Meet May Woolsey

The Sacramento History Museum is proud to present an innovative exhibit titled Meet May Woolsey, that is located on the third floor in the Community Gallery. The exhibit recounts a treasured story about a young Sacramento girl named May Woolsey who passed away in September of 1879, just before her 13th birthday, but left behind an extraordinary time capsule full of toys, journals, and mementos. The compelling exhibit allows guests to see, touch, and hear the story of May Woolsey and get a glimpse of the life of a young girl in 19th century Sacramento.

Following her death, more than 500 of her belongings were packed away in a trunk and stored underneath the stairs at the Woolsey family home on E Street. A century later, renovations in the home revealed this young girl’s belongings and compelling story.

Although this unique treasure trove has been on display at the Sacramento History Museum for years, the new exhibit allows people of all ages and abilities to now connect to May’s story as heard through her own words. Thanks in large part to generous gifts from the National Federation of the Blind and the Sacramento Pioneer Association, a new component combines touchable 3D reproductions with compelling audio descriptions in English and Spanish. Additionally, video displays highlight rarely displayed objects from the trunk.