What are the opening hours?

Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

Imperial Valley Desert Museum

Name: Imperial Valley Desert Museum
Address: 11 Frontage Road, Ocotillo, CA, 92259, US
Telephone: (760) 358-7016
Price range: $

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Imperial Valley Desert Museum

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IVDM houses Indigenous and historic artifacts found within the IV and surrounding regions.

The Imperial Valley Desert Museum is a new facility in the heart of the Yuha Desert housing Native American and historic artifacts collected from within the Imperial Valley. Opening a new museum in the twenty-first century, we do not want to be seen as an exhibit within four walls, but we want to engage and interact outside of the limitations of the “box,” our new building, both metaphorically and physically. We are currently developing world-class, interactive exhibits to engage visitors with the Imperial Valley’s rich desert history. The mission of the Imperial Valley Desert Museum is to preserve, interpret and celebrate the deserts of Southern California through outstanding collections, research, and educational programs. Our goal is to be the foremost research and educational institution devoted to the preservation, interpretation, and celebration of the Imperial Valley desert. In the Press

Museum Opening
Museum Waits to Finally Open: New museum evolves with the changing desert, Imperial Valley Press, April 7, 2011
http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-news-after-years-of-delay-desert-museum-might-open-in-next-six-months-but-it-needs-money-to-do-so-20110407,0,4115667.story

Opinion: Pilot Program Gives History New Life, Imperial Valley Desert Museum, October 14, 2011
http://www.ivpressonline.com/opinion/ivp-our-view-pilot-program-gives-history-new-life-20111014,0,732183.story

Coil Clay Art Program
Children Wind Clay into Pots for Cultural Learning, Imperial Valley Press, July 28 2011
http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-news-children-wind-clay-into-pots-for-cultural-learning-20110728,0,5137782.story

Students Learn Kumeyaay Way, Imperial Valley Press, October 12, 2011
http://www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-students-learn-kumeyaay-way-20111012,0,3713822.story

10/04/2026

The Lowlanders Fall 2026 Hiking schedule is here.

This season, join us for hikes that explore the history, geology of our desert region. From historic mines and scenic overlooks to unusual geological formations, there's plenty to discover together.

Whether you're looking to build confidence on the trail or meet new fellow explorers, we look forward to seeing you out there!

All hikes depart from the IVDM parking lot at 8:00 AM. See the flyer for dates, destinations, and vehicle requirements. Carpooling is highly encouraged.

For more information, call (760) 358-7016 or email [email protected].

Please note: Hikes may by changed, postponed, or canceled due to weather, road conditions, or other circumstances. Check our social media for updates before each outing.

09/16/2026

Our monthly Volunteer Day is coming up this Sunday, September 20th, 2026 from 11:00AM-3:00PM. Join us in supporting our Curation Department!
For more information and to sign up, email us at: [email protected]

09/12/2026

The curation staff of the Imperial Valley Desert Museum (IVDM) is looking to create archival grade, custom sized boxes for each of its ceramic ollas to better protect & preserve them.
We’re looking to raise $3,150 to purchase enough materials (this covers the cost of tax+shipping) to create a box for all of the ollas located in our collection storage area. That’s 126 ollas!
The fundraising deadline is Saturday, October 31st 2026. For information and a copy of the Campaign form, you can find it on our website at https://www.ivdesertmuseum.org/curation/sponsor-an-olla-preservation-campaign

09/11/2026

Artists of the Valley- REVISED OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS OF THE BORDERLAND REGIONS
Deadline Friday, November 20th 2026.
We are seeking 1 artist from Imperial County, San Diego County, or Northern Baja California who would like to showcase a small but cohesive body of artworks or products that celebrate the evolving traditions of people in the Southern California & Northern Baja area, with a focus on those living in the "borderland" regions of the US/Mexican border.
For more information and the application form, you can scan the QR code here or find it on our website at: https://www.ivdesertmuseum.org/curation/open-call-for-artists-evolving-traditions-of-the-borderlands-display-series-winter-spring-of-2027
You can also email the museum's Director of Curatorial Affairs and Collections at [email protected] for more information.

09/10/2026

Our monthly Volunteer Day is coming up next Sunday, September 20th, 2026 from 11:00AM-3:00PM. Join us in supporting our Curation Department!
For more information and to sign up, email us at: [email protected]

08/31/2026

This month's we're taking a deep dive into the lantern slide collection's of Richard Pata. This collection is a wealth of imagery! We have several hundred lantern slide photographs of desert landscapes, iconic places of the south west, petroglyphs, and more! We're excited to share a few of the neater images we found while digging through these photos.
In 1969, Imperial Valley College established its Archeology Department, making IVC one of the few junior colleges in the country to offer field archeology classes where students could go out in the field. As part of their class, students were asked to keep journals as they did studies in the field. This is but one of several journals the museum now holds in its collections. The notes & drawings for this notebook were written by Ray Wilcox from May of 1980 to November of 1981.

08/24/2026

This month's we're taking a deep dive into the lantern slide collection's of Richard Pata. This collection is a wealth of imagery! We have several hundred lantern slide photographs of desert landscapes, iconic places of the south west, petroglyphs, and more! We're excited to share a few of the neater images we found while digging through these photos.
These 2 lantern slide photos, taken in August of 1956, feature fish fossils that were found in the Red Desert near Kremmer, Wyoming. The Red Desert is situated within the Green River Formation, a famous 50-million-year-old Eocene geologic deposit known for three ancient lakes, exceptionally preserved fossils, and massive oil shale resources.
In the Eocene Epoch, the land was covered with a system of large lakes that stretched hundreds of square miles across the modern-day intersection of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. It was home to was home to alligators, bats, turtles, and all manner of flora. It was also home to an incredible variety of fish, including Wyoming’s state fossil: "Knightia eocaena."

08/18/2026

Update!!! The Imperial Valley Desert Museum will remain closed until Thursday August 27, 2026 for continued maintenance and preparations for our field trip season. Normal operations will resume on Friday 28, 2026. We appreciate your patience at this time and apologize for an inconveniences.

08/17/2026

This month's we're taking a deep dive into the lantern slide collection's of Richard Pata. This collection is a wealth of imagery! We have several hundred lantern slide photographs of desert landscapes, iconic places of the south west, petroglyphs, and more! We're excited to share a few of the neater images we found while digging through these photos.
It’s always fun when we find photos with captions, as it can give can us clues as where photos might have been taken.
Using the petroglyph photo as reference, we did some searching on Google Maps. It was there we discovered Black Canyon located just 8 miles away from Opal Mountian. Opal Mountian is a remote peak and historical mining area located in San Bernardino County, California, north of Barstow. It’s there we believe these photos were taken.

08/12/2026

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS! Deadline is THIS Friday August 14th, 2026 at 11:59PM Pacific Standard Time (PST).
The Imperial Valley Desert Museum (IVDM) is seeking 1 indigenous artist in Imperial County, San Diego County, or Northern Baja who would like to showcase a small but cohesive body of artworks or products that celebrate evolving traditions of Native peoples in the Southern California & Northern Baja area, with a focus on those living in the "borderland" regions of the U.S. - Mexican border.
The awarded applicant will be given the opportunity to showcase their in work our Evolving Traditions display case in the museum's Main Gallery throughout the Fall of 2026 (September - December 2026). Similar works of art and/or products may also be offered for sale in the IVDM Gift Shop.
More information & form applications can be found on the museum’s website under the "Curation & Exhibits" tab.

Address

11 Frontage Road
Ocotillo, CA
92259

Opening Hours

Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

(760) 358-7016

Website

http://www.ivdesertmuseum.org/

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