This highly educational and entertaining museum is one of the state's best. It tells the story of the region from a geographic and historical viewpoint, with a strong emphasis on agriculture and the Yakama Native American heritage. Prize exhibits include a number of horse-drawn conveyances and some early motor vehicles, plus a full working mockup of a Depression-era soda fountain. The Children's Underground does a good job of incorporating Yakima's human and natural history into a number of hands-on exhibits.
Adjacent to the museum is Franklin Park , a broad lawn planted with evergreens that features a playground, picnic tables, and – an important feature in sun-baked Yakima – a swimming pool.
