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Presidio of Monterey Museum

Explore Monterey's military history from the Spanish Empire to the present day.

pom76th Artillery Street & Corporal Ewing Road, Bldg 113, Monterey, CA  93944. Museum hours are Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

There is no entrance fee. Located in the Lower Presidio Historic Park, the exhibits in this jewel of a museum lead visitors through Monterey's various stages of military development from the indigenous period which highlights the area's native populations; through the Spanish and Mexican periods; and up to the present day. Because of the important role of the military in Monterey between 1902 and today, the majority of the exhibits are dedicated to the development of the Presidio as an army training base. The Presidio Museum of Monterey is located in the Lower Presidio Historic Park, one of the least visited historic parks in the area. Hidden in plain sight, the park is situated above Lighthouse curve in downtown Monterey. Visit the park for its spectacular views of Monterey Bay and Harbor, and stop at the museum to learn why historians have called this area, "The most historically significant site on the West Coast." For more information please call (831) 646-5648, or email museumpt@monterey.org.

The Museum and Lower Presidio Historic Park were created by a partnership between the City of Monterey and the Presidio of Monterey. While the Monterey Peninsula is known for its significant cultural treasures, the Presidio of Monterey is not so well known for the history of human presence on the site for the last 7,000 years. To find out more about the history of the Lower Presidio and plans for development of the Lower Presidio Historic Park, see the Lower Presidio Historic Park Master Plan below:
Exhibits

pom_exhibitsPresidio of Monterey Museum exhibits include:
  • A mural of a Native American woman greeting visitors at the museum's entrance, recalling the indigenous peoples who called the historic Presidio site home long before it became a strategic military location.
  • Year On a Cavalry Post video presenting life on the Presidio of Monterey in 1938. The views of the Bay and surrounding areas show how Monterey and the Peninsula looked prior to the rapid growth following World War II.
  • Photos of the people who are part of the Presidio are scattered throughout the museum. Most show the common soldier as he worked and lived.
  • A life-size horse and lieutenant depicts the Presidio that is clearest in the memories of long-time residents of Monterey. All the tack and the officer's uniform are original for the period between World War I and II. The saddle is a 1928 McClellan.
History of The Presidio of Monterey