Highest-rated museums in California, according to Tripadvisor

Written by:
April 12, 2023
Tripadvisor

Highest-rated museums in California, according to Tripadvisor

The first public museum was founded in 1684 at the University of Oxford. The Ashmolean Museum was founded when Elias Ashmole donated his private collection to the university in 1677. Much of that original collection is still on display, including a crystal ball, several kidney stones, and preserved, exotic animals. By creating the museum, Ashmole sought to do what all museum curators have worked for since: to create a space where people could be inspired and educated by artifacts and art from around the world.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in California on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.

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Tripadvisor

#30. Asian Art Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,544 reviews)
- Address: 200 Larkin St North america, San Francisco, CA 94102-4734
- Read more on Tripadvisor
2 / 30
Tripadvisor

#29. Charles M. Schulz Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,153 reviews)
- Address: 2301 Hardies Ln, Santa Rosa, CA 95403-2668
- Read more on Tripadvisor
3 / 30
Tripadvisor

#28. Old Sacramento

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (3,143 reviews)
- Address: 1002 2nd St, Sacramento, CA 95814-3202
- Read more on Tripadvisor
4 / 30
Tripadvisor

#27. de Young Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,179 reviews)
- Address: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118-4502
- Read more on Tripadvisor
5 / 30
Tripadvisor

#26. Mission San Juan Capistrano

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,603 reviews)
- Address: 26801 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
- Read more on Tripadvisor
6 / 30
Tripadvisor

#25. Maritime Museum of San Diego

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,790 reviews)
- Address: 1492 N Harbor Dr Discovery Pier, San Diego, CA 92101-3309
- Read more on Tripadvisor
7 / 30
Tripadvisor

#24. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,086 reviews)
- Address: 151 3rd St Enter on Howard or Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-3107
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8 / 30
Tripadvisor

#23. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,344 reviews)
- Address: 900 Exposition Blvd Exposition Park, Los Angeles, CA 90007-4057
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9 / 30
Tripadvisor

#22. Madame Tussauds Hollywood

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,294 reviews)
- Address: 6933 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028-6146
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10 / 30
Tripadvisor

#21. Birch Aquarium at Scripps

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,941 reviews)
- Address: 2300 Expedition Way Scripps Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037
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11 / 30
Tripadvisor

#20. Legion of Honor

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,069 reviews)
- Address: 100 34th Ave Lincoln Park, San Francisco, CA 94121-1677
- Read more on Tripadvisor
12 / 30
Tripadvisor

#19. Palm Springs Art Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,735 reviews)
- Address: 101 N Museum Dr, Palm Springs, Greater Palm Springs, CA 92262-5659
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13 / 30
Tripadvisor

#18. The Broad

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,768 reviews)
- Address: 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012-3020
- Read more on Tripadvisor
14 / 30
Tripadvisor

#17. Palm Springs Air Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,059 reviews)
- Address: 745 N Gene Autry Trl, Palm Springs, Greater Palm Springs, CA 92262-5464
- Read more on Tripadvisor
15 / 30
Tripadvisor

#16. Battleship USS Iowa Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,019 reviews)
- Address: 250 S Harbor Blvd San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA 90731-2830
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16 / 30
Tripadvisor

#15. Cable Car Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,751 reviews)
- Address: 1201 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108-1071
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Tripadvisor

#14. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (3,120 reviews)
- Address: 40 Presidential Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93065-0600
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18 / 30
Tripadvisor

#13. Los Angeles County Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,821 reviews)
- Address: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036-4597
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19 / 30
Tripadvisor

#12. Musee Mecanique

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,940 reviews)
- Address: Pier 45, Fishermen's Wharf foot of Taylor Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
- Read more on Tripadvisor
20 / 30
Tripadvisor

#11. La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,222 reviews)
- Address: 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036-4539
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21 / 30
Tripadvisor

#10. The Getty Villa

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,545 reviews)
- Address: 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy Pacific Palisades, Malibu, CA 90265-5708
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22 / 30
Tripadvisor

#9. Walt Disney Family Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,808 reviews)
- Address: 104 Montgomery St The Presidio, San Francisco, CA 94129-1718
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Tripadvisor

#8. California State Railroad Museum

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (2,792 reviews)
- Address: 125 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814-2204
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Tripadvisor

#7. Petersen Automotive Museum

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,434 reviews)
- Address: 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036-3605
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Tripadvisor

#6. Exploratorium

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,536 reviews)
- Address: Green St Pier 15, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
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26 / 30
Tripadvisor

#5. California Academy of Sciences

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (6,001 reviews)
- Address: 55 Music Concourse Dr Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118-4503
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Tripadvisor

#4. UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 291 Country Club Dr, Incline Village, NV 89451-9333
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor

#3. Griffith Observatory

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (20,514 reviews)
- Address: 2800 E. Observatory Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90027-1299
- Read more on Tripadvisor
29 / 30
Tripadvisor

#2. The Getty Center

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (14,661 reviews)
- Address: 1200 Getty Center Dr N Sepulveda Blvd & Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049-1657
- Read more on Tripadvisor
30 / 30
Tripadvisor

#1. USS Midway Museum

- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (25,377 reviews)
- Address: 910 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101-5811
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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