Arts Archives - The Austinot

Austin Museums – List of 10 Best Attractions including Art, Science, Interactive, Children’s Museums & more!

May 21, 2022 by Jerri C. Leave a Comment

Austin Museums - Bullock Texas State History Museum

Austin Museums | Image Credit: Bullock Texas State History Museum Facebook Page

Austin museums are among the city’s most popular attractions. The many museums in Austin, Texas are a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. Furthermore, there is always a museum for everyone — whether you enjoy contemporary or traditional arts, science or history, or maybe you want to simply experience something interactive and unique, Austin, TX museums have it all!

With so many great museums to choose from in ATX, it is often difficult to decide which museums to go visit. Our comprehensive guide can help you narrow down your choices. We have included details about the museum exhibits, museum hours, tickets, discounts, and more!

Check out this list of the 10 Best Museums in Austin!

Deal Alert: Save Big on Austin area Museums and other Attractions with POGO Pass

The Standard South Central Texas Pogo Pass (San Antonio/Austin/Waco) provides admissions to 35 different entertainment venues in the San Antonio, Austin and Waco area.

Perfect for families, the Pogo Pass gives both adult and child pass-holders 50+ visits to some of the best things to do that San Antonio, Austin and Waco have to offer. The Pogo Pass nearly pays for itself with a visit to one or two venues alone!!!

Pass Features the following Attractions in Austin

One visit to Wonder World Park
One visit to Typhoon Texas Waterpark
One Visit to the Thinkery Museum
Two Texas Stars hockey games
Two Austin Spurs basketball games
One visit per month to Austin’s Park
One visit to the Austin Aquarium
Two visits to Quest ATX Wakeboard Park
One visit to Pioneer Farms
One visit to Monster Mini Golf
One Visit per Quarter to D-Bat
One Visit to Mt. Playmore
Two visits to Rock Sports Arena
Two visits to Pump It Up
One visit to Neill-Cochran House Museum

Check out the POGO pass and SAVE Big on Austin Area Museums and other Attractions!

Austin Museums – Local, International, Traditional & Contemporary Art Museums

Blanton Museum of Art

Austin Museums - The Blanton Museum of Art

Image Credit: The Blanton Museum of Art Facebook Page

If you are looking for the best art museums in Austin Texas, then the Blanton Museum should be included in your must-see museums in Austin TX. European paintings, prints, drawings, modern and contemporary American and Latin American art, and Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin are among Blanton’s permanent collections of almost 21,000 pieces.

Timings: Wednesday – Thursday: 10 am – 5 pm | Sunday: 1 pm – 5 pm | Monday – Tuesday: Closed
Located At: The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Austin, TX 78712
How Much: Adult: $12 | Seniors: $10 | Youth: $5 | Military, Teachers, and Children 12 and under: Free

Mexic-Arte Museum

Mexic-Arte Museum

Image Credit: Mexic-Arte Museum Website

Artists Sylvia Orozco, Sam Coronado, and Pio Pulido founded Mexic-Arte Museum in the Arts Warehouse in downtown Austin in 1984 to share Mexican art and culture with Texas. For visitors of all ages, the museum is dedicated to enhancing the community via educational activities, exhibitions, and the collection, preservation, and interpretation of Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture.

Timings: Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm | Friday – Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm | Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Located At: 419 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Adult: $7 | Students, Military & Seniors: $4 | Children 12 and under: $1

Elisabet Ney Museum

Elisabet Ney Museum

Image Credit: Elisabet Ney Museum Facebook Page

There are plenty of free museums Austin offers its locals and tourists, and this is one of the favorite free museums in the city. The Elisabet Ney Museum is the former house and studio of Elisabet Ney, a controversial German artist who arrived in Austin in 1882. Through exhibitions and programs for the whole family, the museum proudly honors her art, history, and legacy.

Timings: Monday – Tuesday: Closed | Wednesday – Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Located At: 304 East 44th Street, Austin, 78751
How Much: Free

Museum of the Weird

Austin Museums - Museum of the Weird

Image Credit: Museum of the Weird Facebook Page

Nothing beats the weird museums in Austin better than the Museum of the Weird! It houses an unusual collection of oddities and is a must-see attraction! The Creature, Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, Frankenstein, and even a life-size King Kong are among the wax sculptures on display. Strange animals, monsters, mummies, mermaids, and more await you! But fear not, because everything is created and displayed in a family-friendly environment.

Timings: Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 7 pm
Located At: 412 East 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: $12

Science Museums in Austin

Austin Nature & Science Center

Dino Pit at Austin Nature & Science Center

Dino Pit | Image Credit: Austin Nature & Science Center Facebook Page

Since 1960, the Austin Nature & Science Center has served visitors, instructors, and children of all ages with hands-on nature displays, education programs, and recreation activities that improve knowledge and appreciation of the natural world.

