The museum was centered on the Bob and Mary Ernst Collection of Miocene fossils from Shark Tooth Hill (in Kern County).

Because of the growth, the museum would move several times before arriving at the current location in downtown.

The centerpiece of the museum is the Mary Ernst Collection of Miocene fossils from Shark Tooth Hill.

Other exhibits include: collection of taxidermy animals from Africa, replica of a triceratops skull, replica of a yokuts Indian village, and a model of Yosemite Valley complete with roads, buildings, and trails.

There is also a Paleo Lab, which is equipped to clean, repair, preserve, and reconstruct fossils and other artifacts.