From the Houston Museum of Natural Science to the Alamo, there are nearly 1000 such places in Texas where you can get in touch with history.
While I can’t list all of the great museums of Texas in a single article, here are 15 of the best options available for Texans!
Top 15 Museums in Texas
I ranked these museums according to the satisfaction of the visitors, the historical value of the artifacts, the locations of the buildings, etc.
Houston Museum of Natural Science
| Website: | https://www.hmns.org/ |
| Address: | 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030 |
| Phone: | 713-639-4629 |
| Best Exhibits: | Hall of Ancient Egypt, Morian Hall of Paleontology, Wiess Energy Hall |
| Reviews: | 21,651 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
From realistic dinosaur exhibits to an area reserved for advanced technology, there are a lot of things to see in the Houston Museum. You can visit the museum’s permanent exhibitions for free every Thursday!
There are five floors of different exhibitions in the Houston Museum. Astronomy, paleontology, chemistry, geology, Native American artifacts, etc., are available to see and learn from. I recommend having at least two hours of free time to enjoy the museum thoroughly.
The special exhibits of the museums can only be accessed by tickets. Try to find out if any of the exhibitions of HMNS is under construction or renovation before visiting. Lastly, the dinosaur exhibit is everyone’s favorite – so don’t miss it!
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
| Website: | https://www.perotmuseum.org/ |
| Address: | 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX 75201 |
| Phone: | 214-428-5555 |
| Best Exhibits: | Scales, Feather & Fur, Being Human, Science of Art |
| Reviews: | 15,059 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
If you want to spend two hours of your day in Dallas in the city’s best museum, the Perot Museum has to be the perfect spot. Perot is fun for both children and adults as there are after-hours activities for grown-ups. You can enjoy live music, drinks, and beautiful exhibits filled with natural history.
The museum’s Life then and Now exhibit features fossils of extinct dinosaurs – skeletons of animals towering over you. Moreover, children can enjoy 3D films premiering at the Perot Nature and Science Museum.
If you visit this excellent place, don’t miss the Expanding Universe exhibit that features beautiful quarters with the solar system, stargazing, and many cool activities.
Kimbell Art Museum
| Website: | https://kimbellart.org/ |
| Address: | 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107 |
| Phone: | 817-332-8451 |
| Best Exhibits: | The Kimbell at 50, Lives of the Gods, Kimbell Collection |
| Reviews: | 4,216 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
Alongside the 20th-century art collection, the Kimbell Art Museum is famous for its modern architecture exhibitions. The museum has art pieces from great names such as Michelangelo, Picasso, Monet, and many more. There are 340 different historical artifacts in Kimbell Art’s collection.
Unlike many other museums, you can take pictures of Kimbell Art with your phone. It takes around two hours to appreciate every exhibit of the place properly. As a result, I recommend having enough time to enjoy the modern and abstract architecture of the museum.
You will not find natural artifacts of history. Therefore, this museum is best for those who are in Houston and want to look at prestigious art pieces and elegant architecture.
Dallas Museum of Art
| Website: | https://dma.org/ |
| Address: | 1717 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201 |
| Phone: | 214-922-1200 |
| Best Exhibits: | Genesis, The Gift of Life, Skyway, Portrait, and a Dream |
| Reviews: | 9,553 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
The Dallas Museum of Art is a free-to-visit and one of the top 10 largest art museums in the US. The visiting hours there is 11 am to 5 am for most of the week except Fridays. Being such a large museum, there are more than 24,000 artworks on show in Dallas Art.
For adults, I will recommend the Adult Programs of DMA. This option is good for late-night visits, enjoying concerts, and various other engaging activities. Moreover, there are various programs for kids as well.
There is a wide range of artworks in DMA. You can see historical sculptures and paintings from the Islamic Era, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, etc. Modern artworks of DMA include European paintings, abstract pieces, and thousands more.
The Alamo
| Website: | https://www.thealamo.org/ |
| Address: | 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205 |
| Phone: | 210-225-1391 |
| Best Exhibits: | Guided Tour, Phil Collins Collection, Long Barrack |
| Reviews: | 50,706 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
The Alamo is a valuable historical place in the entirety of the US. Therefore, every Texan should visit it at least once! The reason behind such historical significance of the Alamo is the 1936’s battle between Mexican and Texan forces. As a result, it is the heart of the Texan revolution!
