San Mateo County History Museum

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Redwood City, CA
San Mateo County History Museum

Discover the Peninsula Story. The beautifully restored space is also available to rent for special events.

The San Mateo County History Museum, housed in the old County Courthouse, offers visitors an opportunity to discover the San Francisco Peninsula's colorful past from the original Native American inhabitants of yesterday to the Silicon Valley innovators of today. The 1910 building, on the National Register of Historic Places, features one of the largest stained glass domes in California, an extensive archives library, a thematic gift shop and a huge used bookstore. The San Mateo County History Museum is part of the San Mateo County Historical Association, a member-supported nonprofit organization. In addition to the museum in Redwood City, the Historical Association operates the Woodside Store in Woodside and the Sanchez Adobe in Pacifica.

10/30/2026

🥾 History. Nature. Spectacular views. Let’s hit the trail!

Join San Mateo County Historical Association President Mitch Postel for a free guided hike on Sweeney Ridge, November 4 at 10 a.m.

Explore the ridge’s fascinating connection to early explorers and the historic 1769 Portolá expedition while taking in sweeping coastal views, native plants and the wildlife that call this landscape home.

The hike is free, all you need to bring your walking shoes, water and your sense of adventure!

10/29/2026

A Lora Mundi House ghost story...just in time for Halloween....

Come hear more stories about the history of this home on November 7th during our FREE Grand Opening Celebration.

10/28/2026

On November 7, the History Museum will unveil its new H.E.R.O. Natural History Gallery.

Titled “Digging into the Past: The Peninsula’s Natural History,” this is the museum's first-ever dedicated natural history exhibition.

Get ready to experience life on the Peninsula like you've never seen it before!

10/27/2026

The Lora Mundi House is a steamboat Gothic Victorian built in 1863. This stunning historic home is on the same campus as the San Mateo County History Museum.

Come tour this unique house and learn all about the secrets it holds during our Grand Opening Celebration on November 7th.

10/26/2026

Did you know that infants used to be prescribed some very interesting medicines back in the day. 😲

Learn all about what types of medications, tinctures, remedies were frequently prescribed, not just to adults but to babies, and what they were meant to cure.

November 7th 10am to 2pm at the San Mateo County History Museum's Grand Opening Celebration.

10/23/2026

How well do you know Belmont?

Before it became the community we know today, Belmont was home to a railroad, grand estates, picnic grounds, sanitariums and pioneering educational institutions.

And for a brief time, it was even the county seat.

Discover Belmont’s history through photographs and artifacts from the past.

Next Tuesday, our newest temporary exhibit, Belmont: The Hub of the Peninsula, opens in celebration of the city's 100th anniversary.

10/20/2026

🌊Where the Road Meets the Land

What can Devil's Slide tell us about nature, transportation and the people who shaped the coastline?

Join the San Mateo County History Museum on October 24 at 1 p.m. for A Guide to the Slide with local historian and State Parks volunteer Keith Mangold.

Discover the fascinating natural and human history behind one of San Mateo County's most iconic coastal landscapes.

Saturday October 24 | 1 p.m.
2200 Broadway, Redwood City

10/19/2026

If you love history and love sharing it with others, we would love for you to become a volunteer!

Join us this Saturday October 24th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at our Volunteer Orientation.

Learn about opportunities to get involved with the new expanded exhibits at the San Mateo County History Museum after our November 7 Grand Opening Celebration, meet existing volunteers, and take a sneak peek at the History Museum’s forthcoming new venues.

Email [email protected] or call us at or 650-299-0104, ext. 231.

10/17/2026

Reliving August 17 when History was on the Move at the Museum.

Address

2200 Broadway
Redwood City, CA
94063

Telephone

+16502990104

Website

http://www.historysmc.org/

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