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Explore Bolt's Antique Tool Museum
Chico, California, United States
Next time you’re enjoying a day out in Oroville, consider heading over to Bolt’s Antique Tools Museum on Broderick Street. The under-the-radar hidden gem celebrates the tools that built civilization.
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Bolt's Antique Tool Museum is recognized by the Smithsonian as the largest known documented collection of hand tools in the entire world.
1650 Broderick St
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
Closed
Friday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Inside this history-filled museum, you’re bound to find something awe-inspiring. There are tool displays with pieces thought to be the work of ancient Egyptians and the Roman Empire, possibly dating back to 400 BC. There’s tools depicting the creation of 51 different railroads in the United States, plus antique gas pumps, a captivating barbed wire collection, and tons more.
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The museum houses more than 13,000 tools that have been cataloged, referenced, and thoroughly researched.
1650 Broderick St
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
Closed
Friday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
The museum has eight different categories spanning its walls in all, featuring something to pique the interest of even the most common tool fan.
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The museum is the child of Carl "Bud" Bolt, who started his collection with just 6 tools in 1957.
1650 Broderick St
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
Closed
Friday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Bolt’s dream was to amass a collection that could be studied by tool enthusiasts, scholars and students alike. To that end, the museum offers group and classroom tours, an interactive student discovery program, and a lecture service that ranges from grade school to adulthood.
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Today, Bolt's Antique Tool Museum is owned and run by the City of Oroville
1650 Broderick St
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
Closed
Friday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
In Bolt’s words, tools are the most important industry in the world as we know it. He regards tools as an integral component of human history, rising time and time again to meet the needs of humanity in order to push technology—and society —further. With that in mind, Bolt set out to preserve tools of all ages as a living tribute to the role they have had in shaping the world we live in today—and succeeded.
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Swipe up and tap "More Details" to learn more about this one-of-a-kind museum!
1650 Broderick St
Oroville, CA
Monday:
Closed
Tuesday:
Closed
Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
Closed
Friday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
This California attraction is just a few hours north of the Bay Area, making it a perfect stop any Northern California road trip.