Visiting the Alamo is free, but you have to expect tons of people there. I would recommend not visiting the Alamo from May to September if you want a quieter experience. As 2.5 million people go there every year, it’s best to have a free reservation beforehand.
Not only is it a historical ground, but the Alamo also has many artifacts inside that commemorate Texas’ past. The collection of the Alamo includes the Church, exhibits with many artifacts from the battle of the Alamo, cannons, statues, and many more!
The Museum of Fine Arts
| Website: | https://www.mfah.org/ |
| Address: | 1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 |
| Phone: | 713-639-7300 |
| Best Exhibits: | Italian Renaissance painting, Connecting Current, French Impressionism |
| Reviews: | 8,468 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
MFA at Houston features beautiful and historical paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and many modern items. The museum has over 70,000 art pieces.
Houston’s Fine Arts Museum is free every Thursday, and you can even enjoy free parking on Thursday evenings. However, you cannot tour the museum for more than an hour. Besides going inside the museum itself, you can enjoy some of the outdoor areas of MFAH for free.
I recommend going through and learning more about these exhibits when you visit MFAH: Bayou Bend, Modern & Contemporary Art, Looking South, and Italian Renaissance artworks.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
| Website: | https://www.jfk.org/ |
| Address: | 411 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Phone: | 214-747-6660 |
| Best Exhibits: | The Corner Window, The Investigations |
| Reviews: | 8,354 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
The Sixth Floor at Dealey Plaza is not your typical museum as it is dedicated only to the history of the JFK assassination. Basically, I recommend this place to people interested in a big part of American history.
The museum does a great job of informing what led to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the infamous act taking place, and what was the world and America like after the incident.
What I find fascinating is how the museum shows you the evidence of the JFK investigation. You can see photos, the sniper perch, the FBI model, etc.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
| Website: | https://www.nps.gov/waco/index.htm |
| Address: | 6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr, Waco, TX 76708 |
| Phone: | 254-750-7946 |
| Best Exhibits: | Junior Ranger Program, Colombian Mammoth |
| Reviews: | 3,009 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
If you are more into the history of wildlife and especially mammoths, Waco’s Mammoth National Monument is for you.
What makes this museum so great is the fact that the fossil of mammoths in this place is “in situ.” This phrase means that the fossils are in the original position they were found in. The museum amazes you with facts about the ice age and a lot of information about the giant creatures that were found in Waco.
While visiting the Waco Mammoth Museum isn’t free, it’s much cheaper than most names I mentioned here. Even if you are not into paleontology, such giant bones of an extinct species will not fail to amaze you!
USS Lexington Museum
| Website: | https://usslexington.com/ |
| Address: | 2914 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78402 |
| Phone: | 361-888-4873 |
| Reviews: | 12,186 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
There is nothing better than to learn about World War 2 history on a USS Lexington that had a major contribution to the Pacific Theatre. Yes, it is an actual USS Lexington used in WW2 that is now turned into a beautiful museum floating on the sea at Corpus Christi.
This USS Lexington was in the battle for nine months and is responsible for taking down 372 enemy aircraft. The museum came to life in 1992 when the USS Lexington was donated. There are many WW2-related artifacts in the museum that can help you learn more about the extensive history of the war that changed mankind.
National Museum of the Pacific War
| Website: | https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/ |
| Address: | 311 E Austin St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, United States |
| Phone: | 830-997-8600 |
| Best Exhibits: | Pearl Harbor Exhibit, Doolittle Raid Exhibit |
| Reviews: | 3,187 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
You can easily spend three hours of your day looking at valuable Pacific War artifacts in this museum. There is a literal Japanese submarine related to the Pearl Harbor incident in the show on one of the exhibits. Moreover, you can also look and learn more about a B-25 Bomber airplane.
There are many exhibits to visit at the Texas Pacific War museum including the Admiral Nimitz gallery, the Iwo Jima exhibit, and more. I recommend this museum to history enthusiasts who want to learn more about the Pacific War and World War Two events.
