Giant Forest Museum

This is a little bitty free museum near the paved trails to the big trees. Worth stopping by for a little education, but this will not take you much time to visit.

I really enjoyed this somewhat small museum in Tulare called the Giant Forest Museum.
As the name implies, it provides you with a historical & ecological glimpse of Giant Sequoias.
There are several unique displays: a large wheel that you can spin too see if your «tree seed» survives. We were 0 – 7. What does that tell you about the lives of seeds? Also, I liked seeing the height of these magnificent Giant Sequoias compared to the likes of the Statue of Liberty, the Titanic, & other trees including Coast Redwoods & Sugar Pines, etc.
If you read quickly as my husband & I do (not to mention with two squirmy toddlers), then you will greatly appreciate your visit here.
Parking is free. Entry is free (aside from the $ 20 fee per vehicle for 7 days into the Park). The staff members are extremely nice & knowledgeable.
A small gift shop is inside.
Relatively easy walking trails are nearby. Bring water especially if it’s like it was today… Mid 90s on September 21, 2015.
Review #399
Unilocal challenge ⁸⁰⁄₁₀₀

For a small museum we learned a lot about these giant trees in the 20 minutes we spent in this place. There are really some fascinating facts you can learn to supplement just staring up at these wonders of nature. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Worth a stop.

Easy hikes, incredible views, so much wildlife, and some ridiculously huge trees. The little museum is fun and has some awesome displays and photos. Get there early in the day or parking is gone in an instant.

Take the Sequoia Shuttle* (
or dial 559−565−3639; 559−565−3341) to Giant Forest Museum (1), or Lodgepole Visitor Center, Market, & Campground (2). Take the tram @ no charge to see other parts of the park from (1) or (2). Bring a refillable water bottle, and any light snacks. (2) has restrooms & public showers, and it’s the only place to buy foods and beverages, or camp supplies. Few restrooms through out the park, make sure you use the restroom when you see one! Highly recommend the Sequoia Shuttle, as parking gets full, and road can be difficult to navigate (narrow, steep, and winding). Of course, shuttle have multiple pick up locations to and from the park — have patience — plan for at least half a day for this trip. Lastly, NO cell reception at all! Which means, NO ig/fb/tumbler/twitter/g+/flicker. Well, you get the idea… enjoy the park and respect the posted signs and rules. *call 877-​BUS-​HIKE for reservation and pricing.

I expected the museum to be of somewhat average size, maybe take 20 – 30 minutes to peruse through, but it only took me about 5 – 10 minutes to read everything in its entirety. It is basically one large-​ish room with a few, but interesting, exhibits. It is nice, roomy, and clean. There is a small gift shop, which mostly has books about the Giant Forest (they don’t sell any food). There are bathrooms outside right next to the museum. It’s nice to give you a perspective of how large the General Sherman really is, and this museum is on the way to General Sherman so it should be a quick stop on your way there. The two people working there were also very helpful and friendly, so if you need any questions answered this would be a great place to stop.

This is a wonderful stop in the heart of the National Park. The employees are informative and interactive. I would say that the inside looks dated but it’s a cabin in the middle of a park for heavens sake — so that’s what its supposed to look like! Make sure to get a magnet with General Sherman on it :)

The Giant Forest Museum is an outdoor museum with various trails. It covers about 3 square miles of giant Sequoia trees. This is probably one of the largest groves of Sequoias in the country, if not in the world. It is an excellent destination for nature-​lovers. There is a Visitor Center in the midst of this gigantic forest museum where you can get information about the Sequoia trees and buy souvenirs. It will probably take you 2 – 3 hours to explore the various trails. We encountered a juvenile bear while walking through one of the trails. Be acquainted on what to do when you encounter a bear. Don’t run or they may run after you.
There’s lots of parking. Be sure to bring an extra battery for your camera. There are lots of scenic spots.

Small-​ish, not a lot to see here, but the staff is amazingly nice and funny. Worth a quick stop. Don’t forget to take a picture in front of the Sentinel tree!

This is a small semi — interactive museums that teaches people about the Sequoia trees and why they are so unique.
It was really empty when I went and everything seemed a little out dated. Granted, they are a start park and funds aren’t exactly flowing at the moment, but some of the items need to be upgraded (example: the video that is played… late 1980s?).
If it is your first time to the park, I recommend this museum. You’ll get some knowledge and then you’ll appreciate the trees and the park a whole lot more.
Also there are trails right by the museum. so why not go?

I loved walking around the groves of Sequoia trees in Kings Canyon and reading all of the history and information that I read in the Giant Forest Museum made me appreciate them even more. Interpretive centers sometimes cater a lot of their space to kiddies’ education but this one is more balanced and have something for everyone to enjoy. Some of my favorite display are the recreated, fire-​scarred tree trunk area
that expounds the benefits of succession forests, the height and volume comparison of sequoias to some major U.S. landmarks
and a cross section of Central Sierra Nevada stands of trees
.