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| L to R: Elisabet Ney Museum, Pioneer Farms, Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Mabry, Laguna Gloria, LBJ Presidential Library |
The Austin Museum Partnership is proud to host the 17th annual Austin Museum Day, a free, community-wide rediscovery of Austin museums. On Sunday, September 21, 2014, take the entire family out to enjoy local exhibits and activities at more than 35 participating institutions… for free!
Special activities planned include a living history tour of downtown Austin, hands-on fun at the Thinkery, weaving on a loom at the Williamson Museum, playing outdoor games at the French Legation, and eating tacos shot from a taco cannon at the O. Henry and Susanna Dickinson Museums!
Find information and plan your day with the official Austin Museum Day 2014 Mobile Guide. You may also like to use this handy map of participating museums!
Participating museums:
Austin History Center
810 Guadalupe St.
(512) 974-7480
12pm – 6pm
Enjoy two exhibits: Backwards in High Heels: Getting Women Elected, 18421990 in the main exhibit hall and the LAST DAY for Latinas in the Shadow of the Live Music Capital of the World. Visit the Center at 2pm for a presentation by local author Debra Winegarten about Oveta Culp Hobby and a discussion about women in politics.
Austin Nature and Science Center (review)
301 Nature Center Dr.
(512) 974-3888
12pm – 4pm
Check out all kinds of bugs under a microscope, meet a hissing cockroach, and learn from entomologists (insect experts). Cheer for your favorite bug in the pillbug races!
Austin Tour Guide Association
Brushy Square on 5th St.;
Congress Avenue at 11th St.
1pm - 4pm
Free 20-minute walking tours at both locations.
Blanton Museum of Art (review)
200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
(512) 471-7324
1pm – 4pm
It’s raining cats and dogs at the Blanton Museum of Art! View the special exhibition, In The Company of Cats and Dogs, to see how artists have created images of these furry companions for ages, spanning from ancient Egypt to the present. Participate in special artmaking and looking activities designed to spark your creativity. Admissions and all activities are free.
Bullock Texas State History Museum (review)
1800 N. Congress Ave.
(512) 936-8746
12pm - 6pm
Did you know that Texas has a state vegetable and a state flying mammal? At the Bullock Museum, discover the wide variety of symbols that represent the state with hands-on activities perfect for ages 5 and up, including art making, performances, and more!
Public Art Crawl with Art in Public Places & Landmarks
301 W. 2nd Street
(512) 974-7700
10 am - noon
Discover new public art downtown! The crawl starts at City Hall and showcases new artworks along 2nd Street from the Art in Public Places collection. Meet on the southwest side of City Hall Plaza at 10 am for a guided walking tour.
Elisabet Ney Museum (review)
304 E 44th St.
(512) 458-2255
12pm – 5pm
The historic Elisabet Ney Museum will host Portraiture in the Park! Get a free caricature, make a cyanotype portrait, create masks of your friends and family, have a portrait bust made of you in a photo booth, write word portraits, watch stone portrait carving, and much more. Feel free to picnic. Food and dessert trucks will be on site.
French Legation Museum
802 San Marcos St.
(512) 472-8180
Bring a picnic and enjoy games on the lawn at the historic French Legation Museum. Take a free tour of the oldest existing home in Austin, built in 1841 by the French chargé d’affaires to the Republic of Texas. Then try your luck at Marbles and, perhaps, Pétanque.
George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center (review)
1165 Angelina St.
(512) 974-4926
1pm – 4pm
The Carver Museum and Cultural Center and the Carver Genealogy Center invite you to a “FAMILY AFFAIR.” Learn and share about your family, my family and their family. Record oral histories, start a family tree, and listen to stories from Austin family members.
The German Free School
507 E. 10th St.
(512) 467-4569
12pm – 4pm
Guided tours of German Free School building constructed by hand labor in 1857, the first Austin school chartered by Texas Legislature and forerunner to public education. View German Texan historical displays and films, and an actor portrayal of Joseph Hannig, husband of Alamo survivor Susanna Dickinson.
Harry Ransom Center
300 West 21st Street
(512) 471-8944
12pm – 5pm
Visit The Making of Gone With The Wind to discover surprising stories about the making of this quintessential film and why it remains influential and controversial 75 years later. The exhibition will include over 300 original items from the Selznick archive housed at the Ransom Center including behind-the-scenes photographs, costumes, fan mail, and more. Free public tours every hour, from noon to 4.
Humanities Texas Byrne-Reed House
1410 Rio Grande Street
(512) 440-1991
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Come tour the historic Byrne-Reed House, learn about Humanities Texas public programs, and view the traveling exhibition, Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy, created by the Wittliff Collections at the Alkek Library, Texas State University.
Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms (review)
10621 Pioneer Farms Dr.
(512) 837-1215
10am - 5pm
TRUE TEXAS HISTORY: Explore the early days of the Lone Star State at Central Texas’ premier living history park and museum with new exhibits and displays, historical reenactments and family fun. See longhorn cattle on the Chisholm Trail, original Austin carriages from the 1800s, a mustsee Tonkawa Indian exhibit, artisans, food, and more.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (review)
4801 La Crosse Ave.
(512) 232-0100
9am - 5pm
Come enjoy Austin Museum Day at the new Luci and Ian Family Garden. Discover nature art, hear a story, and go on a scavenger hunt. Enjoy a BIG TicTacToe game along with bubbles and Hula Hoops in the play lawn. Free admission. Come on out and play!
Landmarks, Public Art Program of UT
Perry Castañeda Library at 21st and Speedway
Tours at 11am and 1pm
Join Landmarks for an hour-long, docent-led walking tour of a selection of modern and contemporary works in the public art collection on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin. All are welcome to attend. Tours start at 11am and 1pm at the Joel Perlman sculpture, Square Tilt, at the entrance to the Perry Castañeda Library at 21st and Speedway.
LBJ Presidential Library (review)
2313 Red River
(512) 721-0200
9am - 5pm
Experience the 1960s at the LBJ Library’s exhibit Sixty from the’60s. See original lyrics written by Bob Dylan, a satellite, astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s headset, an original Peanuts comic strip, and more. At 2 pm, enjoy a performance by the Pollyanna Theatre Company: Liberty! Equality! And Fireworks! And at 3 pm, free gelato for each visitor.
Mexican American Cultural Center
600 River St.
(512) 974-3772
Noon – 5pm
See two gallery spaces, which feature local, regional, and national Latino artists. In the Coronado Gallery, visit Aliento Tequila / Photographs by Joel Salcido. In the Community Gallery, see works by George Necer. Tours are available on request.
Mexic-Arte Museum
419 Congress Ave.
(512) 480-9373
12pm -5pm
Take a bilingual tour, followed by all ages activities. On display is the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibition, and visitors may view a curated selection of altars made by members of the community. Learn about significance of Dia de los Muertos. Get excited with for the Viva la Vida Festival, and the annual Dia de los Muertos Parade, coming up on October 18th.
Neill-Cochran House Museum
2310 San Gabriel St.
(512) 5242345
12pm - 5pm
Step into history! Historical reenactors will interact with guests as they tour the museum to provide a glimpse into what life was like from the 1860s-1900s. Admire the life and work of Abner Cook, master builder of the Neill-Cochran House, displayed in a new exhibition. There will be an old-fashioned lemonade stand in the garden and lawn games out front!
O. Henry & Susanna Dickinson Museums at Brush Square
409 & 411 E. 5th St.
(512) 472-1903
12pm – 5pm
Special activities: 1 – 3 p.m.
Catch the final days of the exhibit As Others See Us: O. Henry’s Unpublished Manuscript. Preview two forthcoming exhibits: an oral history project exploring the different ethnicities comprising Austin and a celebration of the 200th birthday of Susanna Dickinson, featuring the Come and Take It Cannon. Enjoy free tacos shot from the taco cannon and two sets of live music from the Austin Banjo Club.
Pump Project Art Complex
702 Shady Ln.
(512) 351-8571
10am - 5pm
Come explore the fantastical landscape created by local contemporary artists Emily Cayton and Andrea Hyland. Pump Project’s current exhibition, landSCOPING is an installation that plays with both scale and perspective to create a new and immersive environment that invites discovery.
Republic of Texas Museum and Headquarters
510 E Anderson Ln.
(512) 339-1997
12pm - 5pm
Come visit the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Museum to experience life and culture during the Republic of Texas era 1836-1846. Enjoy children’s hands-on activities, diorama displays, Republic of Texas artifacts, and artwork. Gift shop items are also available.
Save Austin’s Cemeteries (review)
Oakwood Cemetery
1601 Navasota St.
(512) 917-1666
9am – 1pm
Meet historic Austin residents and hear their fascinating stories at Oakwood Cemetery which dates to 1839. Save Austin’s Cemeteries volunteers will conduct tours at 9 am, 10 am, and 11 am and answer questions. Come and learn how Oakwood preserves the living history of our community.
The Sheffield Education Center (review)
2201 Barton Springs Rd.
(512) 4811466
1pm - 4pm
Explore the new Year of the Salamander exhibit, including the unveiling of the Salamander Springs aquarium! Investigate demos of everyday activities that affect native salamander populations and identify what you can do around your home and garden to make a positive impact on their health.
Thinkery (review)
1830 Simond Ave.
(512) 469-6200
Join the first Austin Museum Day at the Thinkery and explore exhibit galleries focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). There will also be special activities all day in Innovators’ Workshop, Spark Shop, & Kitchen Lab.
