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Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum

The Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum, located on park grounds, features a variety of exhibits, and an outstanding collection of artifacts, technology, and crafts of the Miwok and other Sierra Nevada Native American groups.

The museum at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is designed to further the park's mission of teaching the Miwok culture, carrying the culture to future generations, and showing the Miwok culture as constantly evolving.

The museum building reflects the architecture of the traditional roundhouse.

The Collection

The museum's exhibits include past and present-day items used by Native American people. Visitors will see outstanding examples of the technologies and crafts of the Miwok and other Sierra Nevada Native American groups, including: the Maidu, Konkow, Monache, Nisenan, Tubatulabal, Washo, and Foothill Yokuts.

Activities and Demonstrations

Museum docents and park staff are often available in the interactive "learning circle" to demonstrate how Miwok and other Native American cultural items were made and used. Several of the exhibits include multimedia and hands-on displays.

Bookstore and Gift Shop

The Chaw'se Indian Grinding Rock Association stocks, staffs, and runs the bookstore and gift shop. The store features unique jewelry, toys, books, posters, walking sticks, hand drills, finger puppets, t-shirts, clocks, gift items, mugs and more!

Research Library

The Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum also contains a small research library and archive containing documents, images, and information on local flora and fauna, Native American arts, education, history, songs, and stories. The library is open by appointment only for academic research. Please contact the park at (209) 296-7475 or Lee.Eal@parks.ca.gov for more information.