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
| Website: | https://www.texasranger.org/ |
| Address: | 100 Texas Ranger Trail, Waco, TX 76706, United States |
| Phone: | 254-750-8631 |
| Best Exhibits: | Homer Garrison Gallery, Hall of Fame |
| Reviews: | 2,333 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
The Texas Ranger Museum is excellent when it comes to offering a depth of knowledge about the wild west. More specifically, you can learn about the old Texas rangers who worked for the law and tamed the wild part of Texas.
The museum has a lot of artifacts and exhibitions and I recommend having two hours of time to ensure a proper visit. The Paper Currency Collection, Old Firearms, Fine Arts, etc. are some of the things that you shouldn’t miss when you visit the Ranger Hall of Fame!
Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum
| Website: | http://www.rvmuseum.net/ |
| Address: | 14501 I-27, Amarillo, TX 79119, United States |
| Phone: | 806-690-3377 |
| Best Exhibits: | Airstream,1940s Harley Davidson |
| Reviews: | 367 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
Want to know more about American automotive history? The Jack Sisemore RV Museum is a haven for vintage automotive enthusiasts. The place features the oldest airstream where you can go inside and switch to a different world.
It is a smaller museum compared to others mentioned here. However, it is a niche one that can serve the interest of automotive history lovers.
George Bush Presidential Library and Museum
| Website: | https://www.bush41.org/ |
| Address: | 1000 George Bush Dr W, College Station, TX 77845 |
| Phone: | 979-691-4010 |
| Best Exhibits: | A Nation Under Attack, Oval Office Replica, Critical Decision |
| Reviews: | 336 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
Similar to many other presidential museums, The George W. Bush library contains valuable historic information about his presidential era. Library entry is free to the public but you do have the pre-book the tickets. Visiting the exhibits will cost you some money,
I recommend visiting the Critical Decision exhibit as it puts you in the shoes of a president and let’s you make the tough decisions. The Decision Point theatre can be a great interactive experience.
Lastly, the Freedom Hall helps you learn history in a fun way with 360-degree screen. Not to mention the park with wildflowers and native grasses is open to the public. Overall, you can spend over three hours in two or more exhibits.
Children’s Museum Houston
| Website: | https://www.cmhouston.org |
| Address: | 1500 Binz St, Houston, TX 77004 |
| Phone: | 713-522-1138 |
| Best Exhibits: | EcoStation, Cyberchase |
| Reviews: | 5,780 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
If you want an interactive museum experience for you kid in Houston, the Children’s Museum isn’t bad. However, it can be too crowded, especially in Saturdays!
The Museum arranges various fun activities for kids of all ages. The Power Play, Challenge Course and Cyberchase are some of the best among these activities.
Lastly, Thursdays are free to visit in Children’s Museum in Houston.
LBJ Presidential Library
| Website: | https://www.lbjlibrary.org/ |
| Address: | 2313 Red River St, Austin, TX 78705 |
| Phone: | 512-721-0200 |
| Best Exhibits: | First Lady’s Gallery, Great Hall, Lady Bird Johnson’s Office |
| Reviews: | 980 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
In the LBJ Presidential Library, you can learn everything from LBJ and Lady Bird’s upbringing to their professional lives and their marriages. This museum has 45 million sheets of historical records in its collection, including papers from President Johnson as well as his close friends and associates.
A visit to the LBJ Presidential Library should take two hours without feeling rushed.
As a result of the contributions of President and Mrs. Johnson, their family, close friends, coworkers, and the American people as a whole, the museum holds over 54,000 items.
FAQ on Finding The Best Museum
Which museum is the largest in Texas?
Over three million artifacts are stored in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest museum in Texas dedicated to local history.
How many museums are there in Texas?
According to the Texas Historical Commission, there are over a thousand museums in the state.
Are there good museums in Austin?
Austin has over ten excellent museums for people to visit. The Blanton Museum of Art is the best one in the city.
Conclusion
When choosing a museum to visit, go to one that provides historical artifacts and information on your interests. I love visiting American history museums, and the USS Lexington is one of my favorites!