Welcome to the Kelley House Museum
This historic home and research center is located in Mendocino, California on the scenic north coast. Built in 1861 by William Kelley, the house overlooks the ocean and is surrounded by gardens filled with flowers and lawn. The museum, along with docent-led walking tours of the historic preservation district, invites visitors to step back in time and imagine life in a bustling, 19th century logging town.
Kelley House Museum is open: Thursday–Monday, 11am–3pm.
Historic District Walking Tours
Join one of our walking tours, described as “the perfect way to get a sense of the cast of characters who helped shape the eclectic town of Mendocino.” Visit New England-style pioneer homes, learn why Mendocino was known as the city of water towers, and discover the secrets of the iconic “Time and the Maiden” statue. Enjoy Mendocino’s rich cultural heritage, from the Pomo tribe that lived here for thousands of years, to the European and Chinese immigrants who built the town you see today. Narrated, self-guided tours are also available to download on your smartphone.
Tours last 2 hours, depart several times per week, and cost $20 per person.
New Tour!
Haunted Mendocino Walking Tour
October 28th, 2023, 5pm, $25
The Haunted Mendocino Walking Tour takes guests on a stroll through the haunts and history of some of Mendocino’s infamous residents. We’ll make stops at the homes, hideouts, and hangouts of all the town’s well-known specters. Gaze into a mirror where people have seen a woman in Victorian dress looking back at them. Peer into the waves in search of a stallion and the rider who rode them both into the sea. 1.5 – 2 hours.
Exhibit Spotlight
Kelley House Museum: Building a Home
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mendocino Historical Research Institute, now known as the Kelley House Museum. Building a Home pays tribute to the people who had the vision and determination to turn a dilapidated old house into a research center and museum. Meet founders Dorothy Bear and Beth Stebbins, who moved to Mendocino, fell in love with local history, then galvanized a community to establish a research center in order to preserve the town’s many stories and artifacts. On display in the exhibit will be some of the earliest donations made to the Research Institute: census records from the 1860s, clothing from the Kelley family, the Ford family’s Bible, materials from Bear & Stebbins’ first exhibit, Mendocino Homes, and Anne Kendall Foote’s bespoke wallpaper reproductions. Exhibit runs through February 26th, 2024
Featured Book ~ From KHM Store
Experience Kelley House
Book Store. Our wide assortment of local history books delve into topics as diverse as movies filmed in Mendocino, shipbuilding, early architecture, and Native American history.
Research. Search our collections or let our expert staff help. Our climate-controlled storage and research facility is home to over 150 years of Mendocino coastal history.
Newsletter. Stay current and connected with the living history of Kelley House Museum as we uncover new stories, host events, and feature special collections.
Donate. Please join us in our efforts to preserve and share Mendocino’s history. Become a member or make a donation today.
Making History Blog
“Higher” Education in Mendocino
Public education began in Mendocino in 1862, when a primary school was established near the corner of Ukiah and Lansing streets. Captain David Lansing donated the lot, and the local sawmill contributed lumber for the schoolhouse. As the community grew, a larger school was needed, and a new primary school building was constructed on the [...]
The Kelley House Museum is a 501c(3) non-profit educational corporation, tax ID number 94-2277534.