May 23, 1935 - The Marin County Historical Society's first meeting is held at San Rafael City Hall. 

June 1935 - The Society's collection is moved into the San Rafael Independent newspaper building in San Rafael. Major Newell Vanderbilt presided as chairman at an organizational meeting to form the Marin County Historical Society.

September 1935 - Belle Brown is elected President of the Society. 89 members are recorded at first annual meeting.

November 1935 - Articles of Incorporation are filed with the State of California. The organization was formed for "educational, recreational, and social purposes; specifically to promote the study and research into the history of Marin County and to perpetuate the relics, records and authentic references to the early discoveries, settlement, and organization of Marin County."

1940's - During World War II, the MCHS collections are moved to the "Museum Room" at San Rafael High School.

1943 - The first newsletter, the Pastimer, is published.

1954 - The Museum relocates to the Mission San Rafael Arcángel.

1959 - The collection is again relocated to The Boyd Gate House.

1967 - The first issue of the Marin County Historical Society Bulletin is published.

1971 - Early Marin by Jack Mason and Helen Van Cleave Park, "written under the auspices of The Marin County Historical Society," is published, the first of many MCHS books on Marin County history.

1974 - The Boyd Gate House is added to the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of Interior.

1989 - The Museum is closed by the City of San Rafael for seismic retrofitting.

March 1993 - The restored, renovated, and reorganized Museum is reopened. The James M. Donahue ferry bell is permanently installed in front of The Boyd Gate House.

1999 - A complete inventory of the Museum's collection is taken, an important step towards accreditation.

2000 - The Marin County Historical Society is renamed The Marin History Museum.

2004 - The Marin History Museum begins walking tours of San Rafael.

2008 - The Artifacts, Photography, and Library collections move to a new temperature and humidity controlled facility.

December 2009 - The MHM helps organize the Marin Archive Collective.

October 2011 - The Marin History Museum receives the Dave Byrd Certificate of Meritorious Performance and Promise Award for its outstanding contribution to the promotion of history.

2015 - MHM becomes inactive.

2016 - Marin County Supervisors select replacement Board of Directors "to preserve Marin's history for a new generation."

April 2017 - The Craemer Family Collections Facility in Novato opens to researchers.

October 2021 - The Marin History Museum opens once again at The Boyd Gate House with a new Research Library and Bookstore.

A History of the
Marin County
Historical Society