Austin: Attractions

Laguna Gloria Grounded explores the lush twelve-acre grounds overlooking Lake Austin at the Austin Museum of Art-Laguna Gloria.

The picturesque formal gardens and wild places of this historical site served as the inspiration for the seventeen exhibited works. Ten featured Austin artists create art that expresses their personal connections with the landscape. Site-specific artworks, like Beverly Penn’s cast bronze botanicals and Martha Gannon’s constellation of photographs of Laguna Gloria’s flora and fauna, examine the relationship between nature and culture. This modest exhibition celebrates the grounds and revitalized historic gardens of Laguna Gloria with two-dimensional and three-dimensional works installed inside the Villa.

We specialize in providing Austin in 90 Minutes —

A narrated Austin sightseeing tour that familiarizes you with over 30 of Austin's major historical, cultural, significant points of interest in just 90 minutes! This daily scheduled tour with satellite activated narration gives you a comprehensive overview of our great city. Tour departs from the Austin Visitor Information Center at 209 E. Sixth Street in downtown Austin.

Call (512) 659-9478 for reservations and information or register online

The Park Place Gallery was a prominent cooperative gallery in 1960s New York, shared by five sculptors (Mark di Suvero, Peter Forakis, Robert Grosvenor, Anthony Magar, and Forrest Myers) and five painters (Dean Fleming, Tamara Melcher, David Novros, Edwin Ruda, and Leo Valledor).

With their unique interest in dynamic, complex space in sculpture and painting and their active engagement with contemporary cultural issues, the group was often at odds with the predominant movements and philosophies of most artists of the day. As a result, Park Place has rarely been treated in histories of the 1960s.

By assembling a selection of major works rarely seen or seen together since that era--as well as photographs and documents chronicling the group’s activities--this exhibition opens a new window on the 1960s art world. In doing so, it reveals the decade to have been a period of much richer artistic possibility and complexity than standard art historical narratives ever suggest. 

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum features Austin's only IMAX Theatre. This 400-seat, state-of-the-art theatre uses innovative IMAX technology to create the ultimate film experience. Unlike many IMAX theatres, ours is equipped with an IMAX projector that has both 2-D and 3-D capabilities.

 The Theatre can also show special films on a movie-quality 35mm projector. The IMAX Theatre is a fully accessible facility. With its own separate entrance, the Theatre is able to operate independently of the Museum and remains open in the evenings, with extended hours on weekends. The IMAX Theatre Lobby is a distinctive, dramatic space with a carpet pattern that incorporates native Texas flora in the design. Both the Lobby and the Theatre can be rented for special events. Click HERE for a listing of showtimes at the IMAX Theatre. There is no late seating in the IMAX Theatre. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled show time.

On the first floor, The Story of Texas begins before this land was called Texas. It is a story of Encounters on the Land, of first meetings between Native Americans and explorers from Europe. Find out about the many native peoples who lived on this diverse landscape. What did the Spanish find here? What were the French doing? What did the Native American leaders think of these newcomers?

You will hear their words, see the objects that reflect their lives and have a sense of the environment where these encounters took place. Learn about the early missions, settlers and soldiers. Why did the Comanche, the Spanish, and the American and European immigrants come to Texas? The story continues through 1900 when the last unexplored region in Texas, the Big Bend area, was finally mapped.

On the second floor, explore the story of how Texas became an independent nation in Building the Lone Star Identity. From his jail cell in Mexico City, hear Stephen F. Austin's own words that herald the coming of the Texas Revolution.

 Experience the battles of the Revolution through the eyes of Juan Seguin, a Tejano military and political leader. Understand the different visions of Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar, both Presidents of the Republic of Texas. Follow Texas as it became the 28th state, then seceded from the Union, joined the Confederacy and fought in the Civil War, and shaped a new future that included freedom for all Texans. Discover how Texas grew into the 20th Century and celebrated its unique identity during the 1936 Centennial -- 100 years after Texas independence.

 See a giant time line of Texas history unfold on a 60-foot video wall, with interactive stations where you can learn more details about many important events in Texas history.

On the third floor you can see how Texans have persevered on the land and how they approached everything from drilling oil to redefining world technology.

Creating Opportunity explores the important role of ranching in Texas; how Texans have adapted to the diverse conditions of the land to prosper on it; and how oil changed Texas. Through recreated environments, interactive media produced by Pyramid Studios, and actual artifacts, you will learn how Texas-led explorations in the 20th Century frontiers of space, medicine and technology have impacted the entire world.

