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Top 10Museums and Galleries



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1Charles M. Schulz Museum

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Snoopy, Charles M. Schulz Museum

Tucked away in a residential district of northwest Santa Rosa, this spacious and modern museum delights visitors with its exhibits of the artist’s life and his most famous creations, Charlie Brown and Snoopy the dog (For further details see Charles M. Schulz Museum).

2Sharpsteen Museum

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Diorama of early Calistoga, Sharpsteen Museum

Initiated by former Hollywood producer Ben Sharpsteen, this quaint and quirky museum focuses on northern California history since its settlement by the Wappo people. Exhibits include a restored stagecoach, a 3D diorama of early Calistoga, and a cottage that was originally part of Calistoga’s Hot Springs Resort.

3Sonoma County Museum

Housed in the former Federal-style main post office, which was relocated here in 1979, this museum regales the history of Sonoma County with rotating displays. It also has a permanent collection by world-famous artist duo Christo and Jean-Claude (For further details see Sonoma County Museum).

4Clos Pegase Winery

Post-Modernist architect Michael Graves designed this eye-catching, avant-garde winery as a “temple to wine and art.” Contemporary sculptures by world-renowned artists such as Henry Moore, Richard Serra, and Sir Anthony Caro dot the grounds, while the winery’s massive underground cave hosts European statuary dating back to the 17th century (For further details see Clos Pegase Winery).

5Robert Louis Stevenson Silverado Museum

Novelist Robert Louis Stevenson is honored at this museum, which displays original manuscripts by the author, plus personal artifacts. The manuscripts include The Silverado Squatters, chronicling the author’s travels in Napa Valley in 1880.

6Di Rosa Preserve

More than 2,000 works of contemporary art are displayed throughout this 217-acre (89-ha) wine estate. The whimsical artistic wonderland includes a car that hangs from a tree, and a colorful cow seemingly walking atop a large lake.

  • 5200 Sonoma Hwy., Napa, 94559
  • 707 226 5991
  • Open 9:30am–3pm Wed–Fri
  • www.dirosaart.org

7The Hess Collection

Considered one of the world’s finest private art collections, The Hess Collection displays work by such internationally prominent names as Andy Goldsworthy, and Frank Stella.

8Pacific Coast Air Museum

Founded in 1989, this museum (For further details see Pacific Coast Air Museum) displays more than 30 historic U.S. military aircraft. Prize exhibits include a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter, an F-4 Phantom, a Hawker Harrier Jump Jet, and an F-15 Eagle. It hosts aviation-themed exhibits, and organizes the Wings Over Wine Country Air Show in August.

9Napa Valley Museum

The exhibits here range from the valley’s geological origins and American Indian life to the modern wine industry. There’s also an interactive exhibit on the science of wine-making.

10Healdsburg Museum

This museum profiles northern Sonoma County’s American Indian roots and Victorian heyday. The neoclassical building is surrounded by Victorian homes.