This museum looks enticing from the outside, but once you begin exploring, you'll find yourself in empty, underutilized halls, surrounded by outdated and broken handsets, or watching videos skip and repeat. The HEB Body Adventure is potentially the worst eyesore the museum has to offer. It has been neglected and forgotten for years now. You'll find the rooftop level covered in dust and littered with empty blunt wrappers instead. The special exhibits leave so much to be desired. The clamor to appeal to all age groups leaves all desiring more. The exhibits either have big empty spaces or no "breathing" spaces at all. The exhibits are more like jungle gyms for inattentive parents and school chaperones. The staff members look exhausted and overwhelmed. To make matters worse, the Witte is controlled by its donors. You can forget about finding any such culture behind its doors. It's all very curated and digestible. If you've ever taken a peek at the "Trail Drivers Gallery," you'll know what I mean. read more

I've been coming to the Witte since elementary school for field trips so I remember what this museum was like prior to the renovations and expansion several years ago. It was looking pretty dark and shabby but is larger, brighter and more impressive. Although it is not on the scale of the Houston Museum of Natural science, the Witte is also a cultural museum highlighting the history of San Antonio and Texas. This trip was to see the Extreme Creatures exhibit, specifically the replica of the corpse flower and its accompanying odor - gross but fun! In case you're wondering, the odor reminded me of visiting an old unkept home with a dead animal nearby. I only took a quick whiff because I was hungry and didn't want the smell to linger in my head and commit to nose memory. It wasn't the worse thing I've ever smelt either. I'm not a huge fan of Fiesta (crowds, heat, pretty much the same experience year after year) but I do appreciate the work that goes into producing the gowns worm by the princesses and duchesses of the Order the Alamo's Coronation, especially since my grandmother worked on these dresses decades ago. The 2021 dresses were on display this year and the Witte tends to display the gowns from other years periodically. Of course the gowns were gorgeous. For George Strait fans, he narrarates the Sounds of Texas display.The Witte has something that will appeal to all ages and interests! read more

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We went to the museum today we saw the animal live exhibit. We got to see a sloth. JJ was his name. We got to see a three ring armadillo. The staff were very accommodating, and it was a beautiful museum. read more

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Great place to bring children! My husband and I came for a little day date and from what we could tell, the kids at the museum were having a ton of fun. To be honest, though, what kid doesn't love dinosaurs? We're big kids and we really enjoyed the dinosaur exhibits! We learned a lot about Texas animals and the ancient people who lived in this area, too! It is a smaller museum but it was big enough for us to have ample enjoyment. If I had the choice, I'd come again during the week and maybe not on a weekend. It was a little busy so I felt in the way when I was trying to read the information. And I would take advantage of any deals or free days to save some dough. read more

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Since it was raining on and off the couple of days we were in San Antonio we took in the Witte Museum. They had a Dinosaur exhibit from Antarctica on display as well as other dinosaurs to view and it was dry and warm inside! It was a very interesting exhibit and there were other things about Texas as well. They had dioramas with animals from around Texas set on the settings in which you would find them. Such as alligators, birds, and other animals you would find in a Texas marsh. There were Dioramas for the piney woods, West Texas desert, and other areas that you would find around Texas with the animals associated with those areas. It was very well set up and thought out. There was also a display of the old west cattlemen history of the late 1800's to the early- mid 1900's that was very interesting. It was a very nice museum to visit, especially with the cold rainy weather outside! read more

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My granddaughter (age 12) and I thoroughly enjoyed the Witte, a small but brilliant museum specializing in paleontology and anthropology. The exhibits are beautifully done and well-explained. Short videos in various areas give a lot of very interesting information. We were particularly awed by the gigantic Quetzalcoatlus (a huge pteranodon) that towered over us with a beak that had to be at least 6 feet long, two amazing T-rexes, and the leg bones of a huge sauropod found in Texas [with a lower leg bone longer than my granddaughter (at 5' 2") is tall]. The beautiful displays of ancient rock art and the dioramas depicting the lives of the prehistoric people of the Pecos River area were so well done, and they were fascinating. Highly recommended! By the way, the museum has ample places to sit, plenty of restrooms, and a small cafe. There are elevators for those who can't or don't wish to hike the stairs. Everything is well-thought out. read more

