Through a varied collection of dioramas, murals and artifacts, the Mohave Museum of History shows the development of the “Grand Canyon State” from prehistoric times to the present. From a ranching video that tells about life on an Arizona range to paintings, sculptures and crafts in the art gallery, discover the history, heritage and culture of Arizona during a self-guided museum tour.
Presidential Gallery
From George Washington to Barrack Obama, delight in a complete collection of portraits of the United States Presidents and the First Ladies. This unique collection is one of the few painted portrait collections in the United States which includes the First Ladies.
History of Man in Mohave County
Journey through time as you admire the murals and dioramas depicting the history of Mohave County. Created by renowned Southwest artist Roy Purcell, Purcell drew inspiration for the famous “Journey” murals and dioramas from a cliff face near Chloride, Arizona.
Indian Room
Discover the heritage and culture of the Mohave County Indians in the Indian Room. Here you’ll see a life-size wikieup designed and constructed by Roy Purcell as well as pottery, bead work and baskets made by the Indians in the area.
Indian Rugs
Delight in the bold geometric motifs and zig-zag patterns of Indian rugs. Most of the Indian rugs in the Mohave Museum’s collection were woven by Navajo Indian sheep herders who used the white, black and brown wool from their sheep to make rugs. Berries and plants were used to dye the Navajo Indian’s rugs bright, bold colors.
Pottery and Baskets
See pottery made by the Hohokam Indians that dates back to the second or third century A.D. and learn about the technique the Hualapai Indians used to make baskets.
Kachina
Well known for carving kachina dolls using a specific cottonwood tree root, the Hopi Indians’ kachina dolls are known for their close connection with nature.
Andy Devine
Born and raised in Arizona, Andy Devine grew up to be one of Hollywood’s favorite stars. Acting until shortly before his death in 1977, Devine was in more than 400 movies and wasn’t just loved throughout Hollywood, but throughout his home state of Arizona. Learn unique facts about Devine’s personal life and his acting career in the museum’s tribute to Andy Devine.
Ranching Exhibit
An integral part of Mohave County during the 1860s, ranching initially provided meat for the military at Fort Mohave. Discover the importance of an Arizona ranch and see where Arizona’s main ranching areas once were in the Ranching Exhibit.
Mines and Ghost Towns
Featuring minerals, narratives, photos and artifacts from Mohave County mines, the Mines and Ghost Towns exhibit offer a glimpse into the rich mining history of Mohave County.
Turquoise Collection
Admire sea-green, intricately-carved turquoise figurines. Specimens of turquoise from Mohave County’s Mineral Park were sent to Japan, Germany and Washington State where they were later carved into figurines and donated to Mohave Museum of History and Art.
New State Theater
Patterned after the Kingman “State Theater” once located at 3rd & Beale Street in downtown Kingman, the museum’s New State Theater plays Duval Mine and Ranching in Mohave County, a movie that explores life on the range. Don’t forget to look up, an authentic stagecoach in 1/3 scale, rides across the area above the movie screen.
Research Library
Boasting around 250,000 copies of the local newspapers beginning with 1882, 14,000 indexed and digitized photographs of the County and 15,000 catalogued maps that are available for research, Mohave Museum of History and Arts' Research Library is one of the finest research libraries in the state of Arizona.
Kingman Army Airfield
Learn about the history of Kingman Army Airfield through photos, maps, artifacts and other memorabilia. In operation during WWII, approximately 36,000 young men were trained on the Kingman Army Airfield at the gunnery school.
From a fine selection of books on Indian tribes, the Grand Canyon, Route 66 and Mohave County to Indian jewelry, pottery and kachina dolls, you’ll find the perfect keepsake to remember your time at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts in the Museum Gift Shop.