Operated by the Bonita Historical Society since 1987, the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center on Bonita Road preserves the history of El Rancho de la Nacion and the greater Sweetwater Valley. The Audi Lawson Gallery's permanent collection traces Bonita's arc from Kumeyaay settlement through the citrus-orchard era and the Sweetwater Dam flood of 1916, while the Corky McMillin Companies Gallery rotates six exhibitions per year alongside institutions such as SWC Art Gallery at Southwestern College. Annual programming includes a Dia de los Muertos celebration, a concert series, and the Bonita People speaker series that brings local historians to the lectern. A 2026 exterior renovation by a Chula Vista metal sculptor added a large-scale sculptural facade now visible to traffic along Bonita Road, repositioning the building as a landmark near Bonita Golf Club. Seasonal floral installations from nearby vendors including Bonita Florist complement opening-night receptions for the museum's annual juried fine-art exhibit. The permanent collection houses artifacts spanning more than a century of Sweetwater Valley habitation, anchored by a Fred Rohr-designed drop hammer designated by the Chula Vista Historical Preservation Commission for its role in automating aircraft sheet-metal fabrication.