Our forte is research materials on all aspects of the rich history of our County. The museum reflects interesting aspects of County history from gold mining, construction of Oroville Dam, filming of the movie Robin Hood and the life of Erle Stanley Gardner.

The county is rich in history, from pre-gold rush ranchos (Mexican Land Grants), gold mining (panning, hydraulic and dredging), forest industries (lumber and resins), Sacramento Valley wheat, rice, nut, citrus and olive agriculture, cattle raising, plant experiment stations and a cold war missile silo to modern organic farming. Banking, commerce and transportation played large roles as well. Migratory birds of the Pacific Flyway, which diminished during the days of market hunting and drainage of wetlands, have now returned to a new habitat created by the thousands of acres of rice fields.

BCHS is primarily supported by memberships and donations from people and the friends of Butte County, and receives no government funding. Membership in BCHS is open to all.

Founded in 1956 collections accumulated until acquisition of Ehmann Home in 1980s and the museum & archives building in the late 1990s. Also acquired were the old Bangor Church and the Oregon City School, both 19th century buildings.