Tulare County Museum, Mooney Grove Park
27000 S. Mooney Blvd. Visalia, CA (559)733-6616
Amy King, Tulare County Museum Curator Hours of Operation: Thursday-Monday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays Tulare County Museum Website
As early as the 1920s, an effort was made to establish a museum to preserve and share Tulare County history. This goal became a reality in 1936 with a $5,000 bequest from Hugh Mooney to build a museum in Mooney Grove Park - once the site of the Mooney family home. The original museum building was finished in 1948 despite construction delays due to the Great Depression and World War II. The original building has been expanded, and the museum grounds currently house a pioneer village of vintage structures, including a blacksmith's shop, livery stable, the Surprise Schoolhouse and a vast collection of historically significant farm equipment. Mooney Grove Park is also home to the new History of Farm Labor & Agriculture Museum - a 17,000 square foot structure that utilizes state-of-the-art green building technology while paying architectural homage to the traditional barn structures of days long past. Included in the History of Farm Labor & Agriculture Museum is a formal theater-style learning center jointly operated by the Tulare County Office of Education and partially funded by a generous grant provided by Southern California Edison. The museum has partnered with the Tulare County Office of Education to ensure schoolchildren touring the museum receive information about both local and California history included in the California State Standards. Through collaboration and the use of innovative technology, the museum is guaranteed continued growth. Many widescreen presentations are available for viewing in the Learning Center that explore the evolution of agriculture in Tulare County and provide insight into the many cultural groups that have helped grow Tulare County from a pioneering farm community that predates statehood into the world's second largest agricultural production area. Museum exhibits and technology presentations document the contributions made by the Armenian, African-American and Hispanic communities and Dust Bowl migrants. Future exhibits will help educate the public about the many contributions other ethnic groups have made to Tulare County history, such as the Native American, Japanese, Portuguese, among others. The Tulare County Historical Society has been actively involved in the museum's development since the beginning. The Historical Society most recently applied for and was awarded a $1.45 million state grant from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment. This grant, coupled with matching funds provided by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, made possible construction of the new farm labor museum. The Historical Society has a 60-plus year track record of raising funds for countless museum improvements, and members have also generously given of their time and effort to restore aged structures. The Tulare County Historical Society is a non-profit organization and all donations are welcome to our Museum Improvement Fund! *Museum fees are included in the Mooney Grove Park admission fees. | 
