The museum mostly focuses on the pioneers that built the climbing culture at Yosemite, which includes “Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard; the late David Brower, onetime Sierra Club executive director; and Royal Robbins, who founded his own outdoor brand.” Some of the gear you’ll see includes pitons, climbing ropes, climbing boots, jumars, historic photos of Yosemite and the climbers, and more. The initial exhibition that is open until December 2021 covers Yosemite’s climbing history from the 1930s to the 1970s. The museum doesn’t cover the modern history of climbing at the national park and ends around Lynn Hill’s 1993 free climb of the Nose of El Cap.
The Yosemite Climbing Museum doesn’t have a firm set of hours, so if you’re interested in visiting, call them at (209) 742-1000 or email them yosemiteclimbingmuseum@gmail.com to schedule a visit or request a tour.