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Top Museums in Austin, United States

Top Rated Museums in Austin

Top Reviewed Museums in Austin

Reviews

We had a great time at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum! The information and presentations detailing the life of LBJ and his presidency were truly informative and a great window into his life and work. The staff was also very friendly and kind, answering all our questions.
I'm a big presidential library fan! LBJ library is well worth a visit.
On the University of Texas campus
Plenty of parking - free
Details the great society civil rights agenda of LBJ
Nice gift shop
Had I known that the LBJ Presidential Library was this interesting, I'd have skipped the State Capital. The various recorded telephone conversations were fascinating. The one btw LBJ and Katherine Graham floored me. It also helped that the "Music (of) America" exhibit was in the Library (it will be there till August 2024). So it was a doubly interesting experience for me.
Comprehensive, engaging, and fun! It even has an animatronic LBJ!
Just GO! It’s historic, and well worth the effort. We came from Los Angeles!
Warren Wildlife Gallery is a great little adventure! My grandsons love it. It is a quick outing when you are looking for something to do with kids or visitors. Free but making an appointment is advised. It is full of big and little surprises and is updated occasionally. Since we enjoy it for free we usually buy something from the gift shop as a way to support it financially. Items are reasonably priced. A little gem tucked into an interesting Austin neighborhood.
Dave W.
at 2024 Jun 04
Dave W.
at 2024 Jun 04
Definitely worth your visit. Great overview of his life and presidency. The volunteers are very informative and friendly. We'll laid out. Must see!!
This is my 3rd Presidential library and I have liked all three. If you get a chance there is an amazing exhibit at the library right now, May 2024 on artifacts of American music! This by itself was worth the price of admission. Didn’t realize all the things President Johnson got done including Medicare.
I had a fantastic time at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin today.

One of the highlights for me was definitely seeing LBJ’s Texas limousine up close—what a piece of history!

The 11-minute multimedia experience in the Introduction Theater gave a great overview of LBJ’s life and legacy.

A special exhibition; "MUSIC AMERICA", with iconic objects from America's music history such as Elvis, Nirvana, Bruce Sprinsteen, is a must-see and runs through August 11, 2024. You can easily spend an hour here only.

I also loved looking up at the four floors holding over 45 million pages of documents in the LBJ Library Archives and viewing the displays in the Great Hall Gallery. The interactive exhibits and artifacts in the core exhibition brought LBJ’s domestic and foreign affairs to life.

The staff were super helpful, and the library is fully accessible. Overall, it was a wonderful visit, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history or presidential libraries.
This is a hidden gem in South Austin. This was my first time here, and it definitely did not disappoint! What a beautiful gallery with so much to see, and the landscaping is so well kept! I would highly recommend visiting this gallery!
I found myself talking to an old elephant bull in my mind’s eye this morning, and as I lay awake in bed with a heavy heart, I quietly breathed these words:

“When people debate hunting big tuskers for trophies, they don’t consider how deeply it affects the local communities who you represent. They only see the material value of your tusks, and ignore the spiritual and ecological value you have for the people you’ve lived alongside for many centuries. They forget that by harming you, they harm themselves and the delicate natural balance that sustains us all.”

Humans crave knowledge, wisdom, and a sense of belonging to the intricate web of life. We long for meaningful connections with nature – to learn from its timeless rhythms and find calm in its beauty beyond our chaotic lives.

Selling a soul – whose history is etched into its weathered tusks and thick skin – as a trophy seems to signify a turning away from the solutions we need for our own selves and Earth’s wellbeing and health. It diminishes the sacred bond that should exist between us and the natural world – a bond rooted in respect, admiration, and a deep sense of interconnectedness.

Words by Katie Rowe. As the Director of Conservation at The Sarara Foundation, Katie worked alongside the Samburu community in helping to establish Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. Katie is also the mastermind behind our Milk to Market program.

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To learn more about what is happening to East Africa’s big tuskers and Tanzania’s approach to big trophy hunting, follow Save the Elephants, ElephantVoices, Amboseli Trust for Elephants and Big Life Foundation.

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The photo is of Ghost, an elephant bull who calls Namunayk, “Place of Peace”, his home.

