Pomona: Museums, History and Art Walk

Pomona brings together museums and historic sites with a recurring art event in Downtown. When planning a hotel stay, you can start by considering whether to focus on railroad and ceramic culture, historic homes or the monthly Art Walk. The campus-related attractions at AGRIscapes also add to the range of options. The different themes and timings can help you tailor your trip to your own interests.

Museums and History in Pomona

The RailGiants Train Museum offers a historical journey back to the golden age of American railroads. Its collection includes two of the four surviving three-cylinder steam locomotives: SP #5021 and UP #9000. These two specifically named locomotives are a highlight if you are interested in railroad history. At the American Museum of Ceramic Art, changing exhibitions may feature ceramics from different countries; exhibition content may change.

Historic homes also offer different perspectives. Phillips Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. At the site of the Adobe de Palomares Museum, Ygnacio and Concepción Palomares built a thirteen-room house between 1850 and 1854. Casa Primera was the first residence of its kind built in the valley. Together, these three sites point to different aspects of architectural and local history, without conflating their stories.

Pomona's history also includes the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, founded in 1925. A breeding program for Arabian horses began at Kellogg's winter residence in Pomona. This connection between an institutional founding and an early breeding program adds another historical topic to the museums and homes.

Plan for Opening Hours and Tours

The museums have different visiting schedules. The RailGiants Train Museum is open to the public free of charge on the second weekend of every month, except May, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The NHRA Museum is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If a visit to either museum is a deciding factor in your trip planning, check the relevant schedule in advance: the RailGiants Train Museum's event calendar is relevant, and the NHRA Museum's opening hours may change.

Tours of Phillips Mansion last 45 minutes and start on the hour; tour arrangements may change. Tours of Casa Primera last 30 minutes and start on the half hour. The time slots therefore differ in both duration and intervals between start times. Check the current tour information if you plan to visit either home.

Art Walk and AGRIscapes Attractions

The Art Walk in Downtown Pomona, in the Pomona Arts Colony, takes place on the second Saturday of every month. Each Art Walk features a night market at Shaun Diamond Plaza, at the intersection of W. 2nd St and Thomas St. The offerings described include live music, crafts, jewelry, clothing and food vendors. Individual vendors may vary. If you want to include the Art Walk in your trip, check the event date before your visit.

At AGRIscapes, both the Children's Garden and the Petting Farm are visited each year on school field trips. Another offering is the Farm Store at Kellogg Ranch, which sells produce grown on campus as well as other food products. AGRIscapes thus brings together a garden, a farm and food sales, while annual school field trips are specifically noted for both the Children's Garden and the Petting Farm.

With railroad and ceramic collections, historic homes, tours and a monthly art event, Pomona offers several different points of interest for a stay. The specific opening and tour times, as well as the Art Walk date, provide practical guidance as you decide which topics to prioritize on your trip.

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