(760) 630-0444

MUSEUM HOURS

Wed-Thu-Fri 10am-2:30pm
By appointment only

MUSEUM LOCATION

2317 Old Foothill Dr.
Vista, CA 92084

MAILING ADDRESS

P.O.Box 1032
Vista, CA 92085

FAX
(760) 295-9993

The Vista Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (IRS number 95-3752966).

A vital part of Vista’s heritage is the Vista Historical Society’s Museum at Rancho Minerva, where staff and docents preserve and honor the past while serving the present.

 

Celebrate with us at our Annual Meeting and Hall of Fame Induction at Shadowridge Country Club, 1980 Gateway Drive, Vista, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Cost is $50 per individual. Menu is below.

Please purchase your tickets no later than April 28, 2023. Tickets may be purchased conveniently online by clicking the big blue button, or if you prefer to mail your check, click the big orange button to download and print the mail-in registration form..

TICKETS

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM

ANNUAL MEETING MENU

 

Nominations are now open for 2023 selections for the Vista Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by the Vista Historical Society.

The Hall of Fame celebrates Vista’s history by highlighting individual accomplishments in support of Vista. A minimum of two members will be elected to the hall of fame each year. One of these members will be from the regular division and one from the early residents division.

The regular division nominee can be living or dead and must meet the first three criteria listed below. The early resident’s division nominee must also meet the first three criteria and must also meet the fourth criteria that he or she must have been dead for 20 years or more. The reason for the difference in the divisions is to ensure that early residents who made significant contributions to Vista are remembered.

The criteria for election to the hall of fame are as follows:

  1. Each nominee must have lived in Vista at least 20 years.
  2. Each nominee must have made significant contributions to the betterment of the community. The accomplishments must be verified to the society’s satisfaction.
  3. Married couples who both meet the criteria may be nominated together as one nominee.
  4. The early resident nominee must have died in 2003 or prior to that year.

The deadline for nominations is February 22, 2023.

Those who are selected will be honored during a ceremony to be held at the Vista Historical Society annual meeting. The annual meeting will be held on a date to be determined.

The Vista Historical Society board of directors will appoint a committee of former Hall of Fame inductees and community representatives to review nominations received from the public.

Existing Hall of Fame members and their biographies can be found on the Vista Historical Society web site and Facebook page.

Nominations can be made by calling the museum telephone number, (760) 630-0444, by mail at P.O. Box 1032, Vista, CA 92085-1032 or by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Details of the nominee’s service a photo, and other supportive information must be included for consideration.

 

The Vista Historical Society is starting a new fundraiser. For $150, you can have three lines inscribed on a brick that will be placed on the Museum grounds, beginning with areas along the walkways. This is a chance to create a lasting memorial to a loved one or cherished pet, along with a donation to the Museum, for a relatively small cost. Please consider making this donation part of your giving plans. Click here to open and complete an interactive form. Once you have completed and saved the form, please submit it by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you prefer, you can also print the form and submit it by U.S. Mail to Vista Historical Society and Museum, P.O. Box 1032, Vista, CA 92085-1032.

Thank you!

 

The Vista Historical Museum is now open for scheduled tours only. We will be open for tours most Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 am to 2 pm.

Tours of up to two hours for up to six people can be booked by calling 760.630.0444 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. a minimum 24 hours in advance.

Only one tour group is allowed in the museum at a time. All tours will include temperature check and social distancing. Masks are required at all times.

For more information call 760.630.0444.

 

Click here to visit our growing catalog of videos about Vista.

VIDEO HISTORY OF VISTA