Ferndale Museum — Attraction in Ferndale

The Ferndale Museum is a wonderful small-town museum that preserves and shares the deep history of Ferndale and the Eel River Valley. Housed just a short walk from Main Street, it is filled with artifacts, photographs, tools, and everyday items that tell the story of this Victorian village and the surrounding farming and logging communities.

The exhibits are diverse and hands-on. You’ll find everything from Victorian home settings to a working blacksmith shop, barber shop displays, and even an active Bosch-Omori seismograph that still records earthquakes. The museum also highlights the area’s Native American history, the roots of the dairy industry, and the importance of logging in shaping the region. Every corner feels personal and grounded in local life.

What makes the museum special is its authenticity. The volunteers and staff are passionate and knowledgeable, eager to share stories and context that bring the exhibits to life. It feels more like a living community archive than a formal museum, which makes it welcoming and easy to explore. There’s also a small gift shop with books and items tied to Ferndale’s history.

Visiting here is the perfect complement to walking Ferndale’s historic Main Street. After admiring the ornate Victorian architecture, the museum fills in the human story behind the buildings. It’s affordable, accessible, and absolutely worth a stop for anyone curious about local history or the unique heritage of this corner of Humboldt County.

If you love small museums that overflow with character and pride of place, the Ferndale Museum...

SUPER informative and interesting museum!!!! I feel really lucky to have been able to attend; the staff were incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and clearly passionate about local history. I loved the historical room setups, and ended up spending about two hours there. I absolutely recommend stopping by!

Also, thank you so much to the person with the pronoun pin who told me about more recent history and living in Ferndale! I really appreciate it. If you ever come up to Olympia, you have...

This museum catalogs different times periods of Ferndale's history. they change the display in January when the museum is closed. The mission for the museum is $2 a person. Additional donations are optional as it keeps the museum open. There is also a lower level room which contains more Hardware and tools use during the time. Such as saws, hammers, buggies, even Bob wire. They also have twice-monthly blacksmith demonstrations of the days do vary so you might want to call in...