Calling all history buffs — the Austin History Center is sparkling. | Photos courtesy Austin Public Library
The Austin History Center is making history as it prepares to unveil a $14.5 million renovation.
The Austin History Center Association will host a grand re-opening of the John Henry Faulk Library Building at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, followed by an open house at 2 p.m.
The new renovation, which has been in the works for eight years, will debut exhibit spaces, expanded programming, and more capacity for Austin’s historic archives.
Figi here. I spent hours at the Austin History Center while researching this piece about residents complaining about Austin changing since 1884. Psst — The Austin History Center is already open to the public from 12-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.
2.08 million. That’s how many people flew in and out of Austin Bergstrom-International Airport in October, marking the new busiest month for the airport. That’s ~17,600 more than the previous record from May 2024, but June and July of 2025 also made the top 10 busiest months. (KXAN)
Holiday
Santa Claus is coming to town — literally. You can take the kiddos in your life to meet with ol’ Saint Nick at The Domain, Barton Creek Square, Lakeline Mall, and the Round Rock Premium Outlets now through Christmas Eve. Find a Santa near you.
History
Austin’s coldest average December happened in 1983, when the average temperature was 41.9°, though 1989 saw the coldest December day with a low of 4º. On the flipside, Austin’s hottest recorded day in December happened on Christmas Day in 1955, when it was 90º. Check out the stats. (KXAN)
Ranked
MIHCELIN-starred restaurant LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue serves the best barbecue in Texas, according to a report from Tasting Table. Not to brag, but Austin has two more MICHELIN-starred barbecue restaurants in la Barbecue and InterStellar BBQ, plus several more that are Bib Gourmand and Recommended.
Festival
Parliament Funkadelic, George Clinton, Eric Johnson, and Adrian Quesada. Those are just a few of the artists slated to perform at this year’s Austin Blues Festival this April. Tickets are on sale now, or you can also enter the ticket giveaway.
State
Think you’re Buc-ee’s biggest fan? You’ve got competition. Newborn baby Elaina Grace Birdsong was born in a parking lot of the famous Texas-based gas station chain, earning her the nickname “Little Buc-ee.”
Outdoors
Look up. The December supermoon will appear today, Dec. 4, at 7:14 p.m., according to the Almanac. This occurs when the moon’s orbit gets closer to Earth, making the moon appear brighter than usual. This will be your last chance to see the cold moon before the year ends. (Time)
Sports
Despite Texas’ stunning win against the Aggies, their chances to make the playoffs are looking bleak. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Texas Longhorns with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Shop
If you’re a Costco shopper, you know about the $1.50 hot dog. But are you in on these other 10 lesser-known hacks all Costco shoppers should know about? Wait until you see number six.*
Finance
This just in: 6% is the new 2%. This card is every reward-seeker’s dream, offering up to 6% cash back in categories you’ll actually use. Bonus: You can get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers into 2027. Learn more and apply.*
Hawaiian Airlines is celebrating Travel Tuesday with some of its lowest fares of the year. Make 2026 the year you take your dream vacation + browse flights as low as $99 — you’ll feel like you’re in Hawaiʻi the moment you step on board. Hurry, the sale ends tonight.*
Culture
🎀 Let’s wrap it up
Let’s look back at what resonated with readers this year. | Photo by Getty Images
Spotify dropped its 2025 Wrapped report, showing users how their year looked for their listening habits, but two can play that game.
We’re here to bring you our ATXtoday Rewind, in which we share the top stories (ranked by page views), according to our loyal readers. Let’s jump in.
Discover clever, useful tech that solves everyday problems in this guide to 2025’s coolest gadgets. We’re talking a small but mighty home security upgrade, a power bank the size of a credit card, and more.
I know I said I was going to get a jump-start on my holiday shopping, but to no one’s surprise, I didn’t. You don’t have to be like me, because I’m here to help you find the best local gift ideas with ATXtoday’s 12 Days of Holiday Shopping.
I’m kicking it off with a beautiful new planner from Paper Craft + Pantry, which makes a thoughtful gift for both the ultra-organized and the could-be-more-organized.
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