• Mt. Williamson and cemetery monument

    Manzanar

    National Historic Site California

Plan Your Visit

Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II. Located at the foot of the majestic Sierra Nevada in eastern California's Owens Valley, Manzanar has been identified as the best preserved of these camps.

Today you may visit Manzanar and learn about the experience of the Japanese Americans at Manzanar and other eras of the site's history. You may drive a 3.2 mile auto tour and see remnants of orchards, rock gardens, building foundations, and the camp cemetery. Also, please plan to come inside the state-of-the-art Manzanar Visitor Center where you will find extensive exhibits, a 22 minute film, and a bookstore.

 
Sentry post with snow covered sierra
The Manzanar War Relocation Center historic entrance serves as the Historic Site's entrance today. The snow covered Sierra Nevada rise behind stone sentry posts built by internees in 1942.
NPS Photo
 
Interpretive center, Layers of History panel
Visit the Manzanar Visitor Center to discover the rich layers of history here. Eight thousand square feet of exhibits offer stories, photographs, artifacts, audiovisual presentations, and opportunities for reflection.
NPS Photo

Did You Know?

Aerial view of Manzanar today. Photo by Michael Wehrey.

The city of Los Angeles gets much of its water from the Owens Valley, and it owns the majority of the land on the valley floor. The federal government leased the land for the camp from Los Angeles because it was vacant and had water.