Founded in June 1980 to create a permanent home for local history, the Tulare City Historical Society opened this museum in Tulare, California, on November 16, 1985, on the former site of Central School. Expanded in 1992 by a 4,700-square-foot addition, it preserves and presents the story of Tulare and the surrounding region through community-focused exhibits. Its collections explore the history of the indigenous Yokuts, the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the area’s non-Indigenous pioneers, while also featuring figures such as Olympic champion Bob Mathias and U.S. Navy Admiral Elmo Zumwalt. The Heritage Room also hosts rotating art exhibitions.