Since I grew up in the Lubbock area, I felt that it was probably necessary for me to finally go and visit the Buddy Holly Center. I must say I was very disappointed. You're charged $10 to see two very small rooms that consisted of a bedroom set a table, a couple guitars and a motorcycle. There is an art gallery I was told, but it was closed so I'm not able to attest to what is in there. I will say the gift shop is pretty nice and I can see where a lot of people would find some unique things in there, especially if someone likes unique glasses. I was very tempted to get a pair of Buddy Holly glasses. The people were not overly friendly, which is unusual for Lubbock. At least now I can say I've finally been there. read more

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Wasn't sure this would be worth it....but it totally was! Interesting facts, great memorabilia and also an art exhibit.

The Buddy Holly Center is a small museum in Lubbock, TX, dedicated to the late rock n roller. My significant other & I have both been here when we were much younger, but with an hour of time to spare before the Center's closing time on Saturday, June 18, 2023, we decided to take another trip down "Rave On" lane. There were two main galleries plus a small theater showing about a 15-minute video about Holly's life. Adult tickets were $10 per person. Entry to the fine arts gallery on the opposite end was free. At that time they were showing tattoo at work. No tattoos of Buddy Holly. We were disappointed. There are not many picture opportunities here as both Holly galleries do not allow photography. However, huge, black Buddy Holly eyeglass frames rest on the grounds just outside of the museum. You'll do a bit of reading, but not terribly much as he did not live very long. A sweet little tribute to a man who undoubtedly would have been even bigger than he already was at the time of the plane crash. The gift shop has some nice things - many overpriced, but it's not often that you see Buddy Holly items for sale. Parking is free. Highly recommended. read more

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Okay, so, the whole thing was full of information and fascinating artifacts. This place has one of the best gift shops I have ever been too. Ticket prices were great. Unrelated to the establishment itself, I met the bassists for Styx while touring the old house nextdoor in which the songs Peggy Sue and That'll Be The Day were written. I would recommend if you love his music, or the music of the people he influenced (to be fair, if you love any music, you love the music of someone influenced by him) but a great experience and I highly recommend. read more

Tried to visit on 11/19/25 but was illegally denied access for my service dog. He was wearing his service animal vest,license tags and id. The manager said absolutely no dogs are allowed in the museum. This is a direct violationof the ADA service animal act. Will advise other veternas with service dogs to avoid this business. read more

Today our road trip took us to Lubbock Texas to the Buddy Holly Center. You cant take pictures in the center itself but you can the Alison house which is where they wrote their first hit "That'll be the day." On 3rd Feb 1959, 22-year-old Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, aged 17, died in a plane crash shortly after takeoff from Clear Lake, Iowa. Buddy inspired many groups which give him credit today. The Beatles, the Rolling stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen and the who, just to mention a few. The museum has several of his guitars including the one he used on his last concert in Clearlake Iowa. Also his iconic glasses, history and more. Holly and his band, consisting of Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, and Carl Bunch, were playing on the "Winter Dance Party" tour across the American Midwest. Rising artists Valens, Richardson and vocal group Dion and the Belmonts had joined the tour as well. The long journeys between venues on board the cold, uncomfortable tour buses adversely affected the performers, with cases of flu and even frostbite. After stopping at Clear Lake to perform, and frustrated by the conditions on the tour buses, Holly chose to charter a plane to reach their next venue in Moorhead, Minnesota. Richardson, suffering from flu, swapped places with Jennings, taking his seat on the plane, while Allsup lost his seat to Valens on a coin toss. Soon after takeoff, late at night and in poor, wintry weather conditions, pilot Peterson lost control of the light aircraft, a Beechcraft Bonanza, which crashed into a cornfield, killing all four on board. His last call was to his wife who 6 weeks pregnant at the time, but did not mention the chartered plane as he did not want her to worry. After the crash his wife Maria Elena Holly was in such grief she lost the baby and the funeral was the next day which she was unable to attend. To this day she has never visited the grave. Buddy Holly's wife, Maria Elena, did not attend his funeral and has never visited his grave site. She blames herself for his passing and said that had she gone on tour with him (she stayed home as she was pregnant), Buddy never would have gotten into that airplane. After the visitor center and the Allison house we stopped by Buddy Holly's grave. His mom and dad and siblings are interred there as well. Buddy Holly a music legend and must see. read more

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The museum itself is rather small but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in content. A fantastic collection of personal items belonging to Buddy Holly, including interesting things from his childhood, a few of his guitars and his glasses (and much more!) Like one reviewer said, the film they show is quite outdated and needs to be updated (or at least restored) but is none-the-less interesting. A guided tour of bandmate and fellow song-writer J.I. Allison's former home that included some original items, topped off a wonderful experience. If you love music and appreciate the artists you currently are moved by, you owe a lot to this man who was taken from us far too young. read more

