The California Museum is the state history museum of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, located in its capital city of

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

. It is dedicated to Californian history and the stories of California. The museum is home to the California Hall of Fame and has more than of exhibits, event facilities, and museological archives.

History

Originally called the ''Golden State Museum'', the museum opened in June 1998 as a public/private partnership. It was developed under the Secretary of State's office with state bond funding for the facility and the opening exhibits. However, the museum's long-term management and financial support are the responsibility of a nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation, no direct funding from the state supports the museum. Private contributions, augmented by proceeds from admissions and the Museum Store, fund the Museum's programs and operations. In May 2004, former First Lady

Maria Shriver Maria Owings Shriver (born November 6, 1955) is an American journalist, author, a member of the Kennedy family, former First Lady of California, and the founder of the nonprofit organization The Women's Alzheimer's Movement. She was married to ...

, working with the Secretary of State and California State Parks, presented an exhibit titled “California’s Remarkable Women.” Shriver led a bipartisan effort to create this revitalized museum which operates as a nonprofit, non-partisan historical and cultural institution dedicated to telling the complete history of California, including the stories of California's women and under-represented groups in history. A revitalized Board of Trustees oversees the operations and has launched a multimillion-dollar capital campaign to design and develop the new Museum. As of March 2011, Governor Jerry Brown and First Lady Anne Gust Brown are Honorary Chairs of both the Museum and the California Hall of Fame, along with an Honorary Board including former Governors George Deukmejian, Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger and former First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Gloria Deukmejian, Gayle Wilson, Sharon Davis and Maria Shriver.

California Hall of Fame

Gallery

File:2019 California Hall of Fame Ceremony 05.jpg, 2019 California Hall of Fame Ceremony File:The CA Museum The 31st Star Exhibit.jpg, The 31st Star exhibit File:The CA Hall of Fame at the CA Museum.jpg, Inductee collection at the California Hall of Fame File:CA Hall of Fame Earl Warren and John Wayne Exhibits.jpg, Earl Warren and John Wayne plaques at the California Hall of Fame File:CA Hall of Fame Harvey Milk Exhibit.jpg,

Harvey Milk Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Milk was born and raised in ...

plaque at the California Hall of Fame File:CA Hall of Fame Harrison Ford and Maria Shriver Exhibits.jpg, Harrison Ford and

plaques at the California Hall of Fame {{DEFAULTSORT:California Museum Museums in Sacramento, California Art museums and galleries in California History museums in California Women's museums in California Museums established in 1998 1998 establishments in California