What a cool museum!! I was very surprised at high big it was once I entered inside. The lady…read moreworking there was very friendly and welcoming. She gave us a thorough explanation of the layout and the exhibits. It truly felt like going back in time in the life of the panhandle looking at all the wonderful displays. They have extensive exhibits of farming, ranching, industry, business, family life, military, and wildlife. We learned that all these were donated by local residents! Some include a fully equipped early dentist office, a doctor's office, replica of a 1920's home, and even yearbook pictures of Dumas High School. We also got to meet the painter who creates all the wonderful art on display for sale at the Art Center inside the museum. If you're ever in Dumas, definitely check it out! Surprised that admission is free too.

We have driven through Dumas many times and usually spend the night at the hotel next door. It was…read morealways closed when we got into town. This year we stayed at an AirBnb near the museum. We took our dog and a walk and noticed the outside area was free and had a walking path. It is various large items on display. Some items have more details than other but a nice area to walk. We didn't go inside the museum as we had our dog and with Covid we are staying outside. I hope someday to go inside but good to know the outside is free. So many years we assumed it was closed as the museum was closed. It appears you could walk around it at any time.

Stepping into the Don Harrington Discovery Center in Amarillo is like entering a wonderland of…read morescience--complete with roaring dinosaurs, swirling galaxies, and lasers that make you say, "Whoa, did that just happen?" The place buzzes with curiosity from the moment you walk in. I kicked things off in the Sun, Earth & Universe gallery, pressing buttons to trigger solar flares and playing with real-time space weather--instant brain tickles that felt both geeky and awesome . Then I zipped over to the Outdoor Science Park, where a life-size T‑Rex and Triceratops loomed over a fossil dig pit. Kids were scooping up "bones" while I dodged tennis balls flying from a launcher--science meets playground shenanigans . Later, I curled up in the cozy Treehouse Reading Nook, surrounded by bird chirps from the aviary above--a peaceful contrast to the chaos of color bombs and bouncing probes . The highlight, though? The Space Theater, a full‑dome planetarium that launched me from Earth to black holes in minutes--complete with dramatic music and enough stars to rival my ex's eyes . It's clear DHDC is more than a kids' museum--it's a playground for inquisitive minds of all ages. Traveling exhibits keep things fresh, and a recent "Beyond: Unity in Community" display even won a national award for celebrating Afghan culture . Educational programs, planetarium shows, story times, and even sci‑fi-style "KABOOM!" demos fill the calendar . By the end of my visit, my cheeks hurt from smiling, my head buzzed with fun facts, and I momentarily considered launching myself into orbit. Instead, I left with a grin, a handful of newfound cosmic trivia, and a plan to bring all my friends next time. Bottom line: Don Harrington Discovery Center is science with soul--equal parts spectacle and insight. Whether you're a kid, a curious adult, or just someone who likes lasers and dinosaurs (who doesn't?), this place throws the perfect brain party.

This place was great until they put a tribute to Afghanistan complete with minaret and the flag of…read moreAfghanistan in the middle of the center!! We appreciated the free entry for military but after seeing that, we will not be renewing our memberships and glad we didn't pay this time. We will NOT be returning. They spent all that money to honor Afghanistan. HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED!!

Excellent historical museum and exhibit. If you loved the story of Lonesome Dove, you will love…read morelearning more about the life and contributions of the man who was the inspiration for Woodrow F. Call. Also, learn how Molly, his wife, saved the North American Bison from total extinction. Great staff and friendly, informative tour. Don't forget to stop by the cemetery across the highway to pay your respects at the gravesite of Charlie Goodnight. This is a Pure Texas destination!

This historical spot is so amazingly cool! The level of authenticity they have been able to…read moremaintain is nothing short of incredible. The guide is super friendly and just next door the Buffalo "Herd Wear" shop is chock full of one of a kind buffalo derived clothing, knives, moccasins, blankets, coats, vests etc. You name it and they probably have it. Using every bit of the animal, they really have found a way to meet every mountain man and fur lover's needs. Cecil and his wife make every visit a delight with their friendly service. Both of them go above and beyond for their customers and visitors. I was fitted for a buffalo hide coat and this is the result below! More than satisfied.

