2026-10-08 · 5 min read · Prescott
What Can You See at the Sharlot Hall Museum?
The short answer
If you're looking for an easy, rewarding outing in downtown Prescott, or a place to bring visitors who want to understand where they are, this one is worth the time. The Sharlot Hall Museum is a four-acre campus two blocks west of Courthouse Plaza with 11 exhibit buildings, plus a rose garden and an accredited arboretum. You'll see a log cabin thought to be Arizona's oldest surviving one, a Victorian home, a stagecoach and early cars, and changing exhibits. From October through April it's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM, and Sunday, noon to 4 PM.
Let's walk through what's there, what it costs, and how to plan a relaxed visit. The visiting details below, including hours, admission, and buildings, come from the museum's own website, read on October 3, 2026.
One heads-up before you go
The crown jewel of the campus, the 1864 Territorial Governor's Mansion, is closed for rehabilitation and is expected to reopen in early 2027. It still stands in the same spot where it was built, so you can see it from the grounds. If the mansion is the main reason for your trip, it may be worth planning a return visit once it reopens.
The buildings you can explore
Here's a quick guide to the historic buildings and exhibit halls, in the museum's own words as closely as we can keep them:
| Building | What you'll find |
|---|---|
| Governor's Mansion | The original territorial governor's home, built in 1864. Closed for rehabilitation until 2027. |
| Fort Misery | Thought to be the oldest surviving log cabin in Arizona, named for its first owner's less than stellar cooking. |
| Fremont House | Completed in 1875 from locally milled lumber, moved to the grounds and restored in 1971. |
| Bashford House | An early Prescott Victorian home, rescued from demolition and moved here in 1974. It holds the Museum Store. |
| Sharlot Hall Building | Built in 1936 as a Civil Works Administration project. It's the main exhibit hall, with "The Baskets Keep Talking," a history of the Yavapai people, and "Territorial Prescott." |
| Transportation Building | The "rolling stock": bicycles, surreys, a freight wagon, a stagecoach, a Ford Model T, and a 1927 Durant Star Touring Car that belonged to the museum's founder. |
| Ranch House | Built in 1936 to show what homes were like for early Arizona settlers. |
| Schoolhouse | A replica of Prescott's first schoolhouse, about education on the frontier. |
| Lawler Exhibit Center | The prehistory of Arizona's Central Highlands, an exhibit on the museum's founder, and two changing exhibit spaces. |
A nice detail: the Bashford House is Prescott's only Victorian house that is regularly open to the public, and you can browse the Museum Store without paying admission.
What's on display right now
When we checked the museum's exhibits page, these were listed as current:
- All Roads Lead to Prescott: Route 66 Through the Lens of Terrence Moore, the Center Gallery's America 250 exhibit.
- View of Montezuma Street, 1900, a 7 by 20 foot oil mural by Charles Kemp capturing a dramatic moment on Whiskey Row, in the Education Building.
- The Yavapai Magazine, on display in the Fred W. Veil Education Center.
- Portraits in Courage, a free, permanent exhibit in the Granite Creek Center: twelve portraits of combat veterans from World War II to modern conflicts, where you can hear each veteran's story on your smartphone.
Changing exhibits rotate, so check the exhibits page close to your visit. If Whiskey Row has caught your interest, here's our piece on what happened on Prescott's Whiskey Row.
The gardens are part of the visit
Don't rush past the grounds. The Territorial Women's Memorial Rose Garden has more than 400 rose bushes honoring women who helped settle Arizona, and more than 500 women have been honored there. In May 2026 the museum added a nearly seven-foot bronze statue of its founder in the rose garden.
The whole campus is also an accredited arboretum with 89 species of trees and woody plants, including the Yavpé Ethnobotany Garden, developed with the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe. Look for two apple trees and a London plane tree that may have been planted by Sharlot Hall herself.
Hours and admission
Here's what the museum's Hours and Admission page listed when we read it:
| Hours, October to April | |
|---|---|
| Tuesday to Saturday | 10 AM to 4 PM |
| Sunday | Noon to 4 PM |
| Monday | Closed |
From May through September, weekday hours run until 5 PM. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, and closes at 1 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
| Admission | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | $17 |
| Seniors, 65 and older | $15 |
| Military and first responders | $15 |
| College students with ID, and youth 10 to 17 | $9 |
| Children 9 and under | Free |
| Museum members | Free |
General admission is good for two consecutive days. You buy it at the door, and no reservation is needed. Prices and hours can change, so it helps to glance at the museum's site the week you go.
How to plan a relaxed visit
The museum says it can take several hours to enjoy the campus fully, so plan on a morning or afternoon rather than a quick stop. Because your ticket covers two days in a row, you can also split it into two shorter visits. A few practical notes from the museum:
- Parking: the museum's lot off Summit Street, street parking on Gurley and McCormick, or the City of Prescott garage on Granite Street. The museum asks visitors not to use the Park Plaza lot behind it.
- Food: you're welcome to bring a lunch to the picnic tables, just not into the exhibit buildings.
- Access: the whole campus is wheelchair-accessible. Bring your own mobility device, since the museum doesn't provide them.
- Pets: only registered service animals are allowed.
From Prescott Valley, it's an easy trip over to downtown Prescott, and it pairs well with lunch near the Plaza.
Good timing this fall and winter
If you like a little extra activity, time your visit around a program. The museum's Living History Adventure runs on the second Saturday of the month, April through November, and is included with admission. On Saturday, October 10, the theme is "Harvest Feast: Recipes of the West," from 10 AM to 3 PM, with the Ranch House as its setting. The season's last one is Saturday, November 14, from 10 AM to 3 PM, themed "Honoring Prescott's Heroes." Then on Saturday, December 5, Frontier Christmas brings luminarias and holiday crafts to the grounds, at $5 for adults and free for members and youth 17 and under.
Thinking about a move? Make a day of it
A lot of the people we meet first fell for the Prescott area on a day like this one: a walk through history, lunch downtown, a drive back through Prescott Valley. If you're visiting while you think about a move, we're glad to help you build a timeline for your trips so you can see the area in more than one season, without feeling rushed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to visit the Sharlot Hall Museum?
Adult admission was $17 and seniors 65 and older paid $15 when we checked the museum's site, with children 9 and under free. General admission covers two consecutive days and is bought at the door in Prescott.
Is the Governor's Mansion open at the Sharlot Hall Museum?
Not right now. The museum says the 1864 Governor's Mansion is closed for rehabilitation and is expected to reopen in early 2027.
How long should I plan for the Sharlot Hall Museum?
Plan several hours. The museum says it can take that long to enjoy the four-acre campus fully, and your ticket is good for two days in a row if you'd like to split it up.
Is the Sharlot Hall Museum open on Mondays?
No. The museum in Prescott is closed Mondays. From October through April it's open Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday noon to 4 PM.
Your next step
Want to hear about outings like this as they come up? Our weekly local events email is a simple roundup of what's happening around Prescott Valley and the Quad Cities. Send us a note through our contact page and we'll add you to the list.