Beatty Museum & Historical Society — Attraction in Nevada

This little road-side attraction is a real gem. You'll find an array of artifacts and information telling the local story of life in the desert. Three particular eras comprise the bulk of the exhibits: Native American culture pre and just post European immigration, mining golden age and nuclear weapons testing. Of the 3, the mining boom and bust receives the largest share.

The nearby ghost-town of Rhyolite is arguably one of the biggest reasons people come to Beatty (the other being the only gas available for miles) and no visit to the ghost town can be complete until you see the drawings, photographs, maps and artifacts that show the town in its heyday. The ghost-town is largely shells of buildings that the desert has worn down to mostly rubble but seeing those same buildings whole and sitting at the center of a thriving town of almost 10,000 people really brings them to life. Seeing mining equipment, household goods, etc used by the hardy men & women who scraped their livelihood from the desert further brings this era of boom and bust into focus. Vast fortunes were literally made and lost overnight as the price of the precious minerals (gold, silver, copper, borax and even lead) fluctuated. And anytime money is involved, those looking to separate said money from its owner soon follow. You'll find stories of mines oversold, mines stolen and even non-existent mines sold to people all over the country who wanted to get in on the boom times. And you'll find stories of the buyers getting the last laugh...Google Scotty's Castle in nearby Death Valley NP for one such.

Surprising to me was the exhibit regarding nuclear weapons testing. I'd read about testing in Nevada but didn't put 2 and 2 together until I saw the pictures of mushroom clouds visible from the strip in Las Vegas. The Nevada Test Site, site of many of the early nuclear tests, lays parallel to route 95 between Las Vegas and Beatty and housed nearly 1000 nuclear tests! After reading these displays I had an immediate desire to locate lead underpants if not a lead suit.

Honestly, I wouldn't drive out of my way to visit this small museum but, if you're going to be in the area to visit Rhyolite ghost-town and/or Death Valley NP, an afternoon (or a couple of hours) spent in this free attraction is...

This is really a hidden gem! We found the place by chance,went in, and enjoyed a great museum showing the history of the area. The exhibits are presented with love and informative signs. It helped to get an idea of the spirit of the wild west with all the dreams, adventures,failures and success. It explains some of the technology of the time and was as a great preparation before visiting the Ghost town Rhyolite. I rarely saw a museum created and maintained with so much care. It's free but you can donate which we did gladly. We came with our kids age 12 and 14, and both...

Don’t miss stopping by the Beatty Museum and Historical Society while in Beatty Nevada. It is an excellent source of local and regional history for Rhyolite and the Nevada Desert near Death Valley. The displays are informative and enjoyable. Visiting the museum will add much to your travels in the area. It is the best source for historic photos and details of Rhyolite in its heyday. Support the historical society by paying a visit. You will be...