#endtrophyhunting #elephants #protectelephancts #kenya #namunyakconservancy #communityconservation #tuskers #saveourspecies #saveelephants #namunyak
Now closed! They haven’t bothered to update the website. Unclear if it will be open on the future, but the museum has been dismantled and everything is under construction.
I recently explored the LBJ Presidential Library after it has an extensive renovation but this visit was to see the Music America: Iconic Objects from America's Music History temporary exhibit. They have a dedicated parking lot but it was full and decided to park in the next one dedicated to the University of Texas. It was a Saturday so I am sure they did not mind. The building itself is very impressive and always enjoy visiting this place ever since my parents brought me here when I was a small child.

On this day there was a lot of of people visiting where I believe may have been eclipse tourists in town finding things to do in Austin while they wait for Monday. The Music America exhibit was definitely soothing to see and recommend it. The rest of the museum takes you back in time when Lyndon Baines Johnson was president and ran the show in times when a lot was happing in America. They have lots of timelines with historical events.

Make sure to ride the elevator to the 10th floor where find a replica of the Oval Office, Lady Bird's office and collection. The grounds are also spectacular with nice views of the UT campus and Tower.
Visiting the wildlife gallery was an absolute delight! From the moment I walked in, I was captivated by the stunning displays showcasing the beauty of nature. The attention to detail in each exhibit was remarkable, and the passion of the staff members was palpable. Not only did I learn so much about various species, but I also felt a deep connection to the natural world. It was a truly enriching experience that I would highly recommend to anyone seeking inspiration and appreciation for wildlife.
J S
at 2024 Feb 07
J S
at 2024 Feb 07
Our guide, Jay, is a great human being with tons of knowledge to share. He also recommnded some live music for us to check out, which was appreciated by these tourists new to Austin. The museum is small but packed with great info and exhibits. A must for any music fan. Worth a 30- to 45-minute stopover. All that for a $10 donation? Money well spent. Long live Texas music!
Great DRT has done a fantastic job for future generations to enjoy & explore Texas History! CONGRATULATIONS!! 🎉 The French Ligation is next door and a treasured Texas historical site you don't want to miss 😉🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The staff was amazing and the museum is very well kept. We reserved a room for a local meet up and they were very accommodating and the space had everything we needed
My family and I last visited this museum in 2022. We were here for a plant/seed exchange event. I definitely recommend visiting. This museum has lots of educational displays. I never knew this place existed. As someone who is biracial I definitely appreciate that there’s a museum for black history here in Austin.
Well organized museum focusing on African American experiences in Austin and Texas after Juneteenth and the Emancipation.
We visited the George Washington Museum during the Austin Art Studio Tour 2023. This was a group show for the artists who are on the tour. Congratulations to all of those artists who sold their pieces. The prices were affordable and I wish we had attended this show the week prior. Some pieces were quite amazing, some were rather rudimentary...
Such a cool hidden gem! I went alone and pretty much got to tour the place to myself since you make reservations! There was so much to look at. Morgan at the front desk was so kind and it was nice to chat with her. Highly recommend if looking for something unique to do in ATX to escape the heat or rain. And it was free!
This place is amazing. This amount of amazing historical materials and photo collections they have is so educational.
I have personally enjoyed the events they put on talking about the collections they have acquired with the people or person who originated them.
This is department is a huge asset not only to UT but for everyone seeking knowledge.
GWCarver museum is a community treasure. It is a full service library with emphasis on Black authors,artists and creatives of Austin past and present. The community meeting room is available to all for free, public organizations. Completely wheelchair accessible throughout.
Interesting small Museum at the LBJ school. Rotating exhibits from collections of famous photographers, journalists and authors focusing on US history, politics and change. Texas's past is generally emphasized. Free parking in the LBJ Museum lot, a great double stop.
Focuses on the works and work papers of famous folks, writers etc. Rotating shows featuring history from the viewpoint, work activity of writers, artists.
Lovely museum, great exhibits especially Texas family history and contributions to Austin. And it's free, but made a donation.
This place is a hidden gem! It’s small, but the details make it memorable. We spent a hour here & it was plenty of time for the kids to enjoy themselves. I especially love the giant giraffe out in the front! I also like how a reservation is required & that you’re able to walk through at your own pace without a crowd! There is a small gift shop. & they do accept donations. Our entry was free! I highly recommend checking this place out. It’s definitely worth it!
The gift store inside was very well stocked with a large selection. We bought a variety of items, we were very impressed.
Wonderful place to spend your time at. Nice atmosphere, learn more about your history and see their images. Get introduced to artist and poets through the exhibits and book store. Come on down and bring your family and friends.
This place is amazing! I wish I could give it more then 5 stars. I spent a hour here and could have spent much more of my kid didn’t get bored. There have a small put put to do on the way out. The way they have it set up.. wow. There is so much to take in. I feel like every time I turned around, there was more to see or there was something else I missed. I took a ton of pictures but they request you don’t ruin it for people who haven’t been here. It’s allot to take in and I feel like I have to come back and do the tour again because of the amount of stuff I missed. Staff was super friendly, this is definitely top tier. Beautifully done.. someone put allot of time into setting this up, i highly recommend getting a appointment and checking them out.
Olmec head replica impressive. Definitely worthwhile to visit.
I can only share my experience as someone who attended a lecture at the center, but I can say that all that was hosted and the area we were in was very nice. The staff that was there was very attentive and they provided an excellent location for a lecture series on some architectural history.

