Museums · Palm Springs · United States
4 best museums in Palm Springs
The collections worth your time, how long each takes and how to fit them together.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs · Photo: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, Palm Springs Art Museum and Palm Springs Air Museum. Together the 4 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 3 areas; all charge for entry.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 4
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Downtown Palm Springs, Palm Springs Airport and Desert Hot Springs
Plan a trip to Palm Springs
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Museums in Palm Springs
Museum · Downtown Palm Springs
1.Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
Part of the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza on Tahquitz Canyon Way, this museum tells the story of the Cahuilla people of the Coachella Valley through baskets, oral history and immersive galleries.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Downtown Palm Springs
2.Palm Springs Art Museum
At the foot of the mountain on Museum Drive, the museum covers modern and contemporary art, Western American and Native American art, studio glass and an outdoor sculpture garden.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Palm Springs Airport
3.Palm Springs Air Museum
Beside the airport, three hangars hold flyable and static aircraft from the Second World War, Korea and Vietnam, including fighters, bombers and trainers, with veteran volunteers on hand to explain them.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Desert Hot Springs
4.Cabot's Pueblo Museum
Homesteader Cabot Yerxa spent years building this rambling four-storey, Hopi-inspired pueblo from salvaged wood, telephone poles and found objects, with dozens of rooms and tiny windows framing the valley.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Palm Springs | Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and Palm Springs Art Museum | 1.5–2 hours + 1.5–2 hours |
| Palm Springs Airport | Palm Springs Air Museum | 2 hours |
| Desert Hot Springs | Cabot's Pueblo Museum | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 4, 3 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Agua Caliente Cultural Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown Palm Springs): Agua Caliente Cultural Museum → Palm Springs Art Museum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Palm Springs Airport and Desert Hot Springs): Palm Springs Air Museum → Cabot's Pueblo Museum, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- July: highs of 42°C (108°F), about 1 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The hottest month, with nights that barely cool; some restaurants and attractions reduce hours or close.
- August: highs of 42°C (108°F), about 1 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Extreme heat with a chance of monsoon thunderstorms and dust storms; the lowest prices of the year for those who just want a pool.
- September: highs of 39°C (102°F), about 1 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still very hot, especially early in the month; evenings become pleasant by late September.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown Palm Springs — Palm Canyon Drive shops, museums and restaurants within walking distance of most hotels
More of Palm Springs
All things to do in Palm Springs · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Palm Springs?
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. Part of the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza on Tahquitz Canyon Way, this museum tells the story of the Cahuilla people of the Coachella Valley through baskets, oral history and immersive galleries.