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Sweet lil tribute to Buddy Holly in his hometown here in Lubbock, Texas. At $10 a person, it was a tad underwhelming with not too much to see, but at the same time, he was lost entirely too soon so not much was documented of his short life. The gift shop had some fun souvenirs. read more

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Like Music? Like History? Take a cheap and easy pilgrimage to Where It Was Made in 18 months. Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Keith Richards cannot all be wrong. read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

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I was not impressed by the Buddy Holly Center. There are only a few rooms. The room with furniture used by Buddy Holly is pretty sparse. The room full of trivia and trinkets could take a couple hours if you read through everything. There is a gift shop with a few fun trinkets. There is also a "documentary" running on repeat in a small dark room. The "documentary" was enlightening, but looks like it was put together in the eighties. I suggest an updated version and alternate "show times". read more

While the center isn't huge, it's big on history and reasonably priced. There were a lot of interesting stories, artifacts and videos. If you enjoy Buddy Holly's music, which I definitely do, I recommend taking the time to stop by. And since his life was cut far too short, a lot of the materials and stories come from other musicians that were inspired by Buddy Holly. The Beatles admitted to outright copying him and his rhythm style. If you want to take an even deeper musical dive, there's an area dedicated to Blues musicians and juke joints. The room is lined with photographs and a corresponding information. I recognized many famous names and learned about more lesser known musicians and their contributions. It was a nice addition to the Buddy Holly section and rounded out the tour. read more

To be honest, I had not heard a Buddy Holly song before stopping here. It's only 5 dollars to get in. In one room, you can watch a movie about Buddy Holly's life. The next hall features bits about all the popular 1950s bands and singers. I felt like I was transported back in time (and learned a lot about Buddy Holly). I had always thought I was born in the wrong era, but that was even more true after visiting the BH Center. Unfortunately, photos couldn't be taken with the real Buddy Holly furniture, motorcycle, and guitar housed there. They were setting up for a concert that evening in their beer garden. 2021 #32 read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Loved everything about it! Quite the sentimental journey as we made our way around the exhibits . Love all the personal items that were displayed! read more

Loved the Buddy Holly Center. He wasn't with us long but made a huge impact on music. This is a must see when visiting Lubbock... read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

The actual building is stunning, clean and the sound in the Hall is amazing. I have been to several different shows over the last few years. If this is your first time going, please make sure that you understand... they have a clear bag policy. The security hired to maintain the center is extremely rude. With my most recent visit to the Center, I witnessed a security guard being very unprofessional to an elderly woman about her purse. Here in West Texas the winds get very high in the springtime. With the high winds and low temperatures mixed together, it is very uncomfortable to be outside sometimes. It is understandable that there is a policy that must be followed, but the unnecessary harsh tone given by the security staff is enough to damper a first time goers experience. This new facility is Lubbock's most recent pride and joy come out and and experience it for yourself,, but please leave the purse at home or you will be scolded like a child. read more

The Buddy Holly Center is a must see if you visit Lubbock. I was visiting Lubbock for the weekend and decided to visit the center, it was amazing. The center provides a lot of history of Rock n Roll and Buddy Holly. The center has numerous artifacts of Buddy Holly and interesting parallels he had with great artist like Elvis Presley and the Beatles. I highly recommend visiting the Buddy Holly Center. read more

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A great little museum to a local legend. It's small but very informative. The two ladies working here were very friendly. Loved the gift shop. read more

If you're in Lubbock... I'm going to agree with all the good reviews. This place is small but the presentation is excellent. read more

This small museum is very well done. You know how sometimes you go into a smaller, boutique museum and it's just a room and it's cobbled together and unimpressive? This museum is not that. Entry is $8 for a regular ticket and $5 for students, not necessarily Texas Tech students. The primary room is super informative and readable. I feel like I learned a lot about Buddy Holly from this visit: His band was called The Crickets, which influenced The Beatles' name. He passed away when he was 22. He was married. An additional room contained his high school bedroom furniture. There is a gift shop where you purchase your entry ticket. And there is an art gallery. When we were there, they had a photo exhibit. I highly recommend a visit to the Buddy Holly Center if you're in Lubbock. read more

Buddy Holly Center - Large glasses - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

The buddy holly center has always been an awesome place to visit. I just recently started going back in 2018 for their Friday art trail. They have some super sweet and knowledgable employees! Especially Marissa Galvan, who always makes our visits super awesome! At the art trails they always have cool exhibits and activities for the visitors. The parking lot get filled pretty quick so arrive early. Theres a street mainly for food trucks also, and most of the time they always switch them up! You can park at the center and there are busses that will take you to your destinations. Be aware they do stop running at 9 or 10 I believe read more

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This place is a must for Buddy Holly fans! This place is a must for Buddy Holly fans! If you get a chance... go!

