West Kern Oil Museum – Taft, California - Atlas Obscura
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West Kern Oil Museum

Taft, California

Wander through desolate oil fields littered with rigs. 

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An oil rig near the museum.
An oil rig near the museum.
Street sign showing old roads of Jameson Oil Company's former drill site Avoiding Regret (Creative Commons)
Signage from oil company Berry Petroleum, founded by C.J. Berry Avoiding Regret (Creative Commons)
Entrance sign Avoiding Regret (Creative Commons)
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Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding West Kern Oil Museum with additional information or photos.

Learn all about the history of black gold and its impact on the surrounding community at this unusual museum. The highlight here is the chance to travel through an astonishing forest of oil rigs, pump jacks, and the mechanical infrastructure that has powered the modern economy.

Know Before You Go

The museum is only open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Avoiding Regret
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Avoiding Regret
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March 28, 2023
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