Man, if there is one thing to do when you visit Abilene, it has to be to come here and check out…read morethis unique museum. I was in town and killing time before meeting up with some people in the evening, and came across this as an option. I swung by and was thoroughly impressed. The young man behind the counter was friendly and walked me through where I'd be going and what I'd be seeing. I was the only one in the "next group" for the intro video, and he even delayed the start time since I ran to the restroom before roaming the grounds. They have an impressive display of artifacts ranging from early Texas all the way through the frontier days, including a very impressive array of historic guns towards the end. They have interactive kiosks and hologram displays where actors portray historical figures and tell "firsthand" accounts of what was experienced on the frontier, right out of the accounts left by those people beforehand. There's a second theater towards the end of the museum that's a lot more immersive. You have to rotate around in a swivel chair as the story is told from all around you, and there's lights and sound to really sell you on the experience-- all from the comfort of your air-conditioned chair. I don't plan on being back in Abilene anytime soon, but if I ever was back with friends, I'd take them here to check this place out.

Excellent displays of artifacts from the early days of Texas. Quality movies portraying how Texas…read morechanged and the demise of the buffalo. Very sad, but made way for cattle. Good coverage of the Native Americans and their culture. It was seriously the best kept museum I have seen. And many hands-on elements. Definitely worth a visit if in the area. The staff were very friendly as well!

Stopped by on our way through Abilene. Staff were friendly and it was a great chance to share such…read morean important part of history with our children. Lots of cool pictures, facts, and memorabilia to see.

Sadly, the elevator is out of order and they're working to get it fixed. Apparently, it's quite a…read moreproject. I enjoyed what I was able to see on the first floor in the vehicles outside, but sadly was not able to visit upstairs. Hope they get there. Elevator up and running soon. As if the other floors are as interesting as the main one, it is certainly worth your stop. Staff was very friendly and professional.

I was kind of bummed - I could have sworn the website said they had a permanent exhibit, including…read moreMo Willems' work among others we love. But alas, the museum is strictly traveling works. We went today and it was all pictures of black children's books, for Black History Month. There is a little gift shop full of *signed* children's books (signature for no extra charge). There are also a few reading areas with bins of books, so grab one and read to your kids! You'll find a Little Free Library just outside, which is awesome! Bring a book, take a book. :)

This place is a true gem. The NCCIL has world class…read moreexhibits and a lovely book store. We will be visiting as often as possible

We visited the Discovery Center and Creation museum today. We enjoyed it so much. There is so much…read moreto look at and read. They have a few animals and a small theater where they show different informative videos. We hope to be able to take our family here when they visit. Oh and they have a really good book store too!!

I met the owner of Discovery Center in an elevator a few months back, and he invited me to check…read morethe center out. I finally took him up on it. It truly is a great place with many fascinating relics, fossils, and exhibits. The entire staff was kind, knowledgeable, and passionate. I learned quite a lot in a short amount of time and made friends in the process. It was a most engaging and memorable experience. When you have a moment, stop by. You will be glad you did.

This car museum was very small, but really well done very professional displays dioramas and…read moreexhibits. They had some interesting cars a lot of Ford products some obscure Ford products from the 60s, as well as the ubiquitous muscle cars and 59 Cadillac convertible. The museum also had a second floor with baseball cards and memorabilia, however they have an unhealthy obsession with the Texas Rangers. Did I mention it was 45 minutes outside of Abilene, which is already outside of many cities. My only complaint is the overboard proselytizing.

It's amazing what you can find in a small town. Woody's dear wife built this gorgeous car museum in…read morehonor of her beloved husband. Saturday was their first annual car show. It was a HUGE success! So many beautiful cars showed up, they had to expand to the lot across the street. Yes, I saw plenty of cars I would love to have, and plenty I couldn't afford! The new addition to the museum is finished, and it's beautiful. If you're ever in Cross Plains, Texas you need to stop here. You'll love it, and entrance is free!

This incredible museum is a must-stop for anyone on a road trip through the area. Even if you're…read morenot a fan of history, it's still so powerful and moving to read about the women who learned to fly here and see and hear them talk about it in their own words. I have to admit we got a little emotional imagining the way they were treated like such second-class citizens, being required to buy their own uniforms, transport themselves to the base, and the leader of the base even buying wings for these women out of her own pocket. Still, even with that cloud hanging over it, it was also incredibly inspiring and powerful to go through the photos, videos, stories, and the awesome PLANES at this museum. One of our favorite stops on the whole trip, I will never forget visiting the WASP museum and getting to climb into some of the old test flying things they had. Moving and awesome, I highly recommend going!