All is right in the world. After a year dealing with COVID, the music is back! Great to see so many familiar faces back and healthy. I know a few didn't make it and we mourn them! Love life and music! read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Very enjoyable experience. The museum presents memorabilia and history in a pleasant environment. Plenty of room and time to linger and revisit stations. It's a great tribute to Buddy Holly, the Crickets, and many other musicians from the era and Texas. read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Pretty small cute museum in memory of Buddy Holly. There are art exhibits on each end of the building, including a "do it yourself" art station. The art exhibits are free but the main hall about Buddy Holly is the part you have to pay for. Across the street there is a statue of Buddy Holly ! read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

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Interesting museum of Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas. It was small but had lots of memorabilia of Buddy Holly. Easy to get to and plenty of parking read more

I'm a recent first time visitor. And I would absolutely recommend that others go. But, as another review mentioned, this is quite a small museum. Now I wouldn't downgrade the stars just because of this --- it's not like the museum bills itself as "largest music museum ever." But if you are planning a trip, you should know that it doesn't even take 45 minutes to go through the museum, and that includes sitting through the 20 minute video. The video is dated and of poor quality. THey were screening it in a room with the lights on, but since I was the only visitor at the time, I got up and shut the overhead lights off. That helped a lot with being able to view the video, but the images are still of poor quality. The movie is also long on assertions -- "Buddy Holly was so formative to the history of rock'n'roll" -- but short on details or examples (in other words, short on citations). I did like the examples of his playing with sound and instruments, and, would have enjoyed some more along these lines. In the museum itself, the exhibits are lovely and, once you figure out why things are arranged the way they are, the exhibits are also interesting. But I went through the entire museum and was about to leave with many questions unanswered when I finally found the "guide" to the exhibits, a small paper publication near one of the doors. You need this to understand what each item is (and its significance to Holly). That's really kind of odd that they don't have the interpretative material right there with the exhibit. I highly recommend the permanent art exhibit in another wing of the building. The rotating exhibit on the date of my visit was also good, but of course could change. read more

This is a cool museum. There was a main area of the museum for $8, and a free side that had art work from local artist . The house in front was really neat read more

They have done an excellent job of telling Buddy Holly's story. The center is filled with anecdotes and stories that help you understand what influenced his music and the influence he had on so very many artists. Well worth visiting. FYI, if you take your stamped ticket stub to the Silent Wings Museum, you get 50% off there. Well worth it. read more

This place is small but I generally enjoyed my visit. I am not much of a rock n roll person nor do i know much about buddy holly. But you gotta do this thing when you are in LBK, right? I love the huge pair of huddy holly glasses in front of the building and took tons of pictures with it. The bubby holly statue is across the street just an FYI. If you are ever in LBK for God knows whatever reason, pay a visit to the buddy holly center. That's something LBK has to offer, right? Ironically people in LBK didn't even like the man until he was dead and he actually spent most of his time in Clovis, NM recording his music. So sad. Admission is free on first Fridays. read more

I've been meaning to stop here since moving to Texas. I finally stopped here this past Saturday and got there just in time for a tour of the Allison house where the Crickets used to practice. It was a short but very nice tour and I learned a lot. The museum is nice with a timeline of Buddy Holly's life and lots of key events and personal items on display. There is an art gallery attached also that is unrelated but the art gallery is nice. I enjoyed that too. Definitely worth a stop. You wont be disappointed. read more

Spent many a Friday night here when this place was the best restaurant in town, The Depot (the old train station). The beer garden remains for local bands, etc. The design and interior for the Buddy Holly Center surpassed my expectations. Liked the history, the motor bike that he rode and the articles are accurate. It has a magical sense of the impact one person can make on a global basis. All kinds of music is blaring out of overhead speakers, did not hear "American Pie" honky tonk that was an influence at that time, and of course Rave On. Trivia: IMO Lubbock was not so fond of Buddy Holly when he lived there, vividly remember the Tuesday that he died, a family member was sitting next to me in school, and was taken out of class and told of his death, I had to ask why the crying and screaming) ironic that the city has done an "about face" and given him statutes and a center. Dixie Chicks (Natalie Maines) has no center, politics party on. Supreme vision realized, hats off to the Benefactor for making this center a reality. The Gallery with the repurposed items is attached to the center, awesome, the gift shop has the finest Chinese made knick-knacks, t-shirts, glasses, books. Saw no crickets for sale. On big events you can get tickets on an outdoor Trolley to stroll through the Depot District. This is as others have stated a tiny 6th Street aka Austin, Texas. Staff were the best. read more

