Petaluma Museum Association

About Us

Our mission is to preserve the unique history of Petaluma and to provide educational and cultural services to the community. For 40 years, the Petaluma Museum Association has operated the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum as a community hub and cultural center dedicated to the preservation of Petaluma's past through exhibits, educational programs, historical reenactments, concert and lecture series and preservation initiatives.

The former library now houses Petaluma poultry, dairy, and Miwok Indian history exhibits from the 1850s. The cornerstone for this stately Carnegie Library was laid in 1904. The building, designed by local architect Brainerd Jones and built from locally quarried stone, features one of the largest free-standing leaded glass dome in Northern California. The building is in the neo-classical style, featuring original fan-glass windows, round leaded-glass windows, also original interior wood paneling and columns. It also houses a fine research library.