This highly educational and entertaining museum is one of the state's best. It tells the story of the region from a geographic and historical viewpoint, with a strong emphasis on agriculture and Yakama Native American heritage. Prize exhibits include a number of horse-drawn conveyances and some early motor vehicles, plus a full working mock-up of a Depression-era soda fountain.
The Children's Underground does a good job of incorporating Yakima's human and natural history into a number of hands-on exhibits. Adjacent to the museum is Franklin Park, a broad lawn planted with evergreens that features a playground, picnic tables and – an important feature in sun-baked Yakima – a swimming pool.