Buddy Holly Center - Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

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I have been to Graceland, the Tina Turner birthplace Museum, Stax Records Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and many other museums devoted to rock and roll. The Buddy Holly museum is extremely disappointing. They snared some interesting items- like Buddy's report card and answers to exam questions from school, but the problem is the way they have displayed the items makes it impossible to read. They've set the items so far back in the display window that even if you have 20/20 vision you can't read it. Also the lighting is very dark. They need to get a better designer because I couldn't see a thing. Documentary is extremely superficial. read more

The manager Jacky was extremely rude, forced us to wear masks over our entire face and no air conditioner. We paid for this event, I never saw them sanitize after we would leave a room. Benches in theatre were nasty and we had to ask for wipes. So we are forced to wear masks but they aren't forced to do sanitizing first percautions??? I'll be reporting to the news channel about the sanitation and jackys attitude. read more

Visiting family in Lubbock I found myself searching Yelp for something interesting for an afternoon. This was perfect. Admission is cheap with discounts for kids and seniors and keep your reciept to get half price a at flight meusum. We were there just in time to look around and tour the house where they wrote sings add the crickets! Visit the gift shop t to get your own Buddy Holly glasses! read more

Buddy Holly Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

If you are a rock and roll history fan this is a must see. Also stopping here helps stimulate the Lubbock arts community. If you are a mcm furniture fan it has a cute installation of Buddy Holly's dining room and bedroom furniture- beautiful! The sight of Buddy Holly's glasses that were recovered from the planet crash is very sobering- like a religious relic. Worth the stop! read more

This is a belated review of the Buddy Holly Center when we visited last Saturday after stopping overnight in Lubbock on our way to Santa Fe. We were the only people there when we arrived, and took some photos by the oversized glasses outside (which are gimmicky, but we just couldn't help ourselves). The museum itself is in the shape of a guitar and it's quite small. While the displays on the periphery were interesting with some cool memorabilia, the timelines everywhere else seemed more curatorial filler. There's also a lame movie, a display of some Holley family furniture, and a statue outside. We're glad that we went here to learn more about Buddy Holly, but the center itself is only just OK (probably because it's hard to create a full museum for someone who died at 22). Happy to support local arts though. read more

During our trip to visit our daughter near Amarillo, she and her husband took us to Lubbock to see the Buddy Holly Center. I really enjoyed this facility. I was a little too young to follow Buddy Holly's career, but it was sad to lose him, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. I remember "Donna" was at the top of the charts, then started falling a bit, then this tragic airplane crash. "Donna" moved quickly back up to #1. The memorabilia was personal - contracts, guitar, his bedroom furniture, contact lenses, letters - helped to fill out a portrait of Buddy Holly as a person. Wish we could have taken photos in the Center. They are building additional things across the street so this must be a great destination in better times of the year. They played a 15-to-20 minutes video with clips that included a 3 song performance by the Big Bopper. Never knew he had something other than "Chantilly Lace". There was a lot information about Buddy and the Crickets and the influence on other rock-n-roll performers to follow. He was a bigger star and influence than I ever knew. I just knew I like listening to "Peggy Sue" "Everyday". My souvenier? A 65 cent guitar pick. Thanks for the memories. Rave on! read more

I had a better and more thorough review but Yelp didn't allow me to post it. Great place to vist, thorough story of BH, great for knowledgeable BH fans. First thought is could be bigger but then re-think says BH died at age 22. Complete BH story is here with articles and photos. Gift shop had more women stuff, I'm not into denim caps or bowling shirts. The staff is super courteous and informative, gave us tour of adjacent Allison home. Great time for me, fellow BH fan from Australia visited Norman Petty Studio on Clovis and next day I saw him again and talked to him at BH center. Lubbock is a great place to visit, not a 1 trick pony. Silent Wings Museum is awesome. Lubbock has an unknown culinary acumen with live theater, has local wineries. Lubbock people are some of most courteous people, worth a visit. read more

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As a big time Buddy Holly fan, this place was a must-see for me. I visited Lubbock, TX right around the time Clovis, NM was having it's music festival. I had a great time and the people were all so very friendly. The museum was fantastic and the gift shop was a dream for a fan like me. It was a thrill for me to get close to all the Buddy Holly memorabilia. A constant film plays in the movie room as friends and family reminisce about one of Rock's greatest legends. Rave On! read more

Kind of a small place, but pretty cool nonetheless. They have the Wayfarers that were recovered from the crash site when Buddy Holly died. It's a nice little museum, they have a great student discount ($2 entry). Also you can walk down the hall and look at some art. read more