Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.
Planetarium at Texas Museum of Science and Technology
Guest article by Dana Minney
Aristotle said, “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”As different as children can be, one thing they share is curiosity. We observe it in their expressive faces, wide eyes and (sometimes endless) questions. Luckily, in Austin there are many ways for kids to learn, have fun and stimulate their curiosity!
The night is just getting started at Blanton Museum of Art
Blanton Museum of Art’s quarterly event, B Scene, offers open art galleries, crafts, food, drinks, dancing and live music. At this unique party, visitors get an exclusive experience of The University of Texas at Austin’s beautiful art museum. [Read more…]
Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata entrance in East Austin
In a home off of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in East Austin reside Scott and Jen Webel, owners of the Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata. I remember visiting the museum when I first moved to Austin, and since then it has remained in the back of my mind as an oddity I wanted to learn more about. Where did all of these weird items come from, and why are they in someone’s home? [Read more…]
Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum is located at 605 Robert E Lee Rd near Zilker Park
(Credit: Rebecca Belcher Photography)
Last week, I joined local photographer Rebecca Belcher at Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum for one of the loveliest events in Austin, the 17th Annual Umlauf Garden Party.
This major fundraiser featured fare from 20 local restaurants, wine, a silent and live auction, live music and, of course, striking artwork. Though the humidity that night made us feel like we were in Houston, the event was unmistakably Austin with excited chatter, beautiful summer dresses and a garden full of sculptures made by a man who loved this city, Charles Umlauf (1910-1994). [Read more…]
Light wall at Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City, TX (Credit: Kevin Tully/A Smith Gallery)
Guest article by Anne Hebert
A 40-foot wall of LED lights demonstrating the power of cell phone signals. A giant Romenesco broccoli-shaped sculpture illuminating fractals. A lifelike look at the inside of the Edwards Aquifer, showing the water cycle.
Would you imagine you’d find each of these inside once-defunct grain silos?
This is the new Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City, a non-profit science museum that encourages interactive learning, creative thinking and scientific discussion.
The 14,000-square-foot space features more than 25 interactive and educational exhibits, plus hands-on maker stations and art installations, all designed to spark kids’ interest and help them fall in love with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). [Read more…]
Entrance to the French Legation Museum grounds (Credit: French Legation Museum and Daughters of the Republic of Texas)
The oldest wooden frame home in Austin sits alone on a hill with an unobstructed view of the State Capitol.
It dates back to the Republic of Texas, when France seized an opportunity to grab a piece of the new country and its wealth.
But the French sent the wrong man for the job. [Read more…]
Delicious French cuisine can be found in Austin, like the Steak Bearnaise at Chez Nous (Credit: Chez Nous)
Guest article by Kristella Montiegel.
Within the hip and diverse city of Austin, you’ll find an alluring presence of French culture and community. Fittingly so, since French colonization of Texas dates back to the the 1600’s. Traces of French influence – especially in historical locations, food and art – can be found throughout the Austin area.
While it might be a stretch to attribute the creative and experimental culture of Austin to the avant-gardism of modernist Paris, the fact remains that an impressive French community has been sustained through Austin’s growth and diversification. So, whether you’re a native of France or someone who’s simply curious about their customs, Austin has plenty of opportunities for you to get your daily dose of French lifestyle. [Read more…]
The LBJ Presidential Library
You eavesdrop on a phone conversation. You realize the voices are President Lyndon Baines Johnson and former First Lady and now widow Jackie Kennedy on the line. It’s an emotional discussion. Even though the phone call happened more than 50 years ago, you feel like a kid sneaking on the extension. Your ear’s glued to the earpiece, listening to these two have a personal and almost awkward discussion about Jackie’s access to the President. You hear Jackie confess she’s received more letters from LBJ in the last 10 days than she ever received from John F. Kennedy.
You put the receiver down, a bit drained and surprised at the closeness of the phone call, as though you’d listened to a friend talking on their smartphone set to speaker.
Two presidents from Texas have built libraries in Texas in the last two decades. But you need to see LBJ’s library. [Read more…]
Umlauf Sculpture Garden, with Ballerina in the foreground (1977, bronze)
“You don’t have to know. It’s just beautiful,” a man said while shrugging, after his friend seemed confused about a piece at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum.
It’s true; visiting the Umlauf can be enjoyable with little or no knowledge about Charles Umlauf (1910-1994) or his artwork. The grounds feature nice gravel paths, lush native plants, a waterfall, two ponds and a museum all nestled in the heart of the city next to Barton Springs and Zilker Park. [Read more…]
The Elisabet Ney Museum in Hyde Park
You don’t know it, but you know Elisabet Ney.
Her sculptures are part of your mental landscape. She’s credited by many for making Austin the Austin it is today – a center of culture. For anyone interested in the arts or Texas history, visiting the quiet little museum in the midst of a wildlife habitat at 304 E 44th Street in Hyde Park is a must.
Elisabet Ney self portrait
In the Austin of the 1880s, German sculptor Elisabet Ney insisted she be treated as an individual. The daughter of a stonemason, she won over misogynists and pushed herself to the highest power circles in Europe and United States. She always had short hair, which was extremely unusual for the times. She wore comfortable clothes, refusing corsets. She never took her husband’s name. [Read more…]