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Stagecoach Inn Museum: Old-Fashioned Summertime Family Fun!

Old-Time Fun Things to do with your Kids: Saturdays, Wednesdays plus Special Events and Activities

By Macaroni KID Conejo Valley - Malibu - Calabasas July 22, 2023

Summer-time is fun-time at the Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newbury Park, CA. From celebrating Summer at the INN to Movies Under the Stars and more you will have a Family fun time in the Conejo Valley. Enjoy ongoing activities like seasonal scavenger hunts, changing every few months with new hand-crafted metal art, enjoy the beauty of the heritage vintage rose garden, take a hike and explore the museum complex. Enjoy boutique exibits and activities at the INN through August:  Lingerie Dress Display, 1900 - 1920's. La Fiesta del Triunfo is back after a four year hiatus, a very special event where the Conejo Valley Historical Society recognizes a Don and Doña del Triunfo (a man, and a woman) from the Conejo Valley who have provided exceptional volunteer service to the Conejo Valley.

See below to learn about opportunities to volunteer. Stay tuned for more fun, when the Voices of Old Conejo returns in September, the Harvest Festival in October, a Salute to our Veterans in November. Check back for more details.

Save the Dates:

  • August 4:  Movies Under the Stars - Jungle Book
  • August 19: Grand Union Hotel Fiesta - La Fiesta del Triunfo
  • September 1:  Movies Under the Stars - Tarzan the Ape Man
  • September 23-24: Voices of Old Conejo
  • September 29:  TO Arts-Stagecoach After Dark - Concerts
  • Sept. 30 & Oct. 1:  Voices of Old Conejo
  • October 6:  TO Arts-Stagecoach After Dark - Concerts
  • October 13:  TO Arts-Stagecoach After Dark - Concerts
  • October 20:  TO Arts-Stagecoach After Dark - Concerts
  • October 27:  Movies Under the Stars - Frankenstein
  • October 28:  Harvest Festival
  • November 11:  Salute to our Veterans

About the Stagecoach Inn Museum:

The Stagecoach Inn Museum complex in Newbury Park is a fantastic place for the whole family to enjoy. Explore a nature trail where you can step back into time in the beautifully decorated INN and historical replica buildings representing Conejo Valley History. Bring your children and try gold panning while listening to live music on the Grand Porch! Experience what life was like in the early days of the Conejo Valley with costumed docents guiding you through history and highlighting special items and antiques.

You will appreciate the beautiful five-acre property, designated by the City of Thousand Oaks as Historical Landmark No. 1, built in 1876 as the Grand Union Hotel, the Stagecoach Inn Museum Complex boasts an 1870s one-room schoolhouse "Timber School," Carriage House and stagecoaches, working Blacksmith Shop - on most Saturdays, Pioneer Home, California Adobe, indoor Chumash Exhibit and outdoor Village, Heritage Rose Garden, Heritage Oak Patio, Farm Trail, and for those with a sense of adventure the Nature Trail. Several exhibits are augmented with QR code signage, offering “Virtual Tour” video enhancements via your smartphone. 


Museum Happenings:

Ongoing:  

  • Live Music most Wednesdays and Saturdays by local artists
  • Seasonal Scavenger Hunts: changing hunt every few months with new hand-crafted metal art
  • Shop our Boutique
  • Volunteer Opportunities

Seasonal Events and Activities

Movies Under the Stars:
Saddle up, bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family, food and drinks, and settle in for a relaxing, fun, family evening on the Conejo.

Jungle Book:   Friday, August 4th starts at 8:15 pm

Join us on the Grand Lawn for a fun-filled evening featuring a Movie made in the Conejo Valley. The movie Robin Hood 1922 featuring Douglas Fairbanks was entirely made in the Conejo Valley. The movie was so popular that people came from all over to see Lake Sherwood. As a result, the lake originally named Potrero Lake (also referred to as Lake Matthiessen) was renamed.

Gate opens at 7:15 pm - Movie begins at dusk around 8:15pm
Cost: 15$ per person, $10 per person for CVHS members with membership card; popcorn included

Save the Date - Future Movies Under the Stars:

  • Tarzan the Ape Man – September 1
  • Frankenstein – October 27

La Fiesta del Triunfo: Saturday, August 19th 6 pm

La Fiesta del Triunfo is back after a four-year break!  Mark your calendars for August 19 for this very special event. Each year since 1965 (except 2018-2021), the Conejo Valley Historical Society has recognized a Don and Doña del Triunfo, a man, and a woman from the Conejo Valley who have provided exceptional volunteer service to the Conejo Valley.

Enjoy this celebratory evening on the beautiful Stagecoach Inn Museum grounds. This year our emphasis will be on fun. Enjoy cocktails, while listening to DVR, a local classic-rock band followed by local favorite comedian, Jason Love, and a delicious catered dinner by a prominent chef. This night may be your lucky night too—as there will be a free gift drawing as well as raffle to support the mission of the Museum.

