We had time for one museum while on our trip and so we picked Bullock Texas State History Museum…read more This was a great choice that we made and certainly something to explore. The History History and the contemporary history that is all laid out here is very well presented and in the contemporary part it felt like you were reading, observing and strolling from decade to decade. A wide range of topics and different vantage points of Texas is explored here which makes it very fascinating and was mind broadening as we progressed through the displays and artifacts. I didn't know a whole lot about Austin City Limits and all of the musicians and musical acts that played there which was very much a learning experience and perhaps one of my favorite sections of the museum. Definitely worth going to if you are in Austin and wanting to take in some history and culture that makes up the state and the city.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is an absolute must see! From the moment you walk in,…read moreyou're immersed in the rich story of Texas from its early days to modern times. The exhibits are interactive, engaging, and thoughtfully curated, making history come alive for visitors of all ages. There is a paid parking garage available, but parking is free after 5:00 for movie showings. Highlights include the detailed artifacts, hands-on displays, and the impressive theater experiences that really bring Texas history to life. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable, happy to answer questions and guide you through the exhibits. Whether you're a history buff or just looking for a fun and educational outing, this museum is a must-see. I left feeling inspired and with a deeper appreciation for my home state of Texas! I have attended numerous movie screenings at the IMAX theater on site. Most recently the EPiC Elvis Presley in Concert. The seats are comfortable and it was easy to purchase tickets from the box office and they have a bar and concessions. Was a very comfortable place to watch a film.

2nd time here and was not disappointed. Loved the traveling SNL exhibition they brought in. So…read moreinteresting. So nostalgic! The employees are just amazing once again. This is a small museum that packs a punch. Come out and support the arts!

I was raised on Saturday Night Live. My parents would always turn on Saturday Night Live every…read moreSaturday after I went to bed and as I got older, I would eventually get to stay up and watch the cast of the early 2010s. Even from there, my parents would show us SNL skits during their holiday specials as well as clips on early YouTube. SNL not only opened my eyes to some of the greatest comedians of this decade, but introduced me to more than just the artists heard on mainstream radio. SNL introduced me to so many great indie and alternative artists. Because of this, I became a huge fan of Saturday Night Live entering my adult life. After hearing how Lorne Michaels' private collection and archives would be heading to a free exhibit at the Henry Ransom Center, I knew I would have to check it out as soon as possible. With my girlfriend coming to town the weekend after my birthday, we made a plan to hit a few museums across the University of Texas campus starting with the Henry Ransom Center. Before you even see the Lorne Michaels Collection, you can see the Niépce Heliograph, the first ever photograph, and the Gutenberg Bible. The Lorne Michaels Collection is the highlight of the visit. As you walk through the exhibits, you first start with the history of comedy on SNL, Lorne's early work before NBC, and the origins of SNL. From there, you get to see the order of the show from the cold open, the monologue, sketches, pre-tapes, musical performances, and more. There is a real cue card from Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter's cold open performance from SNL 50 on display. From there, artifacts and history from each decade are highlighted, from Matt Foley's costume, the cowbell, a tribute to the first episode following the September 11 attacks, a Five-Timers jacket, and more. The best part of all of this is that the exhibit is entirely free to the public and there is so much more than what I am sharing. The collection is on display until March 20, 2026, and if you are a fan of Saturday Night Live, comedy, or television as a whole this is an exhibit for you. RIYL: Saturday Night Live, like duh?