Take a seat in the "Oil Tank Theater" as native Texan Walter Cronkite narrates a media presentation exploring the impact of oil on Texas, and of Texas oil on the world. See why Texas was the place where America's military learned to fly. Hear and see Texas legends in music and sports, and join in an interactive experience in the "Connecting Texas Theater" to learn how the histories of key Texas cities pysically and culturally link the state together.

From Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush, United States presidents have used the powerful iconographic symbol of the heroic American cowboy to define themselves and their administrations to the nation and the world. In this election year, this special exhibition explores the fascinating and ongoing intersection of cowboy culture and presidential politics in Cowboys and Presidents.

 The exhibit illustrates how the press, foreign governments, and domestic political opponents have found cowboy imagery useful in critiquing presidential policy and leadership. This timely exhibition includes many historically important images and artifacts that are associated with a host of American presidents.

The exhibit, created by the Autry National Center, will explain how the presidency became intertwined with the emerging image of a heroic American cowboy at the turn of the twentieth century and will explore the ways that U.S. Presidents have used this powerful iconographic symbol to define themselves and their administrations to the nation and the world

Admission to the Museum’s exhibits, including Cowboys and Presidents (October 18, 2008 - January 4, 2009): $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors/military/college students (with valid ID), $4 for youth ages 5-18, free for ages 4 and under.

Public Sightseeing Cruise Capital Cruises provides a unique glimpse of Town Lake with a public sightseeing cruise departing Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ($8.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors & $5.00 for kids 4 to 12).

See an incredible variety of flora, fauna and the dramatic landscapes inspired by Lady Bird Johnson.

Public tours are available March through October.

Capital Cruises' internationally famous bat watching excursion departs nightly approximately 30 minutes before sunset.

 The Congress Avenue Bridge is the home of the largest urban bat colony in North America. Our cruises provide the best possible viewing for one of the most incredible wildlife spectacles in the world!

Bat viewing is available on a public tour ($8.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors & $5.00 for kids 4 to 12) or you can customize your own excursion with dinner, cocktails, entertainment and more (please see dinner cruise and party boat pricing for rates)

Reservations are highly recommended for this very popular Austin experience!

Adventure Tour

 Standard 1 hour 15 min tour

Erle Stanley Gardner's Study Leeds Gallery *Fourth Floor* Flawn Academic Center

By appointment only; phone 232-7688. This replica of mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner's study at his ranch home in Temecula, California, displays original memorabilia and artifacts from his career. Gardner was the creator of Perry Mason.

Scholars At Work: Books Based on the Center's Collections

 Hallway *Third Floor* Harry Ransom Center Monday-Friday, 8-5

The Gutenberg Bible is the first substantial book printed from movable type on a printing press. It was printed in Johann Gutenberg's shop in Mainz, Germany between 1450 and 1455. The Ransom Center holds one of five complete copies in the United States.

The First Photograph

 Harry Ransom Center Lobby   Gallery Hours (also Monday 10:00-5:00)

One of the finest pieces of the Ransom Center's Photography Collection is the first photograph which Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced in 1826. The 8" x 6.5" heliograph depicts a view just outside the workroom window of Niépce's estate in Gras in east central France. The image, on a pewter plate sensitized with bitumen of Judea, took a full eight hours of exposure to produce. Niépce's image forms part of the Gernsheim Collection -- an internationally-renowned photography archive encompassing the history of the medium -- which was acquired by the Ransom Center in 1964.

Located 450 feet above Lake Travis, The OASIS offers breathtaking views of the Texas Hill Country and spectacular sunsets!

 Enjoy the scenery from one of the 40 plus outdoor decks, or inside from one of the enchanting dining rooms.

What are your hours of operation? During Daylight Savings Time: Monday through Thursday 11:30AM – 10:00PM Friday 11:30AM – 11:00PM Saturday 11:00AM – 11:00PM Sunday 11:00AM – 10:00PM

On Sunday join us for "Brunch at The OASIS" from 11:00am-2:00pm.

It's Texas' Fault And We're Showing it Off!

 See Texas' most visited cave! Wonder World Park is a Texas Historical Site. The unique attractions here are entertaining and educational for the whole family. Enjoy guided tours through the nation's only earthquake-formed cave. Exit by elevator and catch a breathtaking view of the fault line's drop-off point from atop the Tejas Observation Tower. Play in our crazy Anti-Gravity House and take a train ride through the waterfalls of Mystery Mountain to meet and feed the friendly animals in the largest petting park in Texas!

open year round!

summer hours
memorial day - labor day
8:00 am - 8:00 pm

winter hours
september thru may
monday - friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
saturday and sunday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

closed on christmas eve and day -
weather conditions do not affect our tours.