On Austin Museum Day, museums across the Austin area have opened their doors for free, offered one-of-a-kind experiences, and engaged the community in hands-on activities since 1998 — and this year is no different.
With 30+ museums participating, Austin Museum Day can be a little overwhelming, so we’re here to help you choose your own adventure and map out your visits.
Here are some of the most exciting events + places to go on Sunday, Sept. 22.
See masterpieces
Art Galleries at Black Studies | Peruse sculptures and drawings at the “Nicole Awai: In the thick of it” exhibit, then create your own rainbow scratch sketch. Plus, stop by the Idea Lab to view “Rashaun Rucker: Patron Saints of a Black Boy.”
Blanton Museum of Art | See two new exhibits that launched this month: “Long Live Surrealism! 1924-Today” from the paper vault and film + video gallery “Mónica de Miranda: Path to the Stars.” Plus, it’s the last day to view the “De Monda: Fashion, Ceremony, and Symbols of Resilience” gallery.
Harry Ransom Center | Engage in interactive gallery tours, learn how a printing press works, view a self-portrait by Frida Kahlo, and lay eyes on one of only 20 surviving Gutenberg Bibles.
Get crafty
Brush Square Museums | Tour two historic homes: the O. Henry Museum and the Susanna Dickinson Museum. Then, make your own beeswax candles, decorate a journal, and pick up some pioneer skills.
The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center | Create photo collages, try your hand at lint roller printing, participate in a yoga session, get your own poem written by Typewriter Rodeo, and listen to a talk by Talking Bees Roadshow.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
The LBJ Presidential Library is one of many museums in Austin offering free admission and activities for Austin Museum Day.
Photo by Jay Godwin, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
LBJ Presidential Library | Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Week at this museum with crafts, story times, and more festivities.
Mexic-Art Museum | Visit the Downtown museum’s pop-up at the Austin Central Library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to create paper marigolds, which will be used in a Festival Dia de los Muertos performance.
The Williamson Museum | Head to the Georgetown museum to learn about Hispanic heritage in Williamson County and create maracas, papel picados, and tissue paper flowers.
Sculpt your perfect day
The Contemporary Austin - Laguna Gloria | Stroll through the sculpture garden, then practice weaving with Mindful Weaving and play lawn games with fellow art lovers.
Elisabet Ney Museum | Brush up on your art skills with a sculpting demo from local artist Dana Younger, learn how to create a portrait, and dig into edible sculptures that attendees can bring home.
UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum | The Texas Society of Sculptors artists will be on-site to provide live demonstrations. Plus, see the museum’s newest exhibition “This Takes Doing,” which details the lives of Charles and Angie Umlauf.
Museo Benini | Travel to the Texas Hill Country to see this single-artist museum and sculpture trail, which is typically only open on Saturdays.
Tour historic sites
Capitol Visitors Center | Step inside a medieval-style, castle-like fortress, which is the oldest state office building in the state and houses a treasure trove of Texas history.
Chateau Bellevue | Explore an 1874 mansion that houses stained glass masterpieces, a lush courtyard, French Romanesque arches, and hand-carved woodwork.
Hezikiah Haskell House | Go on a guided tour of the oldest registered structure in Clarksville, an early Texas Freedom Colony. Plus, enjoy free refreshments and see Soul Man Sam perform from 2 to 3 p.m.
Millett’s Opera House | Built in 1878, this home will be open for tours and complimentary refreshments from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can also make a reservation by phone for Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Flower Hill Center | Embark on a tour of the historic Richmond Kelley Smoot home with a team of experts who are knowledgeable on the home’s art, textiles, and furniture.
Neill-Cochran House Museum | This historic site is one of the city’s oldest residences and houses Austin’s only restored slave quarters. On Austin Museum Day, attendees can make paper sun catchers, hand-churned ice cream, and fresh lemonade.
Get outside
Pioneer Farms | Put on your dancing shoes to boogie to the tunes of “Yodeling Coyote Cowgirl” Evelyn Billington in a historic dance hall. Plus, see Longhorn cattle, donkeys, chickens, and other animals.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center | Register for a bird watching walk, listen to a soundscape show, swap seeds with Central Texas Seed Savers, or get creative in arts and crafts workshops.
Save Austin’s Cemeteries + Oakwood Chapel | Go on a walking tour through Oakwood and Evergreen, two of the city’s oldest cemeteries where notable Austinites are buried.
Learn about local history
Austin Museum of Popular Culture | Music enthusiasts won’t want to miss this stop, which features art and memorabilia connected to Austin’s music scene that dates back to the mid-1940s.
Bullock State History Museum | Immerse yourself in Texas history and participate in family-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bastrop County Historical Society Museum and Visitor Center | Not only can attendees learn more about Bastrop’s history, but they’ll also discover the history behind the art of tattooing at special exhibit “Stories Inked in Skin.”
Republic of Texas Museum | This museum celebrates Texas culture with artifacts from 1836-1846 on display.
Texas Military Forces Museum | Head to Camp Mabry to learn the history behind Texas’ military and see a variety of tanks, weapons, uniforms, helicopters, and more.
Texas Science & Natural History Museum | Fans of all things prehistoric will enjoy seeing the skeletons of dinosaurs, fossils of animals and plants, and a geology gallery filled with meteorites.
View the full list of participating museums.
