The Gold Rush Museum

The Gold Rush Museum is a mining museum in Auburn housed in a historic depot building. The collection displays tools, machinery, and documents from California's 19th-century gold mining era.

The museum was founded to preserve the story of California's 1849 gold rush. It documents how this mining boom shaped the Auburn region and attracted thousands of prospectors.

Educational programs at the museum connect fourth-grade students with local mining heritage through interactive exhibits and curriculum-aligned activities.

The museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM and offers visitors multiple ways to explore. You can try panning for gold at an indoor stream and walk through a mining tunnel to see what the work was like.

The museum houses a working stamp mill that shows how miners extracted gold from raw ore. This machine still operates today, allowing visitors to see and understand the process firsthand.

Location: Auburn

Address: Lincoln Way

Opening Hours: Thursday-Sunday 10:30-16:00

Phone: +15308896500

Website: https://placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/museums/gold-country-museum

GPS coordinates: 38.90255,-121.06597

Latest update: December 15, 2025 13:30