Free admission, every Saturday. Walk-ins welcome.
26 Orinda Way, Room 106
Orinda, CA 94563
Ground floor of the Orinda Library, next to the parking garage elevator. Look for the OHS sign by the door.
Every Saturday, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Closed major holidays.
Available outside Saturday hours by appointment. Call (925) 254-1353 or email info@orindahistory.org.
The museum sits on the lower level of the Orinda Library, in a single room packed with artifacts, photographs, and stories from over 150 years of Orinda history. Our window displays rotate every few months, so there's almost always something new to see.
Inside the museum itself, you'll find permanent exhibits on the rancho era, the building of the Caldecott Tunnel, the Orinda Theatre, the city's schools, and the people who shaped what Orinda became. Volunteers are usually on hand to answer questions, point you toward what you're curious about, or pull something specific from the archives if you give us a heads-up.
Visits typically take 20 to 45 minutes, depending on how deep you want to go.
Inside the Museum
Coming soon!
Current Exhibit
On Display Now
Orinda Authors: A Literary Celebration
Orinda may be a small city, but it has produced an impressive range of authors. Our current window display features works by local writers held in the Society's collection, including Poul Anderson, Alison Burns, Robert Karplus, Jean Lyford, and Wayne F. Miller. Visit the museum every Saturday from 11 AM to 1 PM.
Featured works
Always Ready for Adventure by Betty Karplus
Everyone Needs a Tree House by Maria Monahan
Waves of Time by Jean Lyford
Fascinating Fibonaccis by Trudi Hammel Garland
Gardening Without Tears by Lucie Hupp
Orinda (Images of America) by Alison Burns
Native American Indian Sites in the East Bay Hills by James Benney
The World is Young by Wayne F. Miller
Wayne F. Miller Photographs 1942-1958 by Wayne F. Miller
The Secrets of Leadership by Gregory J. Dabel
Poul Anderson Collected Works: Volume I by Poul Anderson
Introductory Physics by Robert Karplus
The museum is run by volunteers, so we keep regular hours one day a week. But we're happy to open the doors for groups, researchers, or anyone whose schedule doesn't line up with Saturday afternoons.
Email info@orindahistory.org or call (925) 254-1353 with at least a few days' notice and we'll set something up.
Bring your class, scout troop, or community group for a guided walk through Orinda's history. Tours are free and run roughly 45 minutes, with content adapted to the age of the group.
