The Capitola Historical Museum
The Capitola Historical Museum acknowledges that it stands upon the ancestral homeland of the Aptos, Cajastaca (Kai-ya-stah-ka) and Uypi peoples
Location & Hours
The admission free Capitola Historical Museum, located at 410 Capitola Avenue (next to Capitola City Hall) is open every Friday through Sunday from noon until 4:00 p.m.
Our Mission
The Capitola Historical Museum, operated by the City of Capitola, preserves and promotes the history of Capitola through creating exhibitions, maintaining a collection of historic photographs and artifacts, conducting oral histories, and participating in special events. The museum's goal is to promote, through the establishment and maintenance of a museum and allied projects, a program that will bring a better understanding and appreciation by the Capitola community of its history, architecture, culture, technology, and its creative and natural environments.
The Capitola Historical Museum offers a new, major annual exhibition on the history and art of the area. The museum grounds include a furnished 1907 Beach Cottage and an early 20th century Bath House. The museum also provides rotating exhibitions at the Capitola Library and maintains an extensive storage collection of Capitola related photographs and artifacts.
Potential Artifact Donation
If you have any questions about Capitola History, have photographs or artifacts that you would like to share with the museum or are interested in becoming a museum volunteer, please contact the Curator at 831-464-0322 or at capitolamuseum@gmail.com
Additional ways to learn about Capitola History ...
Exhibitions
The admission free Capitola Historical Museum presents a new exhibition each year. The 2024 annual exhibition is entitled, "Little City Under Canvas" - The 150th Anniversary of Camp Capitola which will run through December, 2024.
You may also enjoy our rotating exhibits at the new Capitola Library located at 2005 Wharf Road. The museum's exhibit case is located to the left as you enter the building. The theme of our regular rotating exhibits is "My Neighborhood..." but throughout 2024 there will be special exhibits on the 100th Anniversary of the Venetian Court.
Historic Structures
The Capitola Historical Museum's main museum building, originally a Live Oak farmhouse, was relocated to this site, styled as a schoolhouse, and officially opened on March 24, 1968.
View our historically furnished 1907 Beach Cottage located in front of the main museum building at 410 Capitola Avenue.
View our historic Bathhouse located next to the main museum building at 410 Capitola Avenue.
Online Resources for Capitola History
Capitola Historical Museum Facebook Page
Visit the Capitola Historical Museum Facebook page for featured historic images and information and photographs of the latest museum activities and events. Link to the Facebook page is available below.
Rispin Mansion Centennial Website
Capitola's historic Rispin Mansion was built between 1919 and 1921, To learn more about the Rispin family and Capitola in the 1920s. The link to the Rispin Mansion Centennial website is available below.
Capitola Historical Museum YouTube Channel
The Capitola Historical Museum YouTube Channel contains dozens of oral histories and local history videos. The link to the museum's YouTube Channel is available below.
Capitola Begonia Festival
Photographs of the Capitola Begonia Festival from the 2000s on Flickr
Online Historical Documents
A Companion To Capitola
This book is designed to answer many commonly asked questions about Capitola history in the form of a quick reference guide. It includes people, events, places, natural features, public art, and other topics arranged alphabetically. The revised 2020 edition is available below as a pdf under "Supporting Documents."
Digging into Capitola History
This brochure was designed to aid people wishing to do research on Capitola history. It lists some of the basic resources useful for finding out about people, property, and events. This was designed as a tri-fold brochure. Scroll down for the pdf copy under "Supporting Documents."
