Museums

Photo by Jim Nix

Austin Children’s Museum

201 Colorado, 472-2499
Shop in a kid-sized grocery store, sit in the driver’s seat of a real ambulance, or climb the indoor playscape.
www.austinkids.org

Austin Museum of Art (Downtown)

823 Congress Avenue, 495-9224
This 8,500-square-foot exhibition space has a variety of visual art opportunities, as well as a gift shop, a classroom, and meeting space. A larger, permanent location downtown is planned
www.amoa.org

Austin Museum of Art: Laguna Gloria

3809 W. 35th Street, 458-8191
This museum at the home site of Clara Driscoll (best known for saving the Alamo from destruction in 1904), is a Mediterranean-style villa with 12 acres of grounds on the banks of Lake Austin. A truly historic and beautiful Austin site, it is normally known for its art exhibits, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
www.amoa.org

Austin Nature and Science Center

301 Nature Center Dr., 327-8180
Explore the Eco-Detective Trail, enjoy hands-on learning activities, discover Texas Habitat dioramas, and see live mammals, reptiles and birds.
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/ansc/

Capitol Visitors Center

112 East 11th Street, 305-8400
Located in the restored circa-1856 Land Office, the oldest state office building, the center features exhibits, historical displays and a Capitol gift shop.
http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/CVC/home/home.html

Dolph Briscoe Center for American History

2313 Red River St # 2-101
Austin, TX 78705-5737
(512) 495-4515
Historical and archival library has occasional exhibits on American and Texas history
http://www.cah.utexas.edu/

Elisabet Ney Museum

304 E. 44th Street, 458-2255
This museum, constructed in 1892, was the former studio of German-born sculptor, Elisabet Ney, and has been restored and opened to the public. The collection includes Ney’s sculptures of such historical figures as Stephen F. Austin, Guiseppe Garibaldi and King Ludwig II of Bavaria.
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/elisabetney

French Legation Museum

802 San Marcos St., 472-8180
Constructed in 1840-41 by the French charge d’affaires for the Republic of Texas, this building is Austin’s oldest documented frame structure. Tours showcase the original house and carriage house, furnished in the 19th Century American and French antiques, as well as a replica of a French Creole Kitchen
www.frenchlegationmuseum.org

George Washington Carver Museum

1165 Angelina Street, 472-4809
This museum is dedicated to African-American history and culture. Built in 1926, this structure was formerly Austin’s first main library. The building was moved piece by piece to East Austin in 1933 and received a Texas State Historical Marker in 1976
www.ci.austin.tx.us/carver

Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art

Information: 232-1988 / Group Sales: 471-5025
Schedule a Tour: 471-9205 / Box Office: 471-7324
Programs: 471-7234
Formerly the Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, this Museum has two locations on the UT campus: The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, which displays an expansive collection of literary and cultural materials and is used by more than 13,000 students and faculty annually. The center offers a variety of exhibitions and events and The Art building at 23rd and San Jacinto. In its entirety this museum boasts a vast permanent collection of more than 13,000 works from America, Latin America and Europe. They have also acquired Renaissance and baroque-era paintings
www.utexas.edu/cofa/bma

Jones Center for Contemporary Art

700 Congress Avenue, 453-5312
The Texas Fine Arts Association (TFAA) hosts special events and educational programs at this location throughout the year, including lectures by artists and curators, exhibition openings, art and wine tastings, the TFAA Annual Art Auction, and artist receptions.
http://www.arthousetexas.org/

Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farm

11418 Sprinkle Cutoff, 837-1215
An outdoor, living history museum that recreates life in the 1890’s
http://www.pioneerfarms.org/

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

2313 Red River Street, 512-721-0158
The Facility celebrates the former president’s political career and the turbulent times in which he lived – the Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.
http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/

Mexic-Arte Museum

419 Congress Avenue, 480-9373
This museum not only highlights contemporary and historical art exhibits focusing on Latino culture, but also has permanent exhibits of pop-culture prints from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, photographs from the 1910 Mexican Revolution and other works by Latin artists.
http://www.mexic-artemuseum.org/

Neill-Cochran House

2310 San Gabriel Street, 478-2335
Greek revival limestone mansion built in 1855. Museum is run by Colonial Dames of America and is open from 2-5pm Wednesday through Sunday.
http://www.nchmuseum.org/

O. Henry Museum

409 E. 5th St., 472-1903
Known as O. Henry to millions of readers, William Sydney Porter lived in this relocated 1891 Victorian cottage, which now features artifacts and memorabilia from the late author’s life. The museum also sponsors the world-famous O. Henry Pun-Off and offers writing workshops to children aged 10-14

Republic of Texas Museum

510 E. Anderson Lane, 339-1997
The State of Texas is the only state of the Union that was once its own country! This museum focuses on the state’s Republic period (1836-46) and features collections of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, including a full-sized covered wagon and two hands-on learning areas
http://www.drt-inc.org/museum.htm

Texas Memorial Museum

2400 Trinity St., 471-1604
Texas is represented in this collection with unique paleontological items, minerals and gems, antique firearms, Native American artifacts, dioramas and the original Goddess of Liberty statue.
http://www.drt-inc.org/museum.htm

Texas Military Forces Museum—Camp Mabry

2200 West 35th St. 465-5659
Indoor and outdoor exhibits of equipment, uniforms, weapons, and dioramas depict the history of the Texas Military forces from the Texas Revolution to the present.
http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/

Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum

605 Robert E. Lee Rd., 445-5582
Features a collection of 130 sculptures by internationally known artist Charles Umlauf (1911-1994). Umlauf’s style ranged from realism to lyrical abstraction and included animals, family groups and depictions of mythological and religious stories.
http://www.umlaufsculpture.org/