Staff was so knowledgeable and they had a great exhibit of models and unique aircraft. Wish weather…read morehad been better but we made the most of it.

This is an amazing museum! My son and I loved the guided tour we had. The docent was so…read moreknowledgeable and kind to us. We got to go inside so many different aircraft. An added unexpected bonus was the Osprey that happened to be landing on the runway while we were there. I was not expecting to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. I can't say enough great things!

TEMPORARILY CLOSED!!!!…read more https://www.panhandleplains.org/p/about/pphm-temporary-closure-updates Hours incorrect on Yelp! We love this museum in a past visit but were disappointed to learn of the closure when entering the destination in Waze.

This museum was such a blast! IT JUST KEPT GOING! Every corner was something to look at. So much…read morethought went into the design of the museum. Definitely have to see it if you're coming this way. Set aside time because it definitely isn't a stop in for a few minutes situation. You will love it! Check out the benches and chairs, super comfy.

Small museum with some very interesting artifacts. Main building has many implements of life circa…read more1900s. The dugout house is partial leaving me to wonder how a family could live in it or even a full dugout! The Pokey was also interesting. It would be a strong deterrent to not be a bad guy. One room of the red building contained displays of stuffed fauna native and non native to the area. Is there great blue herons in Panhandle? Another room had a display of some beautiful quilts and interesting historical facts. Have the kids try the rotary style phones. It took us no more then an hour to tour. It's free, but I would suggest a donation to keep it available for future generations.

Should you find yourself in the wide open prairies of the Texas pand-handle, be certain to take…read morethis side shoot off of Amarillo to visit a really nice little museum. Pandhandle itself is a bit of a ghost town. You're lucky to see 1-2 vehicles traveling through. There are a couple different buildings that intertwine this museum. There's a larger brown brick building, which has some local artworks, and some really interesting exhibits in regards to Native American culture, and late 1800's - early 1900's panhandle life. All exhibits are complete with creepy mannequins in ensembles. Across the street is a white house with more exhibits inside. The ground contains an example of a dugout used in pioneer times and even during the dustbowl & through tornados, before the era of basements, I suppose. There's a train car, a outdoor jail cell (that can be transported), and a secondary building contains a taxidermy exhibit. They've started incorporating photos from families in the area, which really puts a personal touch from the area to the exhibits. It's really a nice little road-stop, and you get to understand a little bit how rough it was in such a desolate space of American during the turn of the century.

This place is HUGE! And donation based. Also has two gift shops. Such a nice docent at the front…read moredesk and cow bell over the entrance door to be sure she sees you coming. Learned so much about barbed wire BEYOND how it's made and the history. Learned about its application beyond cow fencing to people fencing during wars and at internment camps. There's even a barbed wire brassiere there as a nod to the building's past as a ladies' undergarment factory. Cool stop totally worth the time. And time you do need to plan for cuz it's huge with great write-ups and categories per room. Lots of old farm machinery and how it used knots in rope to open the seed drop mechanism every measured distance, tools the fence line folks used to carry on the horses to maintain the barbed wire, branding irons, dust bowl history WITH a jar of the actual dust, etc.

It's fun, free and interesting. This museum, once a bra factory, houses several different types of…read morebarbed wire (or what it is also called, the devil's rope!). Supposedly there are over 2000 patents for it, so depending on how interested you are, the visit time varies. The building also houses the Texas Route 66 Museum, which is small or fairly-sized, but still has plenty of memorabilia to check out. There is also a wall that has the pictures of Texas Route 66 Hall of Fame inductees. If you're traveling on the Mother Road, don't skip out on this museum! One last thing to note: they have a cool gift shop so it is very likely you'll find something you collect here.