Hemet has a lake story full of fossils

Hemet has a big water story, but it also has a fossil story hiding right beside it. Western Science Center sits near Diamond Valley Lake and keeps the lake project from feeling like only a reservoir on a map.

When Diamond Valley Lake was excavated, the work uncovered a huge record of ancient life and human history from the region. Western Science Center’s exhibits let visitors meet that story in a hands-on way, including the museum’s well-known mastodon, Max.

The museum is also a working collections place. Its collection pages list over one million preserved specimens, with the Diamond Valley Lake project forming the core of its gallery exhibits. That gives Hemet a rare local doorway into Ice Age animals, archaeology, water planning, and Inland Empire science all at once.

For a visit, look up hours and exhibit details first. Then give yourself time to connect the dots: the lake, the valley, the museum building, and the older world under today’s neighborhoods.