Considered one of the top pioneer villages in the country, the Chelan County Historical Museum (600 Cottage Ave., 509/782-3230, Tues.–Sun. 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Nov.–March, $4 adults, $3 seniors and students, $2 ages 5–12, families for $8) has restored and furnished 20 of the oldest buildings in Chelan County to create an authentic Old West atmosphere.
A blacksmith shop, railroad caboose, school, gold mine, mission building, hotel, and assay office are part of the Pioneer Village; there’s also a large waterwheel that lifted water out of the Wenatchee River to irrigate the orchards.
The main museum building houses an extraordinary collection of Native American artifacts—baskets, prehistoric antler carvings, beaded clothing, medicines, pipes, and more—along with natural history and pioneer exhibits.