Nevada’s Historic Preservation and Archaeological Awareness Month

History Means Nevada!  Get Out and Explore...

Read Governor Joe Lombardo's Proclamation declaring May 2025 as Archeological Awareness and Historic Preservation Month.  Governor's Proclamation.

May is an opportunity to participate in many family-friendly events that celebrate Historic Preservation and Archaeological Awareness for 2026.

We invite you to:

1.  Learn more about your home.  The vast majority of homes in Nevada are historic in age (over 50 years), even those ranch and split-level houses you grew up in. Visit your local historical society, library, and public records office to get started.
2.  Explore your Main Street.  From Gardnerville to Genoa to Reno to Las Vegas, every town has a historic core or "Main Street".  Go out to a historic restaurant, an old movie house, brewery, shop at stores in older buildings, or explore neighborhoods with older homes.
3.  Take a Trip, Tour or a Ride.  From trains, to trails to urban hikes - history is all around.  Many historical sites and homes are available for tours.  Check with your local Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce or Nevada's Historic Resources map for where to find historic resources near you, or for new or favorite places you will be visiting.
4.  Architectural Scavenger Hunts.  Some communities feature architectural scavenger hunts such as Carson City.  How many Victorian, Craftsman, brick homes or buildings can you find?  Encourage your local community to participate and create one.
5.  Learn about Historic Preservation.  Groups like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service have webinars about historic preservation and workshops on restoring historic resources.
6.  Get Involved.  Want to save historic places that matter to you?  Support your local main street and preservation organization, speak with your elected officials, and let others know why historic preservation is an important part of your community. Volunteer your time or become a member of a preservation group, historical society or main street program.

Here are some additional places, ideas and resources for celebrating the unique cultural resources found in the Silver State.   Enjoy!

Community Events, Celebrations and Activities 2026

Calendar is being assembled, and will be updated through the beginning of May here.  Contact our office to add your event, celebration, activity or preservation news to our calendar.

• Carson City

1. The State Historic Preservation Office and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is hosting the exhibit, "The Enduring Legacy of Fort Churchill" in the Lobby of the Bryan Building, 901 South Stewart Street, Carson City.  Flyer.
2. Annual Architectural Scavenger Hunt organized by the Carson City Historic Resources Commission.  (TBA)

• City of Reno

1. Historic Preservation Awareness Month (TBA)
2. Learn more about the History of Downtown Reno and explore historic properties with the Downtown Reno StoryMap or the East 4^th Street StoryMap.
3. Check out the history of one of Reno’s oldest and most popular parks with Celebrating Reno’s Historic Parks.
4. Explore the varied Historical Markers of the Truckee Meadows showcasing historical markers in Reno, Sparks, and beyond.

Organizations

Nevadans for Cultural Preservation

• Experienced archeologists and educators with a passion for preserving our heritage, educating the public, and collaborating on projects that bridge the two.  Brochure.  Upcoming Events.

Nevada Preservation Foundation

• Explore Las Vegas: Self-Guided Historic Walking Tours  
• History at Home

Historic Reno Preservation Society

• Virtually or Individually Tour the City with Reno Historical  
  • Seeking a bit of fresh air, Reno Historical offers an engaging variety of tours to transport you across time and space. Just click Tours on the website (renohistorical.org) and you’ll find a range of options for exploring the city’s historic landscape.   More information: Historic Reno Preservation Society

State and Federal Resources

National Park Service

• Lake Mead National Recreation Area:
  •  Virtual Museum 
  •  Historic Railroad Trail Virtual Experience  
  • St. Thomas “Ghost Town” (webpage and videos showing the town before it was inundated by Lake Mead)
• Great Basin National Park
  • History and Culture 
  • Video of Upper Pictograph Cave  
• Death Valley National Park
  • YouTube Channel 
  • Civilian Conservation Corps

Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

• Explore, Archaeology, Report Damage, Protect Nevada’s Heritage 
• Citizen Stewardship: YOU can help preserve Nevada’s heritage

Travel Nevada 

• YouTube Channel
• Nevada Insider: Protector of Spring Mountain Ranch 
• American Indian Artistry: Tule Duck Decoys 
• Nevada’s American Indian Artistry: A Century of Heritage 
• Nevada’s Hidden Cave: The Past Stays Present 
• Central Nevada Museum, Tonopah 
• Discover Your Nevada, Railroad Museum in Carson City

Museums

• Nevada State Museum, Carson City.
• Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.  Online Collections Navigate the database by using the links at the top of the page. If you want to browse, selecting "random image" is a good place to start. 
  • View 3-dimensional artifacts and artwork 
  • View photographs 
  • View records of manuscript/archival collections ("containers" refers to the list of folders within a manuscript collection")
• Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City.
• Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City.
• Nevada State Railroad Museum, Ely.
• Lost City Museum, Overton.  Upcoming Events.
• The Mob Museum, Las Vegas.  Virtual tours and videos 
• National Atomic Testing Museum, Las Vegas. Videos Distinguished Lecture Series and Oral History Series 
• Neon Museum, Las Vegas.  Virtual Tours, YouTube channel, web app, articles and interviews all online. 
• Northern Nevada Railway Museum, Ely. 
  • Panoramic Virtual Reality Tour of the Main Yard in Ely. 
  • Railway Videos

Local Government Options

• Lincoln County Nevada
  • Historical Photos with captions 
  • Oral History Interviews 

Universities

• University of Nevada, Reno
  • Digital Archives 
  • Anthropology Research Museum Nevada Baskets  
  • Jon Bilbao Basque Library Collections Basque Digital Collection has 342 images for Nevada, 69 for Reno, and 48 for Elko.
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas 
  • Special Collections and Archives Photographs 
  • Digital Collections 
    • Southern Nevada: The Boomtown Years 1900-1925 
    • Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project 
    • African American Experience in Las Vegas 
    • Nevada Test Site Oral History Project 
    • Southern Nevada History in Maps

Virtual Reality Tours of Nevada Resources