Texas State Capitol (review)
1100 N. Congress
(512) 463-0063
12pm - 3:30pm
The Texas Capitol features free guided tours of the statehouse throughout the afternoon. In addition, at 12:30 you can participate in the Women in Texas History Tour and hear the stories of trailblazing Texans whose stories are connected to the Capitol. At 2:30 join the Heroes of the Texas Revolution Tour and discover who helped Texas achieve independence.
Capitol Visitors Center (review)
112 E. 11th St.
(512) 305-8400
12pm - 5pm
Ever wanted to see what the Capitol used to look like? Texas Archive of the Moving Image will be showcasing footage of the Capitol from their collection, including imagery dating back to the silent film era.
Texas Department of Public Safety Historical Museum
5805 N. Lamar Blvd.
(512) 424-2396
12pm – 4pm
Learn about the Four Alerts and how DPS locates, rescues, and identifies missing persons. Interact with Forensic Artists, crime lab scientists, law enforcement officers, communications officers and emergency managers. See DPS vehicles, police dogs and the new mounted patrol. Live presentations! Informational scavenger hunt!
Texas Historical Commission
Instagram: @TxHistComm
9am – 9pm
Participate in the Austin Museum Day Instagram contest for a chance to win prizes! The contest is open 9am - 9pm. on Sunday, September 21.To play:
1. Follow @TxHistComm and @austinmuseums on Instagram
2. Take a photograph at one of the participating Austin Museum Day institutions
3. Post it to your Instagram (make sure your profile is public!)
4. Tag the participating institution and use the hashtag #museumday2014 Multiple submissions are allowed. Contest closes at 9pm on Sunday, September 21; submissions posted after 9pm will not be included. A total of 3 winners – 1st through 3rd places—will be selected by a panel of judges that include staff from Texas Historical Commission and Austin Museum Partnership. Prizes to be announced. Winners will be announced the week following the contest.
Texas Medical Association
401 W. 15th St.
(512) 370-1552
1pm – 4pm
Your only chance on a weekend to see the popular Bugs, Bones, and Blood exhibit on the history of forensic medicine. The deadly Texas City Disaster of 1947, response by Dallas’ Parkland Hospital physicians during the 1963 JFK tragedy, blood and DNA analysis, and forensics in fiction are among highlights.
Texas Military Forces Museum (review)
Camp Mabry
2200 West 35th St. Blg 6
(512) 782-5659
10am – 4pm
From the Alamo to Afghanistan, the Texas Military Forces Museum tells the story of Texas forces from 1823 to the present day. Exhibits showcase artifacts, weapons, vehicles, uniforms and equipment, including a running Sherman tank. For Austin Museum Day there will be specialists on hand who will demonstrate leather working, Vietnam era weapons, Civil War uniforms and equipment and a plastic model activity.
Texas Music Museum
1009 E 11th St.
(512) 472-8891
12pm - 5pm
Celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Texas Music Museum with guided tours and music of three extensive exhibits: East Austin’s African American musicians (front gallery) and Austin’s amazing Mexican American musicians (back gallery). Enjoy the current feature exhibit Texas Music from 1930s to Present (rock/pop/country/blues/jazz/and more) in the main gallery.
Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum (review)
605 Robert E Lee Rd.
(512) 445-5582
10am - 4pm
See REFLECT, Margo Sawyer’s careerspanning exhibition; 2014 UMLAUF Prize winner’s Adam Crosson’s industrial-inspired installations; the permanent collection of 50 Charles Umlauf bronze & cast stone sculptures; and join the Museum for Sculptfest with the Texas Society of Sculptors’ booths and demonstrations.
The Contemporary Austin (review)
700 Congress Ave. and 3809 West 35th St.
(512) 458-8191
12pm - 4pm
Visit the Jones Center for an art activity, refreshments on the roof, and a great city view. Inside, see the brand new Do Ho Suh exhibition and family films. At Laguna Gloria, hear instruments inspired by the art on view, take part in a Suh-inspired art activity, check out faculty demonstrations, and get a snack at a food truck!
The Williamson Museum
716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown, Tx 78626
(512) 943-1670
1pm - 4pm
From early pioneer families to modern artisans, citizens have created textiles for everything. Work your very own loom and weave a piece to take home. Explore textiles from past and present in Form Follows Function: Artisans of Williamson County, where you can also create kitchen band music and design your own brand.
Visual Arts Center
2300 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78712
(512) 471-1108
12 – 5pm
Come prepared to explore the geography and geology inspired artworks of David Brooks by traveling back in time and space to unseen depths of the earth. There will be other exciting family activities in the upstairs gallery.
Women & Their Work
1710 Lavaca St.
(512) 477-1064
12pm - 5pm
The 19th Annual Red Dot Art Spree features over 200 artists from Texas and beyond. This inclusive exhibition has something for everyone: abstractions, portraits, still lives, street art, photographs, prints, drawings and sculpture. Families who visit on Austin Museum Day can play a special game of I SPY.
For more information, visit the Austin Museum Day website. You can find the mobile guide here.
