The Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum was dedicated on Admission Day, September, 1977. The design and contents closely match those of the one-room Canon School, built in 1884 to serve students in the Northern California community of Brooks in the Capay Valley (located in Yolo County).

Construction costs were covered by the Blanche Edgar Girot Education Foundation of the Soroptimist International of Sacramento, Inc. The California State PTA and other community organizations provided funding for furnishings, and Third District PTA established a docent program to provide trained "schoolmarm" and "school master" volunteers to lead school tours and to represent the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum at community events. Approximately 7,500 school groups (225,000 students) have visited the Museum since its start. There is currently a corps of more than thirty docents to greet visitors and "teach" school groups. Through the years, the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum has been landscaped, fenced, and repainted, along with other site improvements, thanks to the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County Office of Education, Embarcadero Lions club, Soroptimist International of Sacramento, Inc., Third District PTA, Florin-Silverleaf 4-H, and other community service organizations. The Schoolhouse Museum sponsors or is a participant in numerous annual education and community events.

• Located at 1200 Front Street in historic Old Sacramento, California
• Open free of charge to the public:
  • Monday–Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm (volunteer staff permitting)
  • Sunday 12 noon – 4 pm (volunteer staff permitting)
• Educational field trips, operated under sponsorship of the Third District PTA, are available by appointments on weekdays. Suggested fee is $10 per class. To schedule an Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum field trip, call (916) 689-1870 or E-mail: info@oldsacschoolhouse.org.
• Built as a Bicentennial project with broad-based community support
• Based on the Cañon School, a one-room schoolhouse constructed in Brooks (in the Capay Valley, Yolo County) in 1884
• 1040 square feet in size
• Representative of one-room schoolhouses found throughout the Sacramento Valley and foothills in the mid-late 1800s
• Features authentic and replica schoolhouse furniture and fixtures
• 10,000 students each year participate in Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum educational field trips
• Interested in becoming a volunteer or docent? Contact the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum by phone (916) 483-8818 or E-mail: info@oldsacschoolhouse.org.
• The Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum is available for special events seating up to 50 people. For information, contact the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum by phone (916) 483-8818 or E-mail: info@oldsacschoolhouse.org.
• Mail correspondence to: Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, c/o 5325 Ridgefield Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608

Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum Essay Contest

The Schoolhouse annually sponsors an essay contest for fourth grade students in California's public schools. Written on the theme of "A Day in School in 1875," the essays are first judged in their own schools and winners are selected. Those winners in both GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) and regular divisions are forwarded to the Schoolhouse for final judging. Cash prizes and other awards are presented to winners at the Schoolhouse: 1200 Front Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Every child who writes an essay is sent a certificate of appreciation.

This contest fits the narrative component of the California STAR testing program. To request entry forms, please contact the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse at (916) 483-8818, FAX (916) 972-7041, E-mail info@oldsacschoolhouse.org, or by mail c/o 5325 Ridgefield Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608.

Since its inception in 1984, more than 20,000 students have entered the contest. Winners have gone on to become school leaders and teachers.