From the Texas State Capitol to several art museums to a Texas history museum, Austin is a cultural hub. If the weather is good, then visit one of Austin’s museums with outdoor collections, like those with outdoor sculpture and wildflowers. Here are the Best Museums in Austin and the best Austin museums for families.
Best Museums in Austin
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Texas State Capitol
Texas Military Forces Museum
The Thinkery
Blanton Museum of Art
The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria
The Contemporary Austin Jones Center
Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum
Mexic-Arte Museum
Austin Nature Center
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Pioneer Farm
LBJ Presidential Library
Harry Ranson Center
Museum of the Weird
Neill-Cochran House and Museum
George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center
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Bullock Texas State History Museum
With its larger-than-life star out front, this museum is dedicated to Texas and its history. Visitors will learn about the people, places and events that define Texas history. Visitors will also find an IMAX theater and restaurant on site.
Located at 1800 Congress Ave. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission (18+) is $17. and youth (4 to 17) are $11.
Texas State Capitol
Built from 1882 to 1888, it’s actually taller than the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol grounds offer shaded walking paths, and the interior features the sculptures of Sam Houston and Stephen Austin by local artist Elizabeth Ney.
Stop by the Capitol Visitors Center for more information. The Texas Travel Center is also located in this building. It’s located at 112 East 11th St., and it’s not required to visit the visitor center before heading to the Capitol Tour. The center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Visitors to the Texas State Capitol must pass through airport-style security. Parking is available at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage, 1201 San Jacinto Blvd.
Located at 1100 Congress Ave. Tours are Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4:45 p.m.
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Texas Military Forces Museum
Visitors will learn how Texans contributed to the military from 1823 until the present. This facility, on the Camp Mabry campus, is a military installation. It contains lots of aircraft and even tanks, along with uniforms and weapons through the ages.
Located at 3038 W 35th St. and located on Camp Mabry. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free to enter.
The Thinkery
The hands-on children’s museum offers 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for kids of all ages. Move through the facility that’s divided into zones. For smaller kids, the Thinkery is one of the best museums in Austin for families.
Located at 1830 Simond Ave. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (7 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday). Admission (2+) is $19.95, and babies are free.
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Art Museums in Austin
Blanton Museum of Art
Located across from the University of Texas campus, the Blanton Museum of Art is the largest art museum in Austin. Its collection includes 21,000 works of art from modern and contemporary American and Latin American artists, Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings, prints, and drawings from medieval to contemporary times. Outside, visitors can experience the Ellsworth Kelly installation, Austin, a freestanding building.
Located at 200 MLK Blvd. Open Tuesday to Friday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed Monday). Adult admission is $15, youth from 6 and older are $8, and kids 5 and younger are free.
The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria
Along the shores of Lake Austin, The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria features many of its contemporary sculptures in its woodland garden. The facility also includes the Driscoll Villa, a 1916 Italianate home.
Located at 3809 W. 35th St. Open Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult admission (18+) is $10 and kids 18 and younger and seniors are free. Free admission on Thursdays.
The Contemporary Austin Jones Center
Its downtown location makes this an easy museum to visit when in town. Its 8,000-square-foot space covers two floors and offers a roof deck. The Jones Center is home to contemporary art and exhibitions.
Located at 700 Congress Ave. Open Wednesday from noon to 9 p.m., Thursday to Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Adult admission is $10 and kids (18 and younger) are free. Free admission on Thursdays.
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Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum
Walk through a landscaped garden with the sculptures of Charles Umlauf, a former University of Texas professor. It’s one of the best museums in Austin.
Located at 605 Azie Morton Rd. Open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $8 and students (13+) are $4 and kids (6 to 12) are $2.
Mexic-Arte Museum
A downtown museum dedicated to Mexican and Latinx art and artists with special events, including an extended Dia de los Muertos.
Located at 419 Congress Ave. Open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $7, students are $1 and kids 12 and younger are $1.
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Outdoor Museums in Austin
Austin Nature Center
Visitors will learn about environmental science in an indoor/outdoor space. A favorite with kids is the native animals in rehabilitative care. Guests can also take the Forest Trail to see native trees, then head to the overlook to see the Austin skyline.
Located at 2389 Strafford Dr. Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Free to enter.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Visitors will learn about the native plants of Texas in this 284-acre facility. It features 900 different varieties, including trees, cultivated gardens, and wildflowers. Another good option for kids is one of the best Austin, Texas, museums for families.
Located at 4801 La Crosse Ave. Open daily at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (2 p.m. in summer). Adult admission is $15, youth are (5 to 17) are $8 and those 4 and younger are free.
The Pioneer Farm
With a 90-acre facility, visitors experience life in 1880s Texas. Historical interpreters demonstrate skills of the time period, and it offers workshops staffed with artisans. With its animals, The Pioneer Farm is one of the best museums in Austin for kids.
Located at 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr. Open from Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adult admission is $8 and kids (3 to 17 are $6.
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LBJ Presidential Library
Located at the University of Texas, the LBJ Presidential Library houses the archives of the 36th President of the U.S. and a native of the Texas Hill Country. As the president during a pivotal period of U.S. history, the library offers exhibits on both LBJ and his wife, Lady Bird.
The LBJ Presidential Library hosts a range of speakers during the year as well as traveling exhibitions.
Located at 2313 Red River St. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults are $16, youth (13 to 18) are $6 and kids 12 and younger enter for free.
Harry Ranson Center
As the archives of the University of Texas, the exhibitions change frequently. However, the Harry Ranson Center has a complete Guttenburg Bible. Its collection features manuscripts, early books, photographs and artwork.
Located at 300 W. 21st St. on the University of Texas Campus. Open from Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. It is free to enter.
Museum of the Weird
Along the infamous Sixth Street and in the middle of the entertainment district, visitors get a dose of the weirdness of Austin. It offers a collection of oddities and is best for teens.
Located at 412 E. Sixth St. Open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Adult admission is $12.99 and kids (8 and younger) are $8.99
Neill-Cochran House and Museum
Built in 1855, though the original owners never moved into the Greek Revival rock house. It served as a school for the blind and a federal war hospital instead. In 1875, the Neill family moved in, followed by the Cochran Family. The historic house full of antique furnishings.
Located at 2310 San Gabriel St. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $10, students are $8 and kids 12 and younger are free.
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George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center
This museum offers exhibits and collections of African American culture and is not dedicated to George Washington Carver, the inventor. One of the core exhibits depicts the life of African Americans in 19th-century Texas.
Located at 1165 Angelina St. Open Monday to Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Sunday). Free to enter.
Elizabeth Ney Museum- Closed for Renovation to Spring 2027
Visitors see many examples of Elizabeth Nee’s sculpture in the former Ney studio, where she lived and worked. Born and educated in Germany, she immigrated to Texas in 1882 and sculpted Texas legends like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. The gardens around the home are lovely, too.
Located at 304 E. 44th St. in Hyde Park, the historic neighborhood north of the University of Texas.
