The Kern Valley Museum communicates the history of the Kern River Valley by acquiring/displaying artifacts and by producing written and oral records by people with first hand knowledge of local history.

Our mission is to preserve and communicate the rich and colorful history of this region. To achieve these goals we have established the Kern Valley Museum in downtown Kernville next to the Post Office.

With its modest beginning in 1967, the Kern River Valley Historical Society has continually grown in membership and responsibility as caretakers of Kern River Valley culture and heritage. The KRVHS is a non profit group of caring members and dedicated volunteers who devote hundreds of hours to collecting, preserving and presenting the areas precious treasures through time.

Among the many properties in its keeping, KRVHS also acts as the management, maintenance & supporting force for Kern Valley Museum and Walker House. Archives and spectacular displays interpreting the rich and complex social, cultural and economic history of the Kern River Valley are offered to visitors without charge. Through its exhibits, publications, and programs, we may trace who and what we are, how we achieved our distinct identity, and what unique contributions we make to the region and state.

Through the extraordinary and proud history of local Native Americans (Tubatulabul and Kawaiisu), the resilient gold miners, hardy loggers and pioneering ranchers, with colorful places such as Keysville, Onyx, Johnsondale, Whiskey Flat, and Kernville - the Kern River Valley Historical Society educates all generations about our past as well as present.