Museums & Historic Sites in Austin

Experience Austin’s Top Museums and Treasured Historical Landmarks

Take a step back in time and explore Austin’s storied past through the many museums and prominent historical sites across the city. From the earliest days of the Texas Republic to Austin’s naming as the Texas State Capital, learn about the events and people that shaped the city to what it is today.

History Museums

Austin is home to several fantastic museums that bring to life the history of Austin and the Central Texas region. Check out the Bullock Texas State History Museum with three floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits that walk visitors through the history of Texas from the early settlers all the way to the present day. At the Texas Science and Natural History Museum, marvel at the impressive skeletons of the prehistoric creatures that used to roam this area over 67 million years ago. 

Visit the LBJ Presidential Library to get an in-depth look at our 36th president's life and his accomplishments while in the Oval Office. Learn about the lives of notable Austin residents and tour their original homes in Downtown Austin’s Brush Square Museums. Tour the living history museum, Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms, and be transported back as you tour restored and preserved sites from 19th-century Texas.

Historical Sites

Austin was officially founded in 1839, but with people living here long before that, there are plenty of crucial historical sites that help tell the story of the city and its people. Start your history tour at the Texas State Capitol. Constructed in 1839 out of red granite and standing 14 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol Building. See the grand Driskill Hotel, opened in 1886 and one of the oldest hotels in Texas. 

While the venue has changed hands over the years, the Historic Victory Grill was a stop for iconic African American artists on the chitlin circuit in the 1940s, and still a cornerstone of East Austin’s vibrant cultural history. The Hezikiah Haskell House, built by a formerly enslaved man shortly after the Civil War, is a physical reminder of the roots of the historic Clarksville neighborhood in West Austin. 

Historical Walking Tours

Take a walking tour through Downtown Austin and learn about the unique history and significance of the different districts. The Austin Visitor Center hosts a variety of walking tours weekly, led by local experts who offer an engaging and informative view of the city.