Free indoor gold panning and a mining tunnel—a top kid attraction.
The Gold Country Museum on the Gold Country Fairgrounds brings California's Gold Rush to life through hands-on history that families love. Run by Placer County, it lets kids try their hand at gold panning with real equipment, walk through a recreated underground mine tunnel, and watch a working stamp mill alongside displays of historic mining gear and tools. The interactive, tactile exhibits suit a wide range of ages, with little ones and older children alike drawn to the panning trough and the cool, dim mine passage. It's an affordable, all-weather outing that rewards curiosity, with admission free for children. Families come away with a real feel for how miners lived and worked in the foothills, making it one of Auburn's most memorable educational stops and a natural pairing with the surrounding fairgrounds and Old Town.