Wilbur D May Museum

The Wilbur D. May Museum at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno houses the amazing collections of one of Nevada’s most well-known ranchers, philanthropists and businessmen. The Wilbur D. May Museum opened in 1985 to preserve the legacy of Reno resident Wilbur D. May. It highlights his world travels, ranching business, and adventurous life. Priceless artifacts Wilbur gathered in exotic places are all on display here.  The museum is a ranch-style building designed to resemble Wilbur May's residence in South Reno. Four rooms are re-creations of his 2,600-acre Double Diamond Ranch, named for the brand that was created from stacking his "W" and "M" initials.The living room chronicles his life as a military servicemember, businessman, composer, aviator, and philanthropist. The tack room showcases Wilbur's life as a rancher. And the trophy room provides a glimpse at his big game hunting years of the 1930s and 40s. Thanks to its renovations and upgrades in 2003, visitors to the museum today are greeted by a cascading waterfall and lush indoor garden that includes two ponds filled with koi and goldfish. Floral displays in this tropical retreat are changed seasonally to reflect different times of year.