Maturango Museum
Source: http://www.maturango.org
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:41
Maturango Museum
760-375-6900 | info@maturango.org
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Petroglyph
Information
PETROGLYPHS
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our exhibits
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GARDENS
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EVENTS
MATURANGO MUSEUM'S
DISCOVER THE MUSEUM
Preserving and Sharing the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Northern Mojave Desert
Museum Happenings!
2025 Annual Report
Discover The Northern Mojave Desert
Our Mission is to preserve, interpret, and develop an appreciation for the natural and cultural history of the Northern Mojave Desert through research and education in the natural and physical sciences, and to promote the arts.
Founded in 1962, the Maturango Museum is an important educational and cultural resource in Ridgecrest, California. In addition to the exhibit galleries, which feature the natural and cultural history of the Upper Mojave Desert, the Museum sponsors art exhibits, cultural programs and tours. Those tours include trips to the world-famous Coso petroglyphs. The Museum is an information center for Death Valley, the Northern Mojave Desert, and the Highway 395 and 178 corridors.
Museum Exhibits and Programs
The Maturango Museum is home to a wide variety of permanent and temporary exhibits and programs.
Those exhibits and programs include:
Lectures on archaeology, natural history, & local interest
Concerts
Art
and photography exhibits
Tours - petroglyphs, geology, art, local points of interest
Historical and archaeological curation, library, and research
Publications in archaeology, rock art, topics of local interest
Docent
education programs in local schools
Gladys Merrick garden
Star parties at museum observatory
Annual Wildflower Show
Other special events
Vestibule
Argus Gallery
Sylvia Winslow Gallery
El Paso Gallery
Coso Room
Little Petroglyph Canyon Petroglyph Tours
We are unable to offer tours at this time.
In the canyons cutting through the volcanic rocks of the Coso Mountains are thousands of images left by the indigenous people who populated this region many years ago. This is the largest known concentration of petroglyphs in the Western Hemisphere. The images range in age from before 13,000 years to the present.
Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake is not currently allowing Petroglyph tours. Should tours resume they will be posted on our events page.
We offer a wide variety of resources and information about these images on this website and in our museum gift shop.
Learn More about Petroglyphs
Stay Updated
Read and Download the Museum Newsletter
Read the Newsletters
760-375-6900 | info@maturango.org
Home
Get Involved
Become a Member
Donations / Charitable Giving
Leave a Gift
Volunteer Opportunities
About Us
Our Mission
Our Partners
Our Local Supporters
Community Impact
Board of Trustees
Contact Us
Facility Rental
SHOP
WELCOME
Petroglyph
Information
PETROGLYPHS
Explore
our exhibits
EXHIBITS
EXPLORE
Education
Programs
EDUCATION
Explore
Our Online
Store
GIFT SHOP
Explore THE
Gardens
GARDENS
Explore
Events
EVENTS
MATURANGO MUSEUM'S
DISCOVER THE MUSEUM
Preserving and Sharing the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Northern Mojave Desert
Museum Happenings!
2025 Annual Report
Discover The Northern Mojave Desert
Our Mission is to preserve, interpret, and develop an appreciation for the natural and cultural history of the Northern Mojave Desert through research and education in the natural and physical sciences, and to promote the arts.
Founded in 1962, the Maturango Museum is an important educational and cultural resource in Ridgecrest, California. In addition to the exhibit galleries, which feature the natural and cultural history of the Upper Mojave Desert, the Museum sponsors art exhibits, cultural programs and tours. Those tours include trips to the world-famous Coso petroglyphs. The Museum is an information center for Death Valley, the Northern Mojave Desert, and the Highway 395 and 178 corridors.
Museum Exhibits and Programs
The Maturango Museum is home to a wide variety of permanent and temporary exhibits and programs.
Those exhibits and programs include:
Lectures on archaeology, natural history, & local interest
Concerts
Art
and photography exhibits
Tours - petroglyphs, geology, art, local points of interest
Historical and archaeological curation, library, and research
Publications in archaeology, rock art, topics of local interest
Docent
education programs in local schools
Gladys Merrick garden
Star parties at museum observatory
Annual Wildflower Show
Other special events
Vestibule
Argus Gallery
Sylvia Winslow Gallery
El Paso Gallery
Coso Room
Little Petroglyph Canyon Petroglyph Tours
We are unable to offer tours at this time.
In the canyons cutting through the volcanic rocks of the Coso Mountains are thousands of images left by the indigenous people who populated this region many years ago. This is the largest known concentration of petroglyphs in the Western Hemisphere. The images range in age from before 13,000 years to the present.
Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake is not currently allowing Petroglyph tours. Should tours resume they will be posted on our events page.
We offer a wide variety of resources and information about these images on this website and in our museum gift shop.
Learn More about Petroglyphs
Stay Updated
Read and Download the Museum Newsletter
Read the Newsletters