You may know it all started when the Grand Union Hotel was built in Thousand Oaks in 1876. The Hotel eventually became the Stagecoach Inn Museum. There will be a short historical presentation and the important members of the community who made it possible.

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to honor community volunteers and celebrate the occasion with an exciting and fun evening on the Conejo.

Ticket and reservation information are coming soon.


Boutique Exhibits & Activities at the INN through August: Lingerie Dress Display, 1900 - 1920's

Slip on over and see our display of numerous Lingerie or Lawn dresses. They were inspired by the elaborate and fancy chemises and under garments worn by women in the 1700s. The lingerie dresses were 2 pieces – a fancy blouse with a simple, plain skirt to highlight the beauty of the fabric. Because they were light fabrics, they were ideal for outdoor activities during the summer months. 

Accessories were often bright colored ribbons and sashes, long gloves, parasols, jeweled brooches and wide brimmed hats with flowers or feathers.


Interested in becoming a Volunteer?

See details below.





Ongoing Museum Activities

Live Music

Most Wednesdays and Saturdays during regular museum hours 1:00-4:00 pm on the Grand Porch and beyond. Relax and enjoy new and returning musicians each week, included with museum admission. You’ll want to return again and again to hear them all! Soak up the sounds of Steve Linsky, Allison Hawkins, Ruby Skye Music, Nostalgic Duo, Watermelon Pie, and more.

Shop at our Gift Emporium for historical books, unusual gifts, handcrafted and season themed items made by our docents including blacksmith forged horseshoe hearts, barn hooks and decorative yard ironwork items for every season. Check out our “Gold Miner’s Special” for kids’ gold panning activity. Give a gift that will last, buy a brick for the Heritage Rose Garden path and inscriptions will provide you, your family, and friends with a lifelong feeling of recognition and ownership. Paver bricks are perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, and memorials. Rose Garden Engraved Bricks — Stagecoach Inn Museum



Conejo & Critter Hunt continues

Our Conejo and Critters Hunt this year will send “kids” of all ages hunting for over 3 dozen numbered metal art objects that may include ducklings, chicks, baby bunnies and additional seasonal images or animals. A map is included with admission for marking object sightings to be turned in for a prize in this frolicking outdoor hunt around the beautiful museum grounds.

  • Conejo Hunt:  Year-round hunt for numbered bunnies 1 thru 36

All the hunts feature Metal Art by our very own Blacksmith Bobby Mensinger of 4M Metalworks which is also available for purchase in our wonderful gift Emporium.


Take a Hike on Our Very Own Nature Trail

The Museum’s five-acre site has more to explore than the Victorian interiors of the Stagecoach Inn. Next time you are hankerin’ for a breath of fresh air, come ramble over our trail system. The trails are all short but offer a pleasant change of pace for a lunch break, after-school visit, or an afternoon when you just gotta stretch your legs outdoors.
The “Runaway Stage Trail” serves up some elevation gain and goes above the tree canopy, offering views of Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks, and the surrounding hills. From the top you can see Tarantula Mountain in Thousand Oaks.  The trail takes you to the edge of our property line, then drops down to Chumash Village. Detour to the left here, and you will find a 300-year-old sycamore tree.
The lower Nature Trail follows the creek bed under the oaks, crosses four bridges, and brings you to steps leading up to the Adobe.  Look for the plant markers identifying vegetation native to the Conejo Valley.

For an easy stroll, walk along the Heritage Rose Garden and Farm Trails (suitable for little folks too). You’ll meander through Victorian roses and into an oak glade.  Check out the antique farm equipment, and memorial bricks that honor museum volunteers and community leaders. There are benches and picnic tables for relaxing.


Heritage Memorial Rose Garden

Take a stroll through the The Heritage Memorial Rose Garden located on property where you will find the many names of friends, families, and organizations whose donations and efforts have helped to preserve, maintain, and fund the many exhibits on the property.

Welcome to the memorable Stagecoach Inn Museum Heritage Memorial Rose Garden. The garden is located near the entry to the right. Entering this garden will literally take you down memory lane.

The Garden is filled with not only roses but many other colorful and fragrant flowers of all kinds.
The walkways of brick meander through the garden leading to a beautiful rose covered archway, where just beyond, sits a bench for resting and enjoying the splendor.

The walkway continues to grow each year, for it is truly a memory lane. As you look at the bricks you will see many fond memories of people, families, and even businesses, carved in stone for time everlasting.

The Ventura County Rose Society planted and maintains this garden. If you would like to request a memorial brick in the Heritage Memorial Rose Garden, please visit the Stagecoach Inn Museum. There is a donation fee that covers the purchase and installation of memorial bricks into the walkway.

