Austin: Calendar of Events

This exhibition will explore the Ransom Center's extensive holdings of drawings created by internationally recognized artists, architects, designers, scientists, and literary greats. Selections will highlight the medium's inherent strength as a multifaceted form of visual communication.

 From intimate expressions of the artist's innermost thoughts to highly refined master works, the exhibition will provide visitors with a broad appreciation of this fundamental yet highly versatile and expressive art form.

 The exhibition, or "cabinet," will be presented as a series of mini-exhibitions contextually grouped by theme and artistic intent to include preliminary drawings, designs, book illustration, illustrated letters, landscapes, and portraiture.

Adventure Tour

 Standard 1 hour 15 min tour

Experience what it was like for our discoverers of this natural treasure.

 Our experienced staff will guide you as you climb, hike, rappel and explore the natural beauty thousands of years in the making. No concrete. No handrails.

South Cavern Adventure Tour Much more than hands on. Get ready to get down and dirty. Experience a thrilling and physically demanding 3 to 4 hour excursion into one of the world’s premier caverns. Climb, crawl, rappel, explore – with only the light of your helmet to guide you. This is not for the weak of heart. Once outfitted with caving gear you'll be lowered by rope through a 160-foot well shaft. Travel approximately one mile, going down to 230 feet below surface level to the Fault Room which features one of the longest soda straw formations in North America – 14 feet in length.

Adventure Tours Experience what it was like for our discoverers of this natural treasure.

Our experienced staff will guide you as you climb, hike, rappel and explore the natural beauty thousands of years in the making. No concrete. No handrails. South Cavern Adventure Tour Much more than hands on. Get ready to get down and dirty. Experience a thrilling and physically demanding 3 to 4 hour excursion into one of the world’s premier caverns. Climb, crawl, rappel, explore – with only the light of your helmet to guide you. This is not for the weak of heart. Once outfitted with caving gear you'll be lowered by rope through a 160-foot well shaft. Travel approximately one mile, going down to 230 feet below surface level to the Fault Room which features one of the longest soda straw formations in North America – 14 feet in length. follow the path that the original discoverers took. This tour includes a half mile through wild cave and passages that have not changed since the caverns’ discovery. Total distance of the tour is 1.25 miles that begins under the Natural Bridge and follows the commercially developed path with hand rails and concrete trails. The tour then turns more adventurous as the physically challenging portion begins through the wild passage. Guests are provided with caving gear and are required to crawl, climb and slide over and through various obstacles. It’s a challenge and an experience that you will never forget. South Cavern Adventure Tour

Attractions Fun All Day Rain or Shine! Enjoy Austin’s Park attractions outside on more than 22 acres and inside with more than 50,000 square feet of indoor entertainment

Play all day for one low price

One low admission price gives you all-day access to most attractions. adults pay just $21.95 to play all day. kids 40"-47" pay just $15.95. kids under 40" are free! special military and student discounts available on select days.

Laser Tag, Rock climbing wall, Video Arcade, Go Carts, Miniature golf, Bumper boats, Batting cages, Little shot, Tea Cups, Jr.Go-Carts, Paint Ball Range

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

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!

Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner cruise for two on a private "gondola-like" electric launch or a group dinner cruise for your office, family or friends, Capital Cruises has a great selection of boats and dinner options to suit your wishes and your budget.

Catering is provided by the Hyatt and includes the Hyatt's famous fajitas, Barbecue, Grilled Chicken Pasta and Shrimp Pasta or we can customize an event for any group size and budget. Beverage service, snacks, entertainment, team building and more are also available.

Rates will vary from $26.99 to $80.99 per person depending on options selected

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.

Regular Scheduled Trip - 2 hour cruise

Gradually, each leafy tree and plant surrenders its green mantle to the bright yellows and crimsons that signal the end of the summer and the start of fall. Add to that the cooler temperatures and the splendid colors of a new season and you have an especially ideal time of year to travel. In general fall conditions there are so many photo ops that your challenge will simply be deciding what to shoot. In addition to the foliage this is the time of year when the wildlife goes into feeding frenzy to fatten up for winter.

Migrating birds are attracted to the area as the food up North is mostly gone, but down here birds can fill up one more time for the rest of their southward journey. Both song birds and raptors migrate through this area to the lakes and rivers to feed on fish.

MENU: "Captain's Box Lunch" (optional) $6.25 Sandwich, Chips, Dessert, Iced Tea and Water Adults: $18.82 per person Seniors (60+), Active Military and Students (13+): $16.47 Children (2-12): $12.00 Reservation Policy: We require a credit card number, including VC and billing zip code to guarantee your space. Changes or Cancellation Policy: Cost of items reserved are charged to your card on the day you make your reservation. You may cancel your reservation less $5 fee per ticket if cancellation is made on or before 12:00 NOON THE DAY BEFORE YOUR CRUISE.

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.

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.

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.

 There is no late seating in the IMAX Theatre. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled show time.