Overall, the Briscoe center is a very interesting building that's incredibly long and lies behind the LBJ library when looking at it from the campus area and the hill on the tower. The building is in wonderful shape and the museum section that I got to tour also was very interesting and was mostly about the civil rights era. The architectural group was there for a half day series that included a lunch and everybody who attended had a very nice time. It was top-notch facilities and like I said the staff were very friendly and helpful and the environment was very conducive to a great presentation and event. Highly recommend this for a place to host a lecture and on a lesser note, it looks like a wonderful place to spend some time looking around along with going to the LBJ library.
Place is horrible. They have to many restrictions just to enter. No one wants to sign up and register for an account and fill out all types of forms just to go in and obtain information that should be readily accepted and available to patrons. Then the lag time in requesting information and someone having to go and get it which takes an additional amount of time that adds to your wait. They need better structure and management here that will allow for better service and better use of time. Regular libraries and museums don't have all of these added problems because they allow visitors access to all the materials and catalogs they have in their facility. This place could learn from them. We more than likely will not return here since we experience such level of difficulty and had to wait do long for requested information.
Great exhibits detailing lots of history of the Black journey from slave to Juneteenth. Saw dance classes taking place on the theater and space being used for HCBU informational tables. Adjacent to the library.
Very informative and interactive museum! I learned many new things about the history of medicine, all while having fun! This is a great place to take your family, friends, or SO. The security guard was very friendly and did a great job guarding the artifacts. This is a must see for Austin visitors.
I don't know what Laurie is talking about. This exhibit tells you everything you need to know about the history of medicine and then more. I can't think of a single medical subject that wasn't covered here. The exhibits have a way of sucking you in, while still supplying some much needed levity in these troubling times.
a c
at 2022 Nov 23
a c
at 2022 Nov 23
Should be named "The History of Medicine in Popular Culture". Consists of comic books, dolls, games and tv shows with medicine as a theme. No actual medical tools or serious history involved.
This was such a fun and educational experience! My kiddos really enjoyed exploring all of the surprisingly interactive exhibits. There were things that moved, things that talked, the tablets were fantastic for them to be able to find out information on their own and overall it was just such a great adventure! Be sure to look out for all the hidden gems, and don't be afraid to circle back a few times. We certainly did and found something new each time!
Free admission, small but fun exhibit.
Small, but interesting exhibits. When I was there, the main exhibition was a chronological examination of how the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced the atomic bombings via contemporaneous photos, first-hand accounts, and some of the detritus on display.
This is a tiny museum.
Love this place but it is temp closed. Its moving to behind the French Legation
Love this place, but it closed until the new museum is built across from the Historic French Legstion
Great historical republic of Texas Daughter's
Awesome museum!
High quality history museum. Excellent focus on Civil Rights. A top notch reading room for researchers interested in digging into the Center's excellent archival collections.
People are polite and helpful
great museum
This place is probably more fun for kids. I like how there are folks dressed up in period costume, though.