THE SPARKS HERITAGE MUSEUM HAS REOPENED, EFFECTIVE JUNE 16th.
Please observe all current State mandates regarding use of masks and social distancing recommendations when visiting the Museum. We thank you kindly for your compliance, and for being a conscientious community partner with us!
Welcome to the Sparks Heritage Museum, located in the heart of historic downtown Sparks, Nevada! The museum boasts 4000 square feet of indoor exhibit space featuring a permanent gallery highlighting the history and heritage of the city of Sparks, and changing galleries that feature a wide variety of historic, artistic, and cultural themes.
Across the street, and an outdoor train exhibit consisting of a steam locomotive, a caboose and a pullman business car stands next to the historic Glendale Schoolhouse, and both are available for tours by Museum representatives. Using artifacts to tell the story, the exhibits give a sense of the rapid changes northern Nevada has undergone, from ranching and mining to the introduction of the railroad and into modern times.
TOURS ARE PRESENTLY SUSPENDED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS AND CDC RECOMMENDATIONS
Sparks Museum Events Last Chance Joe
CELEBRATE ARTOWN WITH US!
Sparks Heritage Museum currently has on display in the upper gallery an exhibit by Artemisia Studios. This year’s theme, “Nevada: Faces and Places” features a variety of subjects focused on our beautiful State and its resilient people. All art is for sale, and a portion of the proceeds benefits the Sparks Heritage Museum. Visit the calendar page for more information on this exhibit.
American Reflections, by Christopher Newhard.
Visit the lower changing gallery which features Paddles and Palettes, an exhibit featuring upcycled and repurposed dragon boat paddles transformed into works of art by local artists! All of these amazing pieces are up for auction. See the calendar page for more information on the auction and exhibit.
Dragon Boat Paddles Exhibit
When visiting the museum, your smartphone is your guide. Download the Sparks Historic Tours downloadable app to your device for a self guided tour of the museum, followed by a walking tour of historic downtown Sparks. Experience the past with historic photos, facts, and stories. Get the app in the App Store, Google Play, or scan the QR code to the right.
View our free Artown virtual event!
On Saturday, July 11th, the Sparks Heritage Museum and Reno Artown welcomed Robin Holabird, renowned author, film historian, and former Nevada Film Commissioner. At the talk, she reads from her book “Around the World in 80 Movies,” featuring discussions about films inspired by or set during Burning Man, as well as her travels exploring the cinematic influence of the artist Caravaggio.
For more information about Robin Holabird and to purchase her books, please visit robinholabird.com.
The Sparks Museum is operated by volunteers and relies on memberships and donations to operate.
These programs have been funded, in part, by a grant from the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, Nevada Humanities, Union Pacific Railroad and the City of Sparks. A special Thank You for the support.
Sparks Museum will close due to severe weather and Holidays. Event calendar has complete list of activities.