The Austin Museum Partnership is proud to host the 21th annual Austin Museum Day on Sunday, September 22, 2019.  More than 35 area museums open their doors to the public for FREE in an effort of re-discovery of all the amazing institutions we have here in Austin.

I love this initiative and wish it was a week-long, not just a day!!  Having only one day and so many museums to choose from, I wanted to provide you with a few ideas of what museums your family might enjoy best.

8 Museums to Visit on Austin Museum Day 

Austin Museum Day: Thinkery

Formally known as the Austin’s Childrens Museum, the Thinkery in our opinion, is one of the best children’s museums in Texas.  With tons of hands-on activities, like making your own airplane and flying it or creating music out of water, there is never a dull visit to this museum.  On Austin Museum Day, Thinkery will have all of its regular displays available as well as special activities all day in Innovators’ Workshop, Spark Shop, & Kitchen Lab. Here is our experience there.

Sunday Hours: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Location: 1830 Simond Ave. 

Austin Museum Day: Bullock Texas State History Museum

Sunday Hours: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: 1800 N Congress Ave.

Austin Museum Day: Elisabet Nay Museum

The historic Elisabet Ney Museum is the former studio and portrait collection created by 19th century sculptor Elisabet Ney.  This Sunday, they will host Portraiture in the Park. Have a free caricature, make a cyanotype portrait, create masks of your friends and family, have a portrait bust made of you in the photo booth, write word portraits, watch stone portrait carving, and much more.  Feel free to picnic. Food and dessert trucks will be on site.

Austin Museum Day: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Austin Museum Day: Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms

Austin Museum Day: Texas Department of Public Safety Historical Museum

This fun museum is a treasure trove of historical DPS vehicles and artifacts, one my son really enjoyed. It’s not as well known as most of the museums in town, so I wanted to highlight it for Austin Museum Day.  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 current and retired DPS vehicles, police dogs and the new mounted patrol. They will also conduct an informational scavenger hunt.

Location: 5805 N Lamar

Austin Museum Day: Texas Military Forces Museum

One of my son’s favorite museums in town, the Texas Military Forces Museum is full of military history & vehicles.  He loves the collection of tanks. On this Sunday, they will have specialists on hand who will demonstrate leather working, Vietnam era weapons, Civil War uniforms and equipment and a plastic model activity. Here is our experience there. 

 

Sunday Hours: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Location: 2200 W. 35th Street

 

Austin Museum Day: LBJ Presidential Library

Bonus Museum: Hill Country Science Mill

If you want to drive out to Johnson City, the Hill Country Science Mill is participating in the Austin  Museum Day as well. It’s a fantastic hands-on museum that my older children really enjoyed (5th grade & up). Here’s our experience. 

There are so much more than just these 8 – I wish it lasted for a full week.  Check out many of the historical walking tours, such as the Capitol, the grounds of University of Texas, and the Oakwood Cemetery.  For a full listing of all the Museums participating in Austin Museum Day, click here.