Awesome. Thoroughly enjoyed. Friendly staff. Great place to bring the family and share our rich…read morehistory.

This is the reason we drove to Albany. 3 or 4 guys got together and opened up this place to show…read moreoff their car collections. Trust me, they are batting a thousand. The cars are incredible. Each one has been restored or modified to the MAX! I was completely impressed with every vehicle. Every few months they swap them out to show different cars and trucks. This is a must see. Entry is free but they do take donations. I'll be back!

Visited today and such a cool museum to visit. They swap out different cars and it a local car club…read moredisplaying their rides. Everything inside is owned by their club members. I great little place to keep history alive. Amazing visit and the staff was great to talk to.

Well, wish I had seen the reviews on here before stopping by with the family. Months ago we had…read moretraveled to Texas to search out a new place to live. Texas sounded so lovely and we love the weather. We visited five different major cities and drove through tons of lovely little towns all filled with charming history and warm, friendly people. To keep the kids happy, we made sure there were plenty of stops along the way for fun and adventure. We stopped by the Sweetwater Pioneer City Museum to tour the main home, the chapel, and the art gallery. We were originally excited to learn its history however, we were greeted by a woman who, while seemingly nice, wanted nothing more than to discuss politics and act like we were long lost friends. Aside from that, the main home is amazing. Built in 1912, it is definitely reminiscent southern charm. Gorgeous hardwood floors and an amazing staircase, the restoration is exquisite. Melonnia or Melony was her name. She was polite at first, very knowledgeable about the history of the Patterson and Melvin McCoy families who owned the home but after giving us what felt like a scripted guide, she would not stop talking about her political views. She clearly has some deranged hatred for the president of the US and when one of the kids chimed in to ask why she was talking so rudely to us, she verbally lashed out at our child and said some not so nice things. A lovely home, lots of history and charm, but maybe avoid this place until the political fervor in this country dies down. We'll stay away from this place and avoid its drama.

Have not been, but will just add the following note from their website:…read moreMelonnie Hicks is no longer an employee of the museum as of back in March 2020. Her views do not reflect those of the staff or board members. I saw the same post about her making its rounds through Facebook today (her original post was back in March) and thought I would take 10 seconds to fact check it. Not sure what else the museum should do, be perpetually punished for something an ex-employee posted 7+ months ago?

Looking for a wedding venue? There truly are not enough…read morewords to thank Thomas for everything he did for us during our wedding. From the moment we started working with him, we felt supported, cared for, and completely at ease. Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming at times, but Thomas had a way of making everything feel manageable and calm. On our wedding day, he was everywhere we needed him to be without us ever having to ask. He handled every detail with so much professionalism, kindness, and genuine care. Because of him, John and I were able to be fully present and soak in every moment instead of worrying about logistics. That is such a priceless gift on a day you can never get back. What stood out most was how much heart he put into his work. We never felt like "just another event." He truly cared about us, our families, and making sure our day was everything we hoped it would be. By the end of it all, Thomas didn't just feel like our venue coordinator -- he felt like part of the day itself and honestly became a friend. He danced with me and our guests, celebrated alongside us, and brought such a fun, positive energy to the entire evening. Looking back, I can honestly say I had the BEST team ever, and Thomas was such a huge part of that. We are beyond grateful for the role he played in one of the most important days of our lives. Thank you, Thomas, for helping create memories we will cherish forever.

It was a nice afternoon in Abilene when my girlfriend and I explored the historic Grace building…read moreand visited the Grace Museum. We got in a little after noon to see new exhibits that had genuinely just opened for the season that day. The museum is very quiet and, thanks to road construction, a little confusing to get to, but it is worth the drive and adventure. As we arrived, we noticed that a wedding was being set up in their courtyard and event space, and we were in awe of how cute the space was for a wedding. On the first floor was the Gail Norfleet collection, where we were amazed by these multi-layered plexiglass paintings that added depth to her floral pieces and recreated rooms. It is such a unique style. Gail's use of color is quite impressive. On the second floor sat the other two new exhibits. The first was Focus on Photography: Selections from the Permanent Collection, which includes a diverse and vast collection of still images printed on numerous materials such as gelatin, inkjet, tintype, and metal, giving each image a unique display. As a photographer myself, this was my favorite exhibit. My girlfriend's favorite was the Cindi Holt collection showcasing colorful, prairie-inspired pieces. Other areas included the play zone that has the tower challenge and the history exhibits on the third floor focusing on downtown Abilene and the Texas railway. I'm excited to return to the Grace Museum next time I'm in Abilene when new exhibits are on display. What a cute and small museum! RIYL: The Tower Challenge or feeling so much cooler than everyone else because you're being enriched at a museum