Welcome to the next part of my post on Sacramento, where we explore the old part of town! After a heavy lunch, E & I walked off the calories at the Sacramento History Museum, a museum dedicated to the California Gold Rush and the city’s history. It was nearly closing time and we only had an hour, so we breezed through many of the exhibits.

The Sacramento Bee was founded in 1857 and is still running today as one of the city’s major newspapers. Inside the museum, visitors will get a glimpse of the old printing presses and machinery. Before the advent of ink and modern printers, newspapers were printed with a heavy metal mold.

The museum houses a variety of collections, including everyday items used by gold miners during the gold rush…

….to actual gold nuggets and jewelry. The displays are equipped with alarms and cameras to prevent theft.

Fur pelts from animals, which were used to keep warm in the region’s harsh weather.

Other everyday items used in the 19th century, such as makeup, mirrors and clothing.

Horse-drawn carriage replicas.

Black and white photos and children’s toys.

Remedies used during that era, sold at apothecaries (the equivalent of our modern pharmacies).

Food processing is a major industry in Sacramento, so there was a section dedicated to explaining its history.

It was an educational visit, even though the exhibits were mostly static. There is also an underground tour, which we were unfortunately not able to join.

SACRAMENTO HISTORY MUSEUM

01 I St, Sacramento, CA 95814, United States
Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Ticket price: 6$

Time to go home! We drove past the California State Capitol building, which looks just like the one in Washington but much smaller.

Fun tidbit: Sacramento is California’s capital city! I always thought somewhere bigger like LA or San Fran would be its administrative capital.

It was a really fun day trip to Sacramento. I rather like the city – it’s not as hectic or fast paced as LA or SF, but still modern enough for a city girl like me. Maybe I’ll move there someday?