Plumas County Museum

The Plumas County Museum (500 Jackson Street) is the best introduction to the region's history. The collection covers the Maidu people, the Gold Rush era, the logging camps that sustained the county through the early 20th century, and the ranching families who built permanent communities here. The mining and logging equipment is particularly well-presented.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, April through October. Admission is modest. Tel: 530/283-6320. Allow an hour. The staff are knowledgeable about local history and good at pointing visitors to additional sites in the county.

things to do museum
A story
The museum holds one of the largest collections of Maidu Indian basketry in California. The Maidu people lived in this mountain region for thousands of years before the Gold Rush brought prospectors, loggers, and ranchers. The museum's collection of their finely woven baskets — many made by women who were themselves among the last traditional practitioners — is remarkable for a small county museum.