Austin: Calendar of Events

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

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

Walk into a replica of the U.S. Senate Chamber for an unrehearsed, unpredictable     encounter with an actor (michael stuart) who looks, dresses, and talks like lyndon johnson as he was in the 1950s. in the lbj library's new exhibit, bills, bills, bills:  lyndon johnson as senate majority leader, visitors can talk to the senate majority leader about important legislation of the era, including the creation of nasa, the interstate highway bill, labor reform, social security reform, and statehood for alaska and hawaii.  under johnson's leadership, the first civil rights bill since reconstruction was passed into law.      

Johnson redefined the role of majority leader from merely a "go between" into the most powerful position in the senate. visitors may even get a taste of the "johnson treatment," lbj's unique, and highly effective, style of "persuasion."       

the exhibit covers lbj's entire senate career from his election in 1948 to his election to the vice-presidency in 1961 and will chronicle his rapid rise to power from an 87-vote margin of victory in 1948 - in which he was given the nickname "landslide lyndon" - to his selection as majority leader in 1955. 

there will be interactive touch screen computers detailing the major bills passed in the 1950s with explanations of how these laws impacted modern america.
a highlight: home movies narrated by lady bird johnson.

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.

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. 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.

Inside El Salvador April 17 - August 3, 2008

In April 2008, The University of Texas at Austin will host a major conference on El Salvador called Image Memory and the Paradox of Peace, jointly sponsored by the University's Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice, the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, the School of Journalism, and the Harry Ransom Center. As part of this collaboration, the Ransom Center will present the photography exhibition Inside El Salvador.

The 1979 coup d'état in El Salvador sparked a brutal twelve-year civil war. Events such as the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the murder of four U.S. churchwomen drew worldwide attention to the violence that rocked this tiny county. In 1983, 30 renowned international photojournalists on assignment for Time, Newsweek, LIFE, The New York Times, Paris-Match, and Stern contributed to a book and exhibition that chronicled the daily life of the people during the height of the civil war. The exhibition features 67 black and white photographs that depict those directly involved with the conflict, including the guerillas and the U.S.-aided army, as well as the impact upon the civilian population. The photographs are drawn from the Ransom Center's collections and were the gift of the Marlene Nathan Meyerson Family Foundation. The images are accompanied by texts written by poet Carolyn Forché.

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.

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.

National Wildflower Week

Tuesday, May 6, through Sunday, May 11 This is the perfect time to take selfguided tours of our beautiful gardens and celebrate the beauty of the Hill Country with on-site interpretation.

At AMOA- Downtown February 16 - May 11, 2008

New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch

 introduces emerging and lesser-known artists from Central Texas whose work stretches the boundaries of contemporary art. The third in a triennial showcase, New Art in Austin: 20 to Watch spotlights emerging artists in our community. A statewide curatorial team will evaluate the work of local artists who have been watched by AMOA staff and Central Texas art professionals over the past three years. Through this exhibition the museum seeks to create a dialogue about contemporary art in Austin, attract attention to artists within our community, and share their work with other art centers in Texas. As a state-wide traveling exhibition accompanied by a full-color scholarly catalogue, the exhibition will bring cutting edge work in a variety of media to a broad audience.

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.

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.

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

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

Shou Ping Exhibit

Saturday, March 8, to Sunday, May 18 A return engagement of Shou Ping’s beautiful scissor art, hand cut watercolors of wildflowers! All items available for purchase. McDermott Learning Center.

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.

Prints are the most frequently experienced but least understood works of art. In the history of art, and most exhibitions, the medium is usually presented in terms of its great masters, from Albrecht Dürer through Jasper Johns, or explained solely in terms of technique.

Instead, this exhibition explores the medium as a uniquely rich and largely collective system of expression--a "language"--with distinctive principles, persistent tendencies, and special processes that are shared across time and space.

 Planned to coincide with the annual meeting of the Print Council of America--the first ever in the state of Texas--the exhibition will feature around 100 of the collection's finest and most distinctive prints.

At The University of Texas at Austin are many respected artists of national and international reputation, who successfully create their own bodies of work while teaching and supervising the work of the next generation of artists.

The Blanton's popular faculty exhibition resumes in the new museum on a triennial basis. This year's guest curator James Elaine, curator of the Hammer Projects series at the Hammer Museum of Art at UCLA, selects a diverse cross-section of styles and mediums from among the faculty's broad range of artistic production. 

How do artists respond to calamity?

 In New Orleans, many resident artists and a number of those observing from outside have been moved by the need for community relief, healing, and support and have directed their work to address these immediate social and spiritual concerns. Whether through the commissioning of new cultural experiences that provide public forums for discussion and reflection, the inauguration of creativity workshops to provide encouragement for young people, or simply the creation of works that attempt to define and document the experience of catastrophe, artists can be a valiant force in the recovery of community-wide health and the forging of a future vision.

This group exhibition, the result of a year's research by curator Annette DiMeo Carlozzi, a former resident of the city, will feature film and video, drawings, photographs, and mixed media works .