Kern County Museum

The Kern County Museum is proud to present Black Gold: The Oil Experience, a permanent $4 million science, technology and history exhibition. More than six years in the making, this state-of-the-art, interactive exhibition opened to the public on November 23, 2002. A milestone in the Museum's evolution, this world class oil exhibition was designed and fabricated by Museum Arts, Inc. of Dallas Texas, the leading creator of oil industry exhibitions. The 9,640-square foot exhibition and surrounding 2.3 acres present a complete overview of how oil is created, different methods of discovery and extraction throughout history, and the changing role of industry workers and their families.

This participatory exhibition features a variety of learning environments for audiences of all ages. Highlights include a simulated travel under the sea in a diving bell to learn how oil is formed, an exploration into oil discovery, recovery and its transformation into many products we use today, and the many dangers of asphaltum mining straight from the mouth of an old-timer. With Kern County providing 64% of California's oil production, oil production has been a crucial component of the local economy since 1895. By supporting Black Gold: The Oil Experience, donors and sponsoring businesses will be part of a world-class educational institution.

Providing our guests with knowledge of the past as a means to enlighten the future is an important mission for the Museum. As such, the Black Gold school tour aligns with selected curriculum standards in science, math and history for grades 1 - 12. Since opening in late 2002, Black Gold: The Oil Experience has been visited by over 550,000 people, with school tours comprising approximately one-third of this total. For more information about Black Gold

Students learn about the lifestyle and culture of the local Yokuts Indians. Actual artifacts presented in a half-hour lecture accompanied by a half-hour hands-on acorn grinding experience, help students learn about the Yokuts' religious beliefs, customs and show them how the Yokuts adapted to their natural environment.

Costumed docents will help your students step back in time to the first European explorers to visit this area and the settlers that followed them. California History Day has been designed to support the student's learning of our state's early history from the days of the first explorers to the early twentieth century.

While not intended to provide a complete history, it will support the history program set forth by the state and provide concrete learning experiences that students will remember for years to come. Students experience history as they make adobe bricks, build split rail fences and learn how to build log cabins. They also learn what brought some of the first Basque, African-American, and Chinese settlers to the area and what role the coming of the trains played in our history. Students will pan for gold as they learn about the hard work of the 49ers and learn how Black Gold became a major economic force in the county.

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