Timings: Monday – Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm | Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Located At: 2389 Stratford Drive, Austin, TX 78746
How Much: Free

Austin Museums – History, Educational

Bullock Texas State History Museum

Bullock Texas State History Museum

Image Credit: Bullock Texas State History Museum Facebook Page

The Bullock Museum is truly one of the best museums in Austin. It showcases exhibitions, films, symposiums, community events, field trips, and entertaining, family-centered programming that convey the richness of hundreds of objects, the museum’s culture, and pioneering ideas to visitors of all ages. The museum oversees the presentation of Texas artifacts from all over the world, forming partnerships with other museums and private lenders to help Austin residents and visitors in learning more about the city’s rich history.

Timings: Wednesday – Sunday: 10 am – 5 pm | Monday – Tuesday: Closed
Located At: 1800 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Adult: $13 | Students, Military & Seniors: $11 | Youth (4-17): $9

LBJ Presidential Library

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

Image Credit: Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum Facebook Page

The Library of Congress, which is located on a 30-acre site on the University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas, houses 45 million pages of historical documents, 650,000 photos, and 5,000 hours of recordings from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s political career, including approximately 643 hours of his recorded telephone conversations. The museum’s core collection is made up of personal items owned, used, purchased, or worn by President and First Lady Johnson, all of which were contributed by President Johnson under the Presidential Libraries Act (1955).

Timings: Monday – Sunday: 9 am – 5 pm
Located At: 2313 Red River St., Austin, TX 78705
How Much: Adult: $13 | Seniors: $9 | Students & Youth (13-18): $4 | Children 12 and under: Free

Austin Museums – Interactive, Children’s Museums

Museum of Ice Cream

Museum of Ice Cream Austin

Museum of Ice Cream Austin Photos from Facebook Page

There is no other museum in the world where you can learn about ice cream while riding an animal cookie, surrounded by thousands of bananas, or swimming in a pool filled with millions of sprinkles. Prepare to be whisked away to a world where all of your wildest ice cream fantasies come true, only here at the Austin ice cream museum.

Timings: Monday & Thursday: 11:30 am – 6:30 pm | Tuesday – Wednesday: Closed | Friday: 11:30 am – 8 pm | Saturday: 10 am – 8 pm | Sunday: 10 am – 6:30 pm
Located At: 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, #128, Austin, TX 78758
How Much: General Weekday Admission: $29 | General Weekend Admission: $32 | Kids 2 and below: Free

The Contemporary Austin

The contemporary Austin

Image Credit: The Contemporary Austin Facebook Page

Through exhibitions, commissions, education, and its collection, The Contemporary Austin highlights the essence of contemporary art. It is housed in two locations: the historic Jones Center on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin and Laguna Gloria, a fourteen-acre art-in-nature complex that includes the Driscoll Villa, the Betty, and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park, the Art School at Laguna Gloria, and the Moody Pavilions.

Timings: Jones Center — Wednesday: 12 pm – 9 pm; Thursday – Sunday: 12 pm – 6 pm | Laguna Gloria — Wednesday: 9 am – 3 pm; Thursday: 9 am – 9 pm; Friday – Sunday: 9 am – 3 pm
Located At: Jones Center, 700 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701 | Laguna Gloria, 3809 West 35th Street, Austin, Texas 78703
How Much: Adult: $10 | Students & Seniors: $10 | Military & Kids under 18: Free

Thinkery

Austin Museums - Thinkery

Image Credit: Thinkery Facebook Page

Thinkery is one of the great kid museums in Austin. It is a place where Austin’s kids and their families may engage in inquiry-based, hands-on learning through play. Thinkery has 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor activities for kids and families to learn while having fun. Thinkery stimulates physical, emotional, and cognitive growth for young learners and fosters joyful curiosity for all ages through a range of hands-on, interactive exhibits and events. The interactive experiences in the museum are suitable and truly interesting for people of all ages.

Timings: Monday: Closed | Tuesday – Thursday: 9 am – 3 pm | Friday: 9 am – 5 pm | Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm | Sunday: 10 am – 3 pm
Located At: Thinkery at the Meredith Learning Lab, 1830 Simond Ave., Austin, TX 78723
How Much: General: $16 | Children aged 0-23 months: Free. Thinkery is a one of the attractions covered by the POGO Pass

Any other Austin Museums that we forgot to include in here? Let us know!

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Black Fret Keeps Live Music Alive With a New Festival

May 12, 2021 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Nakia SXSW 2018 Black Fret — Nakia enlivened an amazing Black Fret showcase during SXSW 2018. (credit: Bill Tucker)

For more than eight years, Black Fret supported the Austin music community with an unstoppable sense of purpose and accomplishment. When COVID brought live music to a near standstill, many of us wondered who would step up and take a stand. Black Fret came to the table and their brand new music festival, “Keep Live Music Alive,” is the comeback party we’ve been asking for since March of 2020. And with news of the 2021 class of grant nominees around the corner, there has never been a better time to become a member and support the music.

