Maturango Museum is located in Ridgecrest, California. The museum is best known for the guided tours of the Coso Rock Art District located on China Lake Naval Weapons Station. The museum offers exhibits and displays featuring both the natural and the cultural history and diversity of the Northern Mojave Desert with exhibits of animals, plants, rocks and minerals, Native American artifacts, and contemporary arts and crafts. About This small museum was founded in 1962 and originally designed to highlight the history of Ridgecrest and nearby China Lake. The museum was named after the highest peak in the close by Argus Range. The town of Ridgecrest, where the museum is located, is surrounded by four mountain ranges: the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains on the south. It is approximately 80 miles from the Lancaster/Palmdale area and approximately from both Bakersfield and San Bernardino, the three nearest major urban centers. Since 2014, Debbie Benson has served as director of the museum. See also List of museums in California Historic landmarks in California List of nature centers in California National Register of Historic Places listings in Kern County, California Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival References External links Maturango Museum Home Page Maturango Museum (DesertUSA) Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert Ridgecrest Desert Wildflower Festival Museums in Kern County, California History museums in California Natural history museums in California Native American museums in California Mojave Desert Ridgecrest, California Paleontology in California History of Kern County, California Natural history of the Mojave Desert Museums established in 1962 1962 establishments in California