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

welcome to wonder world park, a one-of-a-kind theme park, known as the 1st show cave in texas. visitors have enjoyed touring the balcones fault line cave for over 105 years, and now, the park has many other attractions for family fun and entertainment. enjoy a guided tour and discover the nation's only true example of an earthquake-formed cave. go deep underground and see up close the devastation of a major quake. exit by the "stratavator" and ride high into the sky to the tejas observation tower. be amazed by the topsy-turvy world of the anti-gravity house where everything is backwards, even water flows up hill! board the train and splash through the waterfalls of mystery mountain on your way to the texas wildlife petting park. educational and fun for all ages, wonder world park cave and attractions is just minutes from i-35 in san marcos between austin and san antonio. we are open year round. gift shops, free picnic grounds, free parking and much more await your visit.

 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.

Jeremy Room is a stunning 120' deep chamber known for it's soda straws and delicate formations.
Small groups, eqch person given a flashlight for the tour.

Departs every 60 minutes, Tour duration 60 minutes - walking distance 1/2 mile

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.

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.

North Cavern Tour Departs every 30 minutes - duration 75 minutes - walking distance 3/4 mile

The most popular Tour introduces you to an underground world of natural beauty and amazement.

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.

Beach Front Boat Rentals in Volente, TX offers pontoon boats, and party boats at the most affordable prices on Lake Travis.

Party Barges Boat party up to 150 people! Austin offsites & teambuilders welcome!

Pontoon Boats Tour Lake Travis or have a small boat party with close friends and family. 10% Discount Monday through Thursday! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Highland Lakes Marina 16120 FM 2769 (Map) Volente, TX 78641 mail address below

Mon -Fri 11:00am- Sunset

Sat -Sun 10:00am- Sunset

Call (512) 258-8400 Call for reservations, don't email info@beachfrontboats.com Reservations Recommended

Each year, thousands of families and groups come west of Austin to enjoy the picturesque scenery and inviting clear waters of Lake Travis. More and more are discovering that Windy Point Park is a great place to relax and enjoy an outdoor meal, in the comfort of a beautiful picnic ground, without the crowds.

Convenient to Austin, Windy Point Park is also a fun destination campground. Tent camping is primitive style, but the groomed lawn and abundant shade trees help to make it feel civilized.

Clean restrooms, showers & dressing rooms are available for your comfort. Whether picnicing till sunset or camping overnight, Windy Point Park is a great place to rediscover some peace of mind.

Birthday Parties Anniversary Parties Bridal Showers Baby Showers Graduations Just Because The Oasis has many rooms to fit your needs and they all have a great view of Lake Travis. View Rooms Please tact Adam Tompkins @ 266 9242

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.

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. 

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

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

Windy Point Park is one of the top diving "hot spots" in the Central Texas area. It has been recognized by various divers and instructors from all over the state. Locally, several Fire Rescue and Underwater Rescue Operations use Windy Point Park as a training ground to help save lives.

We offer a wealth of items to find, explore, and seek out in Lake Travis. Divers will find boat wrecks and unique metal sculptures of a scuba diver, a sea turtle, a shark and a manatee along with other interesting objects. There is a jet ski, some small boats, a larger sailboat, a Pinto, and more! ( See the detailed map. ) There are six platforms available for instructors to use for training.

Divers with advanced training and experience, can enjoy the deep underwater canyon wall, plunging to depths well over 100 feet. Dress warmly however- the temperatures at that depth can differ 30 degrees from the surface

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.

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.

Archives, in all their disparate forms, are the material record of a culture. From their earliest incarnations, they have provided a vital source for the exploration of the imaginations of both individuals and societies. There is an aura about archives—a promise of mystery and discovery. This aura, this mystique, has become increasingly apparent in recent years as more and more writers have used the subject of archives as the central focus of their works. Umberto Eco, Tom Stoppard, A. S. Byatt, Doris Lessing, Penelope Lively, Julian Barnes, and Diane Johnson, among others, have written about archives, attracted by their treasures of knowledge, inspired by their promise of adventure and the lure of discovery.

This exhibition attempts to embody the mystique of the archive. It uses the lens of the Harry Ransom Center to explore both the archiving of our culture and the culture surrounding archives themselves. Drawing on the Center's extensive holdings of the imaginative creations of writers and artists, the exhibition illustrates the diverse nature of archives and their myriad uses. In the process, the exhibition traces the life of an archive in an institution, demonstrating how collections are acquired, accounted for, cataloged, preserved, and, most importantly, how they support the quest for knowledge and endlessly yield new discovery.

 The Ransom Center's biennial Flair Symposium, "Creating a Usable Past: Writers, Archives, and Institutions," scheduled for November 13-15, 2008, will further examine the place of archives in contemporary culture and the role of archives as the vital source for understanding it. A Cabinet of Drawings: Selections from

BEST PLACE TO HAVE A PARTY -Austin Family Magazine 2006 Thanks Austin!

Stop by any time we're open to play a game in our 3-story, 10,000-sq-ft arena - the largest in Texas.

 Laser tag games are 20 minutes long and start every 20 minutes. Or you can make a reservation for a corporate outing, church lock-in or birthday party! We also have a High-Tech Video Arcade, Snack Bar, and Austin's best Party Rooms!

Marcelo Pombo is one of the key figures to emerge from the 1990s art scene in Argentina, and was part of the movement know as Arte Light, which was formed by a group of artists associated with the Centro Cultural Rojas. His paintings make use of industrial paint and sparkling polishes to depict fantasy worlds that combine graphic design, comic culture, geometric abstraction, and surrealist influences.

For this installation, he presents six new large-scale paintings, all commissioned by the Blanton.