Wilbur D. May Museum: One of the Museums in Reno to Plan Around

The Wilbur D. May Museum presents the collection of Wilbur D. May, a rancher, pilot and philanthropist whose collection grew from more than 40 trips around the globe. Its permanent collection includes antique firearms, European glasswork, African tribal masks, Polynesian carvings, Chinese pottery, taxidermy, saddlery and Western ranching artifacts.

Washoe County describes the collection tour as a one-hour visit. It begins with an introduction and film, then continues as a guided walk through the collection; a scavenger hunt is also offered. Tours are available by appointment during most normal business hours, so arrange one ahead if you want a guided visit.

The museum also hosts traveling exhibitions, smaller art shows and sales, and community-partner programs. On site, you’ll find a gift shop, an indoor garden with a water feature and koi ponds, and rentable event space.

The museum is at 1595 N. Sierra Street within Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, alongside the Wilbur D. May Arboretum. The arboretum covers 23 acres, with more than 4,600 native and adaptive plant species displayed across 13 acres.

The arboretum is open year-round during regular park hours, and admission is free except for some special events. Its paths are paved or packed gravel. Paved paths are usually wheelchair accessible; gravel paths may be accessible when dry, but can become muddy after wet weather. Snow may temporarily make either path type inaccessible to wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

Follow the guided paths, and leave plants and fruit in place. Bicycles, motorized vehicles and pets are prohibited, except for service animals; amplified music and sound are also prohibited. The museum and arboretum can be part of a one-day Reno itinerary.

A tourism-board listing gives typical museum hours as 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon–4:00 p.m. Sunday, with the museum closed Monday and Tuesday. It advises checking hours for special exhibitions.

The tourism-board listing gives general admission to the Wilbur May Collection & Gallery as $7 for adults and $5 for seniors ages 62+ and children ages 3–17. Special-exhibition admission is $10 for adults and $9 for seniors and children.

For groups of 15 or more, special-exhibition admission is $7 per person. The special exhibition rotates annually from January to April, and admission includes both the exhibition and permanent collection.

For collection tours, groups of 15 or more pay $4 for youth ages 3–17 and seniors 62+, and $6 for adults. Hours, exhibitions and prices can change, so check the official site before you go.

The museum is about a 10-minute drive from SureStay Plus near Reno Airport. Washoe County cautions that GPS devices may direct visitors entering the museum address to the May Museum parking lot; the gardens’ west entrance is off Keystone, by the museum.

The museum phone number is (775) 785-5961.