Added: 07/12/2006 |
The Texas State History Museum is as Big as TexasThis Texas history museum offers many Texas sized exhibits that depict the roots and foundation of the state. The Texas State History Museum offers a glimpse at the old ways of living in Texas all the way up to the moon in the state's advancement into space exploration. At first entrance to this Texas history museum, you will find yourself standing on a huge terrazzo floor with a campfire theme. The floor suggests the history of the state being passed through the many stories told by cowboys around the campfire. Around the edge of the campfire is a herd of longhorns, the cattle breed Texas is best known for.
Other Texas sized exhibits in the Texas State History Museum is a 35-foot high bronze Texas Lone Star sculpture. A sculpture so large you can walk underneath it. Other sculptural reliefs depict the Native Americans, the Alamo, railroads, cattle drives, the oil boom and space exploration. These sculptures show how the state has advanced in technology through its history.
The Texas State History Museum also includes exhibits that have made the state famous. The Goddess of Liberty statue from the state capitol is actually inside this enormous Texas history museum. There is also a 1/3-scale model of the Lunar module that was used to go to the moon. There is a full-size windmill like the ones that can still be seen today in the Texas Panhandle. A 1940 circa AT-6 "Texas" airplane can even be found inside this Texas history museum.
The three floors the Texas State History Museum are themed. The themes are Land, Identity and Opportunity. Each floor has exhibits that are a part of the theme and tell the history of Texas. The first floor is Land and features exhibits about the state before it was a state. The Land floor includes teepees and cattle drives, the true history of the state. The Identity floor depicts Stephen F. Austin's Mexico City jail cell and allows you to read from his diary. You will move through the Battle for Texas Independence, through statehood and the Civil War to the Texas Centennial Celebration. The third floor of Opportunity depicts the advances through technology in the state and has interactive stations that allow you to explore different sections of the state.
The Texas State History Museum is also home to Austin's only Imax theatre. The theatre features shows and features "Texas: The Big Picture." The Texas Spirit Theatre brings Texas to life with "The Star of Destiny." The audience actually feels the history of Texas as you see scenes from the Galveston hurricane complete with wind and shaking seats. The Museum Store and The Story of Texas Cafй is a place to shop for miniature Texas souvenirs and have a quick lunch while you tour this Texas-sized museum. The museum also features special exhibits that come through the museum during certain parts of the year for a limited time.
The Texas State History Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 6 P.M. The Imax has extended hours on Friday and Saturday. Admission to the exhibits are $5 for adults, $4.25 for seniors and children 18 and under are free. The Texas Spirit admission prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3.50 for children. The Imax admission is $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and $4.50 for children. The museum is closed for all holidays. Parking in the museum parking lots are an additional $5.
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