Doing The Right Thing Since 2013

Matt and Colin Black Ball 2018 — Colin Kendrick (L) and Matt Ott (R) pose before the 2018 Black Ball (credit: Bill Tucker)

Founded by Colin Kendrick and Matt Ott in 2013, Black Fret aims to support the local music scene through member support. Members pay a flat fee that goes toward yearly grants. In return, members get access to unique, intimate listening room style performances. Every year, members nominate twenty artists to receive either a minor ($5,000) or major ($20,000) grant. The year culminates in the Black Ball, a sensational awards show and concert blowout at the Moody Theater. I’ve been to multiple Black Balls over the years, and trust me. They are experiences!

And while COVID kicked the Austin live music scene in the gut, Black Fret fought back with the Happy Hour Concert series. The program paid out over $250,000 to over 150 musicians for playing shows for companies and businesses over Zoom. It’s that sort of innovation that helped Black Fret stay helpful and relevant during the pandemic.

How’s this for numbers? To date, Black Fret has awarded $2,000,000 to local musicians and $1,500,000 to Austin-area venues and music businesses. Every artist playing a Black Fret showcase gets paid as does every venue. And for the first time, this year’s season dues is $750. While that may seem steep, it’s a hefty discount from years past. And consider the amount of live shows you get exclusive access to, along with knowing you’re supporting the art that keeps Austin the “Live Music Capital of the World. It’s a donation worth considering if you have the means to do so.

The Keep Live Music Alive Festival

Buffalo Hunt during the Black Fret SXSW 2021 showcase.

Now that COVID restrictions are relaxing enough for Austin to dip its collective toe back into live music, Black Fret is launching its first membership drive of the season in the form of a festival. The “Keep Live Music Alive” festival will take place from May 14-16th at the Long Center Terrace. While the event is listed as members only, single-day tickets are available for non-members. But that’s not the point. With an incredible lineup to offer, becoming a member is the best way to experience this three-day extravaganza.

The jam packed schedule reads like a who’s who of new Austin music. While ATX staples like Ley Line and Darkbird make me smile, I’m dying to check out Zach Person. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this local up-and-comer. The full schedule is as follows:

Day 1	Time
Eimarl Sol	4:00
Darkbird	4:45
Mike Melinoe	5:30
Miggy Milla	6:15
Zach Person	7:00
Buffalo Hunt	7:45
Nane	8:30
Day 2
Night Blooms	3:00
Motenko	4:00
Ley Line	4:45
Clarence James	5:30
Lisa Morales	6:15
Harry Edohoukwa	7:00
American Dreamer	7:45
Sam Houston & Blk Odyssy	8:30
Jake Lloyd	9:00
Day 3
Special Tribute to Bob Dylan	11:00 AM
Jon Muq	2:00
Casey McPherson	3:00
Dom Fisher	3:45
Pat Byrne	4:30
J Soulja	5:15
Matt the Electrician	6:00
The Reverent Few	6:45
Deezie Brown	7:30

Looking Forward to the Season Ahead

Austin band Motenko performing during Black Fret’s SXSW 2021 showcase.

And the festival is a jumping-off point. On June 11th via a private event at the Moody Theatre, Black Fret will announce this year’s class of artists. After months of live shows, the season will culminate in this year’s Black Ball on December 4th. As a fan of this wonderful organization, it’s great to see it up and running as intended: promoting and stewarding Austin live music. And if Black Fret’s re-emergence is the goal, the Keep Live Music Alive festival is its proof of concept.

“Black Fret is all about supporting our local music as the art that it is and we thank the Long Center for hosting our first ‘Keep Live Music Alive’ festival,” said Matt Ott, Co-founder of Black Fret. “COVID knocked our music community on our collective ass and it is time for us all to come together to support our artists, venues, and vendors that create our amazing music ecosystem in Austin. Joining Black Fret is a great way to accomplish that.”

When the music community was sucker-punched by COVID over a year ago, it hit everyone hard. From artists to venues and everyone in between, it was a time of uncertainty and anxiety. Despite it all, Black Fret continued to do what it does best—provide a lifeline to Austin’s cherished and storied music scene when it needed it most. And with this weekend’s celebration, the Austin music community hopes to turn the page on the year that was, and look forward to a great season of sounds ahead.

To become a member and attend the festival, visit https://www.blackfret.org/klma/ for everything you need to do so.

@BillTuckerTSP wants to know:

Ever been to a Black Fret event? Tell us about your experience!

