PASO ROBLES — After a year of being closed, the Paso Robles Pioneer Museum is reopening its doors on Thursday, Mar. 18.

Located on Riverside Ave. next to the Mid-State Fairgrounds, the Pioneer Museum was created in 1971.

The Pioneer Museum closed its doors in early 2020 due to COVID lockdowns. In late October of last year, the museum opened only to be shut down again less than a month later when San Luis Obispo County was moved back into the Purple Tier and then locked-down once again along with Los Angeles County.

Docents of the museum will be touring the exhibits for a grand reopening on Wednesday, Mar. 17. The museum will be open to the public on Thursday, Mar. 18.

According to Paulette Pahler, despite having to be closed for so long, it gave them time to put together some new exhibits.

One of the newest displays shows the history of Paso Robles schools, dating all the way back to 1877.

The new branding iron display, which showcases a short history of branding irons with irons from families across SLO County, will be ready in time for opening.

An exhibit with newly donated photos and items from the Orcutt family will be on display. Long-time Paso Robles residents will remember the Orcutt Market, formerly located on 12th Street.

Coming soon will be the largest fence building tool collection in the world. The collection comes to the museum from Arizona and previously New Mexico.

Other displays in the museum include artifacts from early Indian settlements, items from early homes and businesses, a collection of Paderewski memorabilia, print shop equipment, carriages, wagons, western tack, blacksmith shop, and so much more.

The museum is also home to the Geneseo one-room schoolhouse built in 1886, a replica of the original Paso Robles jail, and a display of antique tractors and harvesters.

There is no admission fee for the museum. Instead, everything is donation and volunteer-based.

Visit pasoroblespioneermuseum.org/index.htm or call (805)239-4556 for more information on the Pioneer Museum.

The Pioneer Museum is located at 2010 Riverside Ave. in Paso Robles. Now open Thursday through Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.