Underground Tours
Sacramento History Museum Underground Tours
Sacramento History Museum Underground Tours
Unearth Sacramento's past! Explore the hidden underground spaces and discover the city's remarkable rise from the floodwaters of the 19th century.
Explore Sacramento's hidden history beneath the streets of Old Sacramento with the Underground Tours. Discover the remarkable engineering feat that lifted the city to escape devastating floods in the 1860s and 1870s. Knowledgeable guides lead you through hollow sidewalks and sloped alleyways, revealing the spaces created during the raising process.
Plan your visit
A brief summary to Underground Tours
Opening times, essentials, and a few local tips gathered into one calmer, easier-to-scan planning section.
Plan your visit
Tuesday
10 am-5 pm
Wednesday
10 am-5 pm
Thursday
10 am-5 pm
Friday
10 am-5 pm
Saturday
10 am-5 pm
Sunday
10 am-5 pm
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Getting There
Walking
From the Old Sacramento Waterfront, walk east towards I Street. The Sacramento History Museum is located at 101 I Street in Old Sacramento. It's near the Sacramento River and a couple of buildings from the California State Railroad Museum. Look for the building modeled after the 1854 City Hall and Waterworks.
Public Transport
Sacramento's Amtrak station is located near Old Sacramento. From the station, walk towards the large, green Interstate Highway bridge. Follow the striped walkway leading west under the bridge, through the parking lot, to Old Sacramento. The Sacramento History Museum is located at 101 I Street. Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) also provides bus and light rail service to Old Sacramento. Check SacRT's website for schedules and fares.
Parking
If driving, parking is available in the Old Sacramento Parking Garage on 2nd and I Streets. Metered street parking is also available throughout Old Sacramento. Two-hour metered parking is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Parking rates vary. Check SacPark.org for more public parking information. Some businesses may validate parking. Other parking garages are located within walking distance.
Local tips
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Arrive 10-15 minutes early to check in at the front desk of the Sacramento History Museum, where the tour begins.
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Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes as the underground terrain is uneven.
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Purchase tickets in advance, as the tours are popular and group sizes are limited.
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The tour runs rain or shine, so dress accordingly.
Discover more about Underground Tours
The Sacramento History Museum's Underground Tours offer a fascinating glimpse into the city's past, revealing how Sacramento ingeniously lifted itself out of frequent floodwaters during the 19th century. In the mid-1800s, Sacramento faced constant flooding from the Sacramento and American Rivers. To combat this, the city embarked on an ambitious project to raise the streets and buildings.
These guided walking tours, lasting approximately one hour, take you beneath the surface of Old Sacramento, exploring the hidden spaces and hollow sidewalks that remain from this incredible engineering accomplishment. Knowledgeable guides share stories of the city's early history and the challenges its citizens faced. You'll discover how the streets and buildings were 'jacked up' to avoid further flooding, forever changing the city's landscape.
The tours begin at the Sacramento History Museum, a replica of the 1854 City Hall and Waterworks building. Comfortable, closed-toe shoes are recommended due to the uneven terrain. Photography and recording are not allowed in the underground spaces.
A brief summary to Underground Tours
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