The best place to take your kids! My kids could spend hours…read moreon end here! There is so much to do and see. It's so nice to have an indoor hands on interactive learning place for the young ones! It's fun and pretty clean. We were so generously gifted a family membership for Christmas by our family friends and it was perfect! The STEAM hands on learning and activities really engages children of all ages. My 7 year old and 4 year old enjoy it here. My 6 month old will get into it soon enough. No food or drinks inside the museum. The water zone is nice that it has smocks and crocs for kids to wear and change into to avoid getting wet and slipping. There is also an outdoor playscape and water tables to get into. I am so grateful they have a comfort nursing room for moms to have a private blocked off area to feed babies! It's much appreciated

I just became an ASTC member, and the Thinkery is reciprocal. It's cheaper to buy your membership…read morethrough the Texas Science and Natural History Museum. They charge $120/year for 5 passes each visit. The Thinkery charges $160/year for 3 passes each visit. My toddler loves the bloom section. The bloom section is always clean and sanitized. None of the vending machines were working in the dining area. I could have sworn they used to have people selling food a decade ago. The Thinkery is great for Austin, but pales in comparison to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis which is five stories and 7.5 acres.

I would recommend the Elisabet Ney Museum, "Formosa," which is Portugese for beautiful, not a…read morereference to the island with disputed soveregnity. She was a sculptor from Munster, Westphalia, before German unification, who emigrated to Texas. She was a feminist and pioneer: she married a Scottish doctor, but refused to take his name (according to the internet; at her home-studio, the biography is more circumspect in this regard). I was in Austin to run a half marathon. I have done the race thrice. My nephew and our mutual friend also participate. We have BBQ afterward. In this instance, we had stuffed ourselves with BBQ the day before, and, after finishing the 13.1 miles, we had Southern cuisine and beer. They were dropping me off at the airport. So we had about an hour and a half to fill. The Ney Museum was perfect. It was interesting. It would take an average tourist probably 30 to 60 minutes. I tend to zip through these establishments (that is not to my credit). I was done in the half hour. But you could linger and study the artistic technique. My background is a single college course. I did well. But I am neither a creative talent nor a professional critic of this form of expression (I can claim to have been paid to write about various subjects, unrelated). So I cannot assess what I was looking at other than to say Ney appeared a better than competent interpreter of the human form into plaster and marble and whatever medium she was using. The staff person explained some of the pieces were the studies, others the finished product. So this is a little place, dedicated to a single person's aesthetic vision. By visiting, you could feel you had stumbled upon something special.

Waco museum castle that renovated now. The outside of the cattle outlook is beautiful. The square…read moreshape makes the beauty of the look. Great for photo spot. The renovations already started when we were there. We were able to slip in and snap a few photo from the inside. It is beautiful. Unfortunately we don't have the whole tour.

One of my favorite things about working on a college campus are the gems (art, music, dance,…read moretheatre) that are available to enjoy.who knows if the arts can withstand the tide that is currently decimating our history so I won't take it for granted and will experience as much of it as I can. The contemporary, modern and Latin collections in the Blanton, along with the art pieces at Rowling Hall are my favorites.

Unpopular opinion loading: as someone who has lived in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, I'm…read moreafraid that this museum leaves very much to be desired, both for the quantity, and quality of the artworks, or lack there of. Basically a single story of actual art, since the first floor is in overly large, check-in area, atrium, and staircase with a large piece of art hanging from the ceiling. The second floor is laid out around the perimeter of said atrium, leaving little space for actual art. I would be surprised if this museum could display more than 20 works at one given time. I've been three times and never seen anything impressive or particularly interesting, and the entire ground can be covered in about 20 minutes if you move at a relatively leisurely pace. One of the times was there Saturday events and it was pretty boring. It was basically a bunch of people congregated outside in the heat because they had declared it wasn't an event with an OK band playing and food. You had to pay for on top of paying for the event. It was the regular art exhibit and there was no where air conditioned to sit in the heat. Whyyyyyyy? The little house outside is cute but it's not worth a visit alone. It's a novelty that wears off within about five minutes. In a city that prides itself on being so artsy, why don't we have any good museums or film houses? Not even one.

