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Photo: Qfl247 (talk) (Transferred by Citypeek/Original uploaded by Qfl247), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This museum brings the natural history, culture, geology and archaeology of the region under one roof. It is a busy visitor's center for travelers headed to Death Valley and other Mojave Desert points of interest. Also available are a wide collection of gifts and memorabilia from the Upper Mojave Desert. The museum has great displays of local flora and fauna, work of local artists, and regular special programs. (See Do below for information about tours of the petroglyphs - the greatest collection of Native American rock art in North America.)
Maturango Museum is located in Ridgecrest, California. The museum is best known for the guided tours of the Coso Rock Art District located on China Lake Naval Weapons Station, although due to restrictions from the base command, the petroglyphs are currently not available for public tours at this time. The museum offers exhibits and displays featuring both the natural and the cultural history and diversity of the Northern Mojave Desert with exhibits of animals, plants, rocks and minerals, Native American artifacts, and contemporary arts and crafts.
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formerly U.S. Naval Museum of Armament and Technology
China Lake has been involved in development and testing of some of the most famous air weapons and related systems of the 20th and 21st centuries. Legendary air weapons like the Sidewinder air-to-air missile and Shrike anti-radiation missile are displayed alongside some of the most modern air weapons - JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) and JSOW (Joint Stand-off Weapon) - that became household names during the early months of the U.S.'s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also featured is the unique history of China Lake, known for a generation as "The Secret City" where scientists and engineers broke new ground far from the prying eyes of enemy spies.