Carson Valley Museum was once the site of Douglas County High School, designed by famous architect Frederic DeLongchamps and built in 1915. The building operated as the high school until a new one was built in Minden in 1975. Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center opened its doors in 1995. The museum is filled with exhibits celebrating the rich history of Carson Valley. There's the "Walk Down Main Street" exhibit with relics from an old-fashioned barbershop, a ladies' dress shop (with dresses and fashion pieces from the mid-20th century), a mercantile with hardware and lace and the old newspaper office. You'll also see a Basque camp straight from the early settlements of the valley, with sheepherder clothes, utensils and a tree carving that tells the Basque camper's immigration story. There's also a Washo Room with Native American history and artifacts, the story of the untamed Mustangs of Nevada's past and a mural commemorating Carson Valley's namesake, pioneer Christopher "Kit" Carson. The Van Sickle Library on the ground floor of the museum is full of historic documents, research information and resources on family history as well as archived articles of Carson Valley's past. The museum has a souvenir shop with Nevada history books, Native American history books and gift items. The front of the historic site has an outdoor park and picnic area.
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