adult entryFree

Great historic pictures, article, artifacts about the city of Coalinga, California. Plus the oil and mining that helped build the area.

I saw more history in this well curated small town museum than I ever saw in my life in the big city museums. The history is astonishing from the second you walk in that door. Room after room and exhibit after exhibit you feel connected to every artifact in that room and not just because the articles are from the local area but because of dedication and commitment of the wonderful curator Miss. Murphy and volunteers to preserve history. Not many big cities have the pride and love to record historical events both good and bad that happen in their towns growth. If you want to step foot in the past to be grateful for your present and future. Then the R.C. Bake museum is the place to go off highway 5. If you want a more in-depth tour I suggest you schedule a private tour because its definitely worth it. Thank you so much for allowing me to enjoy, explore, and learn about this beautiful city. - Tina

Fantastic Museum. Lots to see. Staff friendly and informative. Great experience.Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitPrice for adult entryFree

Few small towns can boast of a museum with the caliber of that of Baker Museum. With local treasures and mysteries dating back to antediluvian before The Flood and spanning the development and growth of Coalinga and the area, this little Museum has it all. Baker Museum packs a surprising number of displays, photos, vehicles, machines, and more into their facility. The hours open are listed as weekends only, but be assured that if you contact the museum, they are usually quite happy to open it up for anyone who wants to visit.

Pretty good museum for a small town. The Museum curators are a bunch of locals who volunteer their time to take care of the collections and study the history of Coalinga. They are extremely helpful as well, helping me to locate sources for a research paper on California Oil History. Even if your not researching, it’s worth it to show up and examine the city’s long and rich history as an oil town.

First visit. It's called the "R.C. Baker" Museum, an oil tycoon from the early 1900's. I believe he is the only reason it exists. It's filled with memories of Coalinga's past residents. Including core shaking dimly lit side rooms try going in alone and mannequins that follow you with their eyes. The staff didn't know as much as one would like to learn about R.C. but you can find that on Wikipedia. They are also afraid to post about the museum on YouTube, maybe they will in the future. I'm glad this city sees the value of the past and keeps it alive, even though it's the "Baker Foundation" that pays for it's maintenance. Does Coalinga have an "R.C. Baker Day"?