What an amazing show! This Tony-award winning musical was filled with great comical timing,…read morebeautiful choreography, wonderful performances, and more Dad jokes than you can count. A feast for your eyes and ears, directed by Jack O'Brien, who directed Hairspray. I'm still thinking about the stage design, and how it blended with the choreography. Joe did they balance on the wooden slats?! Lulu (Miki Abraham) stole the show. "Independently Owned" was my favorite song, and she was great in every way. Broadway In Austin made ticket pickup easy. Also they've removed the clear bag policy. Bass Concert Hall now offers additional restrooms past the foyer on four floors in a separate building; there were two people in front of me in line and zero behind me. The pedestrian traffic was well organized by the ushers and helpful volunteers. Her your corns up Austin, and take my kernels of wisdom to motivate you to see the Broadway show of the year.

Went to see Clue tonight at Bass Concert Hall for their opening night and my wife and I were just…read moreblown away by the production and talent of the show. Clue was comedic from beginning to end - like actually funny. The writing was witty and smart, the entire cast completely talented from head to toe. I love this venue because its clean, the aisles are spacious, the seats aren't as compact, and the staff members are so friendly and welcoming to the guests. 11/10, I would recommend seeing Clue to all my friends and to those I don't even know.

Checked out Bass Concert hall for Jerry Seinfeld, though Jerry sucked big time, the hall was great!…read moreIt gave a ncie look and feel and it felt nice and ventilated. They had enough parking space but I just park just outside and it was a breeze walking into the venue. Very good stff maintaining the queue and traffic. Tips to improve: 1. Form a file while entring the hall because people were scrambling all over to enter 2. Provide right instruction to queue outside restrooms 3. The last three rows are literally just free wooden chairs, esp the last one being a high-chair. Wish they were comfortable cushioned seats too.

Date night at Bass Concert Hall was orchestrated by the hubs, and he absolutely understood the…read moreassignment. We went to see The Wiz, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that reimagines The Wizard of Oz through a vibrant cultural lens. This production is part of the new national Broadway tour presented by Texas Performing Arts as part of Broadway in Austin, and from the moment we arrived, the evening felt special. Bass Concert Hall itself is stunning. The towering glass-front entrance and brightly lit lobby immediately create an inviting atmosphere, while beautiful sculptures on every level add an artistic touch throughout the venue. As Austin's largest performing arts venue with nearly 3,000 seats, the theater is impressively designed with multiple balconies and sightlines that make the stage visible from virtually everywhere. The acoustics are equally noteworthy...crystal-clear sound fills the space so well that every seat feels like a good seat. It had been a while since our last visit, and we noticed several updates. There seem to be more food and beverage options now, but the most fascinating addition was the snack bar technology. You simply place your items on the counter, and the system automatically recognizes everything you selected...no scanning required. Your items and prices instantly appear on the screen, and you check out from there. It felt a little futuristic in the best possible way. Now for The Wiz itself... from the very first scene, the production burst onto the stage with color, rhythm and energy. The costumes were intricate, bold, and beautifully designed, immediately signaling that this was not a traditional retelling but a fresh, re-envisioned production. While the core storyline remains familiar, it was told with modern twists deeply rooted in Black culture, music, and storytelling. The cast was phenomenal. Every vocalist brought incredible power and range, and quite honestly, it felt like Broadway-level talent across the entire ensemble. The visual production was equally captivating. The set design transformed constantly through changing colors, animated projections, and moving stage pieces that kept the audience fully immersed from beginning to end. The humor woven throughout added even more charm and made the experience feel joyful as well as powerful. It was a meaningful reminder about recognizing your own worth and power. It was entertaining, visually stunning, and emotionally uplifting. Bravo!!!

Today, I dropped in on a social gathering at The Vortex (love the name)! The Vortex is a fun and…read morefunky place - indoor and outdoor spaces. The interior and exterior areas are very much eclectic. This charming little community event is located on Manor Road. Plays and other productions including bands are featured at The Vortex. The group was very welcoming and friendly. The food was a combination of pot luck and prepared foods.

They get stars for having good parking and it seems to be run by volunteers so it won't be…read moreperfect/professional. The seats weren't too comfortable and the arm rest kept snagging my sweater. We watched the Mutt-Cracker. The kids enjoyed the show.