All That Glitters Is Neon at Upcoming Surreal Sea Party

October 29, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Surreal Sea Party Entrance Through Neon Fish — Enter Surreal Sea through the belly of the beast (Credit: Ion Art)

Austin, prepare to trip the lights fantastic in an awe-inspiring neon seacape. Dance the night away among dazzling creatures and festive people at Ion Art and Art Seen Alliance’s Surreal Sea 2019.

Please Touch the Art During Touch Tours at Umlauf Sculpture Garden

August 30, 2019 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

Touch Tours for Visually Impaired at Umlauf Sculpture Garden — Sarah Story and Sara Athans demonstrate the Touch Tours experience at “Muse II”

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum is a place most Austinites have been at least once. This beloved art venue offers vibrant programming, which includes summer camps, family days, and yoga. The peaceful space is also a popular event venue.

But as I walked in to do research for this story, I realized I’d never taken a proper tour. That’s how I missed a key fact regarding touching the statues. I had to confirm: is it really okay to touch the art? “Yes,” Program Director Sarah Athans replied as she smiled, “at least the bronze ones.”

This fact, along with a longtime relationship with Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, set the perfect conditions for Touch Tours to become a part of the garden’s offerings.

7 Outstanding Fine Artists in Austin to Know and Appreciate

August 28, 2019 by Katrina Cervantes 5 Comments

Rachel Dickson One of Austin's Fine Artists — Rachel Dickson in a studio shoot with Fotohouse (Credit: Daniel Nguyen)

You already know Austin is a hub for art and culture. In addition to world-class museums like the Blanton, smaller galleries line the streets. The city does a wonderful job of making sure art of all sorts is installed in public spaces for everyone to enjoy. And there’s no shortage of street art, if that’s your thing. Sculptural exhibits are plentiful for those who prefer a more three-dimensional realm. Sometimes, you’ll find disciplines intersect, since plenty of artists like to play in the proverbial clay and experiment with different media.

The following list focuses on seven Austin-based artists who are skilled in the fine arts—mainly abstract, portraiture, and landscapes. As you’ll see, they find ways to expand upon these categories and even transcend them.

Art City Austin to Delight the Senses While Celebrating Diverse Local Art

April 4, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Art City Austin Pop Art — Pop art, fan art, and fine art come together at Art City Austin (Credit: Art City Austin)

Austin’s wonderful weirdness is due in part to our artists of every hue. Art City Austin festival, the anchor event for Art Alliance Austin, will welcome dozens of artists to Republic Square Park on April 12-14, 2019.

Frida Friday ATX Showcases Women of Color Makers in Austin

March 19, 2019 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

Frida Friday ATX Sewing Machine

Credit: Anais Alesya Photography

With March being Women’s History Month, it’s a great time to celebrate women in a special way. Lucky for us, Austin has an answer for not just this month, but any time of the year you want to support women, shop local, join a community party, or participate in a multi-generational event.

Frida Friday ATX started as a monthly women’s market, offering the opportunity for local women of color makers to show and sell their work. With this founding mission, Frida Friday ATX developed a space that’s not just a market, but a creative, communal space. The women vendors give back, as well, with a local cause and/or community partner selected as a beneficiary for each event. [Read more…]

Artistic Imagination Roams Freely at Indra’s Awarehouse in Austin

February 12, 2019 by Katrina Cervantes Leave a Comment

Randi Southard, artist and owner of Indra's Awarehouse in Austin

Randi Southard, artist and owner of Indra’s Awarehouse (Credit: Cindy Chapter)

Indra’s Awarehouse is a 5,000-square-foot DIY art space located 20 minutes from downtown Austin. That’s 5,000-square-feet full of imagination and liberation, where wacky and wonderful ideas are allowed to take root, and grow into a plethora of multi-sensory experiences.

Creatives Meet Business Bridges Gap Across Artistic Communities

December 18, 2018 by Krista Hager Leave a Comment

Creatives Meet Business Experience Conference Austin

Austin creatives collaborate during The Experience event in Austin

Austin, Live Music Capital of the World, bounces with creative energy. Yet even this artist-friendly city struggles to financially support its expansive treasure trove of creative talent. That’s why I was instantly intrigued when I caught wind of the Creatives Meet Business mission to nourish Austin’s creative sector through impactful community and leverage entrepreneurial creativity. [Read more…]

Art for the People Gallery Makes Austin Artwork Accessible

December 17, 2018 by Katrina Cervantes Leave a Comment

Outside Art for the People in Austin, TX

Austin muralist Miles Starkey painted the fence outside Art for the People

Deanna “Dee” Serra founded Art for the People almost five years ago. She identifies as a collector, not so much as an artist. But she certainly has an eye for art. And her organizational prowess has allowed her to bring together a community of individuals who uplift each other. The gallery is truly “for the people,” by the people. [Read more…]

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