Museums

The East Ely Depot, built in 1905, stands sentinel over the vast railroad yards that moved people, goods and most especially the copper ores that electrified America during the Great American Century. The Depot, housed on the grounds of the Nevada Northern Railway National Historic Landmark, is operated by the Division of Museums and History. Visitors experience what is was like, how it all worked, and what it took to keep a railroad operating day and night, 365 days a year in a hostile environment. Stepping into the Depot museum, visitors travel back in time, walking through the general offices of the railroad, including train dispatchers, crew chiefs, finance, medical, management and the company president.

Adjacent to the Depot, the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation provides guided tours of the rail yards, shops and facilities of the railroad. Seasonally, the Foundation operates various excursion trains to complete the visitor experience.

Visit their website for more information.

The White Pine Public Museum opened Aug. 1, 1959, with the help and donations of many citizens in White Pine County. 

Exhibits include: A jail cell from the old Ely City Jail; the original one-room school house from Baker, Nevada; historic doll collection; bones of two giant short-faced bears (Arctodus simus);  historic bell from Hamiliton, Nevada (now a ghost town); early record books of White Pine County and businesses; mineral collection, which contains a wide variety of copper ore samples, petrified woods, fossils of ancient marine life and a collection of polished rocks; a well-drilling rig; the historic “Fourth of July” mural on the side of the museum; and much more!

Visit their website for more information.

The Ely Renaissance Society was founded in 1999 by a group of individuals with the vision of an attractive downtown area that would be representative of the art and culture belonging to the diverse group of people who had built and strengthened the small community through the years.

Volunteers to the Ely Renaissance Society began by commissioning murals to show the lifestyle of this Nevada community from historical perspectives, such as the Pony Express, as well as modern times and the “age of communication.” Sculptures made from mining machinery and parks with labyrinths began to spring up one by one.

The next venture of the group was to purchase a piece of property made up of 12 shotgun houses and a barn. These small houses have been made into unique museums depicting the turn-of-the-century population of Ely. Re-enactments and living history presentations are held at the “Ely Renaissance Village” as well as many other yearly activities from Farmers Market to the Art/Wine Walk, which celebrates local Nevada artists and their work.

Click Here to visit their website.

The McGill Drugstore is essentially a large time capsule with products still on the shelves that date back to the 1950s. The terra-cotta tile soda fountain bar was built in 1930. It will seat you right up to one of the only three working soda fountains in White Pine County.

The White Pine Public Museum intends to operate the drugstore as a free, public museum dedicated to preserving the small town drugstore/ pharmacy/soda fountain era.

The McGill Drugstore stands on the east side of U.S.93 in downtown McGill, 12 miles north of Ely.

The store is open by appointment only and private tours are gladly given. Please call ahead!

775-235-7082

Visit the website for more historical facts and information.

Museum in Great Basin National Park Visitors Center displaying natural history and wildlife in the park.

Educational material on caves, Bristlecone Pines, Wheeler Peak, Glaciers and night skies.

Click here to find out more