Giant Forest Museum
Giant Forest Museum
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4.0
367 reviews
Excellent
149
Very good
138
Average
65
Poor
10
Terrible
5
SeniorTravelerTF
Fort Atkinson1,196 contributions
Aug 2021
Call to make sure it is open when you visit. Don't believe park website. Not open, COVID, while we were there. Would normally be stop #1. There was a sign written in highlighter telling about ranger programs, but no mention of where they were. Rangers available most normal (8-4) hours during the day to answer questions.
Written 15 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad
Hong Kong, China174,502 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
The Giant Forest Museum is located along the General's Highway in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Opening hours are 9am to 6pm daily.
Note that during the winter season when the Lodgepole Visitor Centre is closed, the Giant Forest Museum serves as the area visitor centre for the park. As such, this is where you need to stop to talk to rangers, find out about trail and road conditions and ask general questions about the park that you may have.
As for the museum, we found this to be a nice place to learn about the giant sequoia trees for which the park is known. There are informative and educational displays, exhibits and film that do a nice job of presenting the famous sequoias. We found this very useful to go through before hitting the trails to see these beautiful giants.
Note that there is a large parking lot just across the street from the museum. Further, before or after visiting, you can walk to the Big Tree loop trail nearby or hike/drive the Crescent Meadow Drive to Moro Rock, Auto Log and the Tunnel Tree.
Note that during the winter season when the Lodgepole Visitor Centre is closed, the Giant Forest Museum serves as the area visitor centre for the park. As such, this is where you need to stop to talk to rangers, find out about trail and road conditions and ask general questions about the park that you may have.
As for the museum, we found this to be a nice place to learn about the giant sequoia trees for which the park is known. There are informative and educational displays, exhibits and film that do a nice job of presenting the famous sequoias. We found this very useful to go through before hitting the trails to see these beautiful giants.
Note that there is a large parking lot just across the street from the museum. Further, before or after visiting, you can walk to the Big Tree loop trail nearby or hike/drive the Crescent Meadow Drive to Moro Rock, Auto Log and the Tunnel Tree.
Written 11 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert W
Puch, Austria290 contributions
Aug 2020
Very well set up and interesting for all age groups.
Just a pitty that the museum is closed at peak hours for cleaning and I had to wait 50 min
Just a pitty that the museum is closed at peak hours for cleaning and I had to wait 50 min
Written 28 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neal S
Medfield, Massachusetts, United States99 contributions
Oct 2019
How does a museum capture the public's attention in a smartphone world? With a place like the Giant Forest Museum. Large visual displays, cute 'wheel of chance' spins to show what a slender chance a sequoia seed has of making it to maturity, and great in-person presentations. We heard one on the role of Buffalo Soldiers (out in the open air) that was riveting.
Written 28 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trixie1953
Huntingdon Valley, PA379 contributions
Aug 2019
Small museum, but packed with interesting exhibits. Get a small insight into these amazing trees. Fun facts and great for kids.
Written 4 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ditzymudgirl
High Point, NC153 contributions
July 2019 • Family
This was the last visitor center we visited. I love a visitor center. As this one goes, it was very crowded, tiny gift shop, and not very informative. Possibly if you had less people it would be a better experience? Lodgepole and the one by General Grant tree were good. Maybe because we'd visited several of their visitor centers, the General Grant, the General Sherman, & Congress Trail it was less than impressive because we'd already learned most of it. We visited in the middle of summer in the the afternoon.
Written 31 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
julnol
Coffs Harbour, Australia831 contributions
Sept 2018 • Couples
This was our planned meeting-up point with friends and it was perfect! Parking was great (we have a Disabled Parking Placard). The museum was not too big, not too small but Just Right. It was very easy to access the information with some great interpretive displays. The information was interesting and pertinent rather than dry and overwhelming. The gift shop had some great books available.
It is definitely worth a stop either before or after you national park visit to get some context.
It is definitely worth a stop either before or after you national park visit to get some context.
Written 19 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davigeta
Saint Louis, MO1,122 contributions
Sept 2016 • Couples
Though this is a small place, it is packed with information about sequoias and kid-friendly. A few minutes there will dramatically enhance your understanding of these magnificent trees.
Written 12 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HeritageK
48 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
In addition to the great display in the museum, we were lucky to run into an outdoor lecture given by a great docent. Not all forest fire helped the giant, she said. She explained with great details how the intensity of the fire would help the giant. She also talked about the structure of the sequoia roots and the environment it will flourish.
Written 27 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingFan22
Olympia, WA1,416 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
Something for everyone at this stop. The little museum is an interesting display to learn about the sequoias. The giant sequoia "Sentinel" is right outside the building as well as the Big Tree Trail for a leisurely stroll through the forest. There's a tiny gift shop, an information desk, and the all-important bathrooms!
Written 9 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola, cuanto cuesta entrar al museo? Gracias
Written 8 August 2017
Hi, there is no extra fee to visit this Museum, you only pay the entrance fee to visit the parks. Enjoy your visit!!!
Written 12 August 2017
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