The garden is located near the entry to the right. Entering this garden will literally take you down memory lane.

The Garden is filled with not only roses but many other colorful and fragrant flowers of all kinds.

The walkways of brick meander through the garden leading to a beautiful rose covered archway, where just beyond, sits a bench for resting and enjoying the splendor.



Stroll through the Gift Emporium

Shop at our Gift Emporium for historical books, unusual gifts, handcrafted and season themed items made by our docents including blacksmith forged horseshoe hearts, barn hooks and decorative yard ironwork items for every season. Check out our “Gold Miner’s Special” for kids’ gold panning activity. Give a gift that will last, buy a brick for the Heritage Rose Garden path and inscriptions will provide you, your family, and friends with a lifelong feeling of recognition and ownership. Paver bricks are perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, and memorials. Rose Garden Engraved Bricks — Stagecoach Inn Museum


Historical Landmarks Driving Tour of the Conejo Valley
Historical Landmarks Driving Tour of Conejo Valley — Stagecoach Inn Museum
Welcome to a fun and exciting way to visit the historical landmarks of Conejo Valley.
In this tour, you will start at the Stagecoach Inn Museum, visit 16 historical sites and finish at the Pederson House on the California Lutheran University campus.  The historical landmarks included in this tour are: The Stagecoach Inn Museum, Sycamore Tree, Timber School, Hunt Olive Tree, Hillcrest Dr. Civic Center, The Janss House, Case Study House #28, Site of Jungleland, The Crowley House, Conejo School Monument, Lake Eleanor Dam, Westlake Historical Monument, Oakbrook Regional Park and Chumash Indian Museum, The Norwegian Grade, McCrea Ranch, and The Pederson House.  Enjoy your trip through history





The original Stagecoach Inn - the Grand Union Hotel, was built in 1876.

Located at the southwest corner of what is now Ventu Park Road and the 101-Ventura Freeway.

 It's designated as City of Thousand Oaks Landmark No. 1.



General Information

 visitors welcomed every Wednesday and Saturday, 1:00-4:00 pm  

Regular admission is $10 per person | $5 children 5 to 12  | Free for Children under 5 and CVHS members

Annual CVHS Family Memberships may be purchased online or at the door for as little as $50

card or exact cash please

Note: Not all buildings are open on Wednesdays; pricing may differ for dedicated events | Special tours and pricing are available upon request

Museum is Closed:  Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Dogs are not allowed on museum grounds or in the museum buildings - with the exception of service dogs.





The Conejo Valley Historical Society

CVHS was formed in 1965 to save the original Grand Union Hotel from demolition, afterwhich the Society developed a docent program and began leading tours of the Hotel - it was rebuilt in 1976 as the Stagecoach Inn. Fast forward to 2019, and the Stagecoach Inn Museum is a beloved member of the community, offering family-oriented special events, lectures, school programs, and a fun and friendly group of docents.

The Conejo Valley Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity registered with the State of California.

Their mission is to preserve, maintain, and exhibit an extensive historical record of the Conejo Valley and to educate the community about its cultural heritage.


Support the Stagecoach Inn Museum

  • Become a member of the Conejo Valley Historical Society
  • Make a donation
  • Memorial Bricks
  • Become a Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities at The Stagecoach Inn Museum

  • Want to learn more about Conejo Valley History?
  • Got any time on your hands?
  • Do you have experience fund raising? Writing grants?
  • Do you like antiques?
  • Are you creative?

We have a wide range of volunteer opportunities available now!! We are seeking help with fundraising ideas and Grant writing.  In addition, we seek interested volunteers for giving Museum tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, Wednesday morning School Children tours (3 to 5th grades), Special Request tours, Exhibit planning and set up, organizing, and planning Special Events, office assistance, gift emporium cashier, publicity efforts, recording oral histories and maintaining collections and archives.  Also are opportunities to keep our grounds beautiful by donating time in our beautiful Heritage Rose Garden and grounds.

Volunteer and learn about the rich heritage of the area. We will explore local history by telling you the story of the Conejo Valley from the Chumash era to the present. You will appreciate the beautiful five-acre property, designated by the City of Thousand Oaks as Historical Landmark No. 1, built in 1876 as the Grand Union Hotel, the Stagecoach Inn Museum Complex boasts an 1870s one-room schoolhouse (Timber School), Carriage House (stagecoaches), working Blacksmith Shop (on most Saturdays), Pioneer Home, California Adobe, indoor Chumash Exhibit and outdoor Village, Heritage Rose Garden, Heritage Oak Patio, Farm Trail, and for those with a sense of adventure the Nature Trail.
 If you are interested call 805-498-9441 or visit the Stagecoach Inn Museum website.

Updated:  July 22, 2023