Tucked onto the campus of The University of Texas at Austin are three wonderful museums that are waiting to be explored. If you are looking for more things to do in Austin you may be interested in this post about things to do with kids in Austin or my Texas Bucket List post.
LBJ Presidential Library and Museum
At the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum, you will be able to learn about Lyndon B. Johnson and his time in office. The library includes exhibits where you can listen in on dozens of telephone conversations, a replica of the Oval Office when LBJ was president, learn how legislation signed by LBJ affects you today, the President’s limousine, and see Lady Bird’s office and learn about her environmental efforts.
We really enjoyed learning more about LBJ. I feel like he accomplished a lot in office that still has an impact on us including signing legislation for PBS, national parks, and financial aid for college to name a few.
The library also houses the archives (more than 45 million pages, including more than 650,000 photos) from when Lyndon B Johnson was in office.
Texas Memorial Museum
We had been looking for a science museum and all along it was hiding in the middle of UT’s campus! The Texas Memorial Museum opened in 1939 as a place to conserve the historic treasures of Texas.
Today you will find exhibits on dinosaurs and other fossils, minerals and gems, Texas wildlife dioramas, preserved specimen collection, and more.
We loved seeing all the fossils including dinosaurs, a giant ground sloth, and starfish. Don’t miss the Texas Pterosaur, a flying reptile, skeleton hanging in the Great hall!
Blanton Museum of Art
With nearly 18,000 works in the collection, the Blanton showcases art from across the ages, from ancient Greek pottery to abstract expressionism. With a year-round schedule of temporary exhibitions there is always something new to explore.
Blanton Museum of Art is also home to American artist Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin which is a 2,715-square-foot stone building with luminous colored glass windows, a totemic wood sculpture, and fourteen black and white marble panels.
