The Colton Area Museum is a local-history museum at 380 North La Cadena Drive in Colton, California. It presents the area’s history through historic artifacts and outreach programs, in a former Carnegie library with a history of its own.
- Address: 380 North La Cadena Drive, Colton, CA 92324
- Admission and hours: confirm current details with the museum before your visit
What the museum covers
The Colton Area Museum focuses on the history of Colton and its surrounding area. Its role includes both displaying historic artifacts and supporting awareness through outreach programs.
The museum is at 380 North La Cadena Drive. A Colton city facilities map identifies it as facility 12 at that address, which can help you match the museum to the correct spot when planning a visit. A Colton area guide for visitors staying nearby covers the city beyond the museum.
Check current hours and admission
Confirm the museum’s current hours, admission details and any appointment requirements before you go. A schedule published for a past period is not a reliable guide to today’s visiting arrangements.
For a direct check, call the museum at (909) 824-8814. Check the official site before you go.
Exhibits and local history
The museum building was constructed in 1908 as the Colton Carnegie Public Library. The library closed in 1982, and the building reopened as the Colton Area Museum in 1991.
Since 2021, the San Bernardino County Museum has partnered with the Colton Area Museum on a grant-funded project to redevelop exhibits and create an interactive space intended to include the community.
Reported display subjects include Earp family history, pioneer-family memorabilia, hometown heroes and early industries. Displays have also covered women’s clothing from the 19th and 20th centuries, along with tributes to Colton’s fire and police departments. The selection gives the museum several angles on local history, from family stories to community services.
How do you get to the museum?
From Colton Inn rooms in Colton, the museum is about 5 minutes by car or about 51 minutes on foot. Its address is 380 North La Cadena Drive, Colton, CA 92324.
Access and visit planning
Build your plan around confirmed opening details rather than assuming the museum will be open when you arrive. Ask about appointments as well as hours and admission, and use the museum’s street address when arranging your route.
The World’s Largest Paper Cup in Colton is another local landmark.
The museum’s annual Museum Day has been observed on the first Saturday in May since 2014. If you’re considering a visit around that occasion, contact the museum to confirm the details for the year you plan to attend.
FAQs
Where is the Colton Area Museum?
It is at 380 North La Cadena Drive, Colton, CA 92324.
What can you see at the museum?
Reported subjects include local family and pioneer history, early industries, clothing from the 19th and 20th centuries, and tributes to the fire and police departments.
Does the museum charge admission?
Confirm current admission details with the museum by calling (909) 824-8814.
When is Colton Area Museum Day?
The annual observance has been held on the first Saturday in May since 2014. Contact the museum to confirm any details for your planned visit.