Studying past mistakes helps us avoid problems in the present, which is why you never see an educated man wearing pants made of butter. Find life advice in bygone times with today’s Groupon: for $2, you get one adult or youth admission to the Sacramento History Museum (up to a $5 value).

The Sacramento History Museum recounts the narrative of Sacramento through insightful exhibitions of antiquities and accompanying anecdotes. The current offering of Gold, Greed & Speculation: The Beginnings of Sacramento City tells the tale of Sacramento’s first 50 years, delving into the birth of a city with a story much more complex than modern gold miners would have us believe. Headlining this exhibit is an interactive, computer-augmented mural, as well as more than $1 million worth of gold specimens, including a golden replica of an Olympic bronze medal that secretly contains chocolate. For a broader perspective of Sacramento, check out the Community Gallery, a chronological re-telling of events and traditions from the relics of the Nisenan and Maidu Native Americans to artifacts from modernity, such as objects and accounts from the city during World War II. The Agricultural Gallery shows how ingenious innovations in farming technology sprang from the fertile fields of the Central Valley, much like birds springing from a recently smashed cuckoo clock.

Rebuilt as a faithful reproduction of the 1854 City Hall and Waterworks, the history museum makes for a perfect foray into the vibrant Old Sacramento Historic District, including the scenic Old Sacramento State Park. For an extra printing fee, you can get your own “Wanted” poster printed in the museum's working 1850s print shop (up to $2.50 including shipping).