museum of ventura county - agriculture museum

I visited an art exhibit at the Museum and ended up spending more time exploring the museum and all it has to offer than looking at the paintings. There are many interactive exhibits designed for children that are fun and educational. The living bee hive exhibit was great and I was especially interested in the blacksmith exhibit - because I'm a blacksmith's daughter. The personal stories that accompany the equipment - like tractors and seed drills make it come alive - for instance the (real) story of how a young boy's life changed when his family got a tractor and he no longer had to take care of the horses. Or another one detailing what a typical work day entailed, including the meals that were eaten.I grew up in an agricultural area (in the UK) so I found it interesting as an adult. I would definitely bring a child here - because it's interesting, interactive, bright, attractive and fun. Well worth the pretty drive up the mountain to Santa Paula and a great way to remind us of the importance of agriculture in all our lives. Nice little gift shop too - with locally produced food (honey, etc.) and art. Well worth a visit.

This is the latest addition to Santa Paula's collection of small specialty museums. Located adjacent to the new pedestrian walkway, it has plenty to say about agriculture in Ventura County.

I have taken groups of Road Scholars/Elderhostel people to the Ag Museum over the last several years and it always gets high marks. The staff and the exhibits are top notch.

Loved the exhibits, the stories and displays all related to agriculture! Coupled with visiting the other museums our city has to offer make for a very pleasant day trip to Santa Paula. We have several wonderful restaurants to enjoy was well!

This is favorite of mine, as I live in Santa Paula and spent a great deal of time in agriculture. You will find this museum in an old mill. A fine place to see how the agriculture supported this lovely town and surrounding area. There are pieces of farm equipment to see and the kid's to sit atop. It gives the history of what was grown years ago to the present. A wonderful stop, well worth your time in this great town.

great history, hands on, we arrived less than an hour to closing and we were let in for free, they were having a dinner/reception fo new members and asked us to stay-wish I had the fresh fruits and veggies looked great, a good place for kids who need to know all isn't Disneyland, but can be jsut as much fun

Outside, brilliant design that fits so well with our old Mill, surrounding attractions. Inside, you are greeted by the Beans, Beets and babies heritage of Oxnard, the fields of our county and implements of farming and food production. To see this collection is to understand our County heritage, one that hopefully will endure beyond these walls. Politicians, listening?

Very well done. Easy to spend 2 hours looking at agricultural equipment, learning how agricultural practices have changed and learning about the history of the region. Perfect for couples and families.

This seems to be a newer museum in a great building (right by the train tracks), and there were marvelous well-documented displays as well as lot of things geared toward kids. We loved it!

worth stopping in to explore the past. I was surprised how really very nice it is. Has live bee hive display and cool ag. equipment. My kids liked it a lot. Makes a great day if you go here and Rabelais coffee/ bake shop in town.

Was passing Santa Paula on the 126 and decided to get off on 10th street to grab a bite to eat. After my lunch I decided to site see with my family. We explored Main St. and continued to walk up 10th. We saw the Oil and Art museum but my family were not really feeling it at the moment. We stopped at the historic train depot looked around and then right behind the depot was the Agriculture Museum. We asked "Whats that" and decided to go see for ourselves. The building is amazing... built in 1888 it underwent a huge restoration and is now a musum. The museum covers a wide arrary of topics talking about Ventura County's history. And what "Blew me Away" was how much interative exhibits were inside the museum. It is extremly kid friendly, and we enjoyed climbing on the tractor and buggy... oh and of course the live bee hive! I give the Ag Museum three tumbs up if I had an extra thumb. A Must See. Has a lot of history and fun.

This museum captures the essence of agriculture from the 1800's to present day. This is a must for kids (and maybe adults) who don't have a clue about the trials, tribulations and successes of farmers and their contribution to our society. This is presented in a fun way with lots of antique tractors, photographs, farm machinery. Two other museums are around the corner that show the origins of the oil industry in Ventura County (Union 76 Oil started here) and a wonderful art museum.

Only an hour and a half drive from Los Angeles, Santa Paula lies in the middle of a rich agricultural area in Ventura County. The Agriculture Museum celebrates this major industry. Housed in a former warehouse or packing plant beside the railroad a few steps from the Santa Paula Depot, this building has two main spaces. The first space is an introduction to the bounty of Ventura County, the next space displays tractors and farming equipment, exhibits, a glass covered bee hive, and photo opportunities. A large open space behind is planned to be the site of a model farm. Today, many people believe that food comes from the grocery store, the Agriculture Museum educates us to where food really comes from. The museum is walking distance from several other museums in central Santa Paula.

We discovered this museum unexpectedly while looking at a brochure of museums and historic sites in Ventura County. We were planning to pass through Santa Paula on the way home, so we added it to our schedule. The museum had been open less than a year with plans for expansion. Less than an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, Ventura County is a major agricultural producer. This museum celebrates this industry. There are several exhibits on farm equipment including early tractors and harvesting machinery. A small children’s area fills a corner of the large exhibit space. A glass covered bee hive shows how these important creatures do their work, without the sting. Displays show produce from Ventura County and the history of agriculture in the county. A large vacant lot behind the museum will soon be home to an outdoor exhibit featuring an idealized farm. The museum is walking distance from the Santa Paula Depot and a few blocks more are two other museums. A family can spend the day in Santa Paula visiting the five museums (Aviation Museum open only first Sunday of the month). We enjoyed visiting this new and unexpected museum about an hour’s drive north of Los Angeles. Admission was modest and it was easy to find.