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What a nice museum! The Witte entertained me one afternoon while in town visiting. It has its own free parking garage that is a short outside walk from the museum entrance. My adult ticket cost $14 and I would budget about 2 hours to go through it. The museum consists of two primary buildings and associated outdoor gardens next to the San Antonio River. Inside there were several interesting exhibits beginning with dinosaur era fossils in the lobby to western themes along with ancient Indian cultures of the southwest as part of the permanent exhibits along with special exhibits about lions and the culture of Fiesta in San Antonio. There are more exhibits than I have listed. I found everything interesting and worth my time and expense. read more

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This is a HUGE museum and a "must visit" when you are in San Antonio. It's great for all ages and reasonably priced for admission. They offer military discount. Parking is free! Come early to get parking. Expect to be here for 3-4 hours. There is a lot to see and do. There are nice outdoor areas to have a picnic after a long day of walking around the museum. read more

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Excellent place for a family outing. Do the the Quetzy's Quest regardless of your age! We visited on the hottest SA weekend in 90 years! Afterwards walked to an ice cream store called Black & White Modern Creamery in the next door shopping center to cool off from the short (but hot) walk! Great place to cool off! read more

Has some great dinosaur exhibits. I felt like most of the exhibits were geared more to children. Clean, helpful staff, and nice panoramic film upstairs on the pecos people of southern Texas. Incredibly informative! read more

Good event for free Tuesdays, but I'll be honest, not something I'd go to again unless I'm bringing children. It's fun to go with kids, but my wife and I really didn't enjoy this compared to other museums we've been to around the country. Great for a one-time visit but not recommended for adults unless you have an interest in some of the San Antonio history. I thought Dinosaur exhibits would be fun, but for the extra cost, I didn't think it was worth it. Overall, great for a one-time visit, but make sure to bring your kids because they're the ones that will have the most fun. I don't plan on coming back, but I greatly appreciate how much effort the city is providing in giving access to great educational resources like these for its residents and visitors. Hope the museum can collect more things from pre-historic times soon. Would love to see something on ancient life like Egypt, Mesopotamia, Islamic art, Christian history etc. read more

Great exhibit on Texas potteries and a guided tour of the Research and Collections Center. Marisa was a wonderful tour guide and it was much appreciated! Thank you Witte! read more

This museum is AWESOME! Come for the dinosaurs, stay for the old timey lady weapons. They really go over the history of Texas. From native animals to tribal history to early settlers. It is a beautiful building and has interesting special exhibits. Not to mention, it is a lovely cool place to spend an afternoon, in the middle of summer. read more

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My original review is definitely in need of some updating. The Witte has come a long way over the past couple of years to become a beautiful science and nature museum. Millions of dollars were spent renovating the main building and adding on new buildings with an event hall. The main building still has the taxidermied native animals, but has been upgraded to an open concept space complete with native flora. Upstairs of the main building has a rotating exhibit space that has housed a wonderful exhibit about blindness and currently houses vintage fiesta dresses. The HEB tree house is still the favorite of the kids, with interactive activities that encourage exercise. They also added a climbing rock wall. The family membership is completely worth it if you go at least two or three times per year. It is reciprocal at many science museums around the world, so definitely research before you take a trip. I was able to use at NASA/space center Houston and this membership easily paid for itself. If not from the area, Tuesdays are free after 3PM. Parking is also free. The museum is in a beautiful spot on the river, so take some photos. There are plenty of picnic spots at Brackenridge Park, or plenty of great restaurants within walking of the garage. You can also pick up the Zoo train and avoid zoo parking as well. read more

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After nearly 2 years in SATX I finally got the chance to visit the Witte Museum. I attended during a charity event for City Year and what a great experience. The grounds are beautiful, the dinosaurs were a fun backdrop for cocktail hour, and the main hall was spacious for the event. Great evening. read more

Witte Museum - Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Honestly, the last time I've been here was when I was 11 years old or so. Definitely different! The exhibits are quite educational as well as fascinating. We spent about four hours here and enjoyed every minute of it. read more

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I attended the 90 Second Newbery Film Festival and the Mays Center was the perfect place to host the event. It was roomy and I love the set up! There is plenty of parking in the parking garage and. A short walk to the Wittie. I remember going here as a kid and what I love is that they kept the same concept, but updated the building and layout. I love the indoor and outdoor areas! This is a great place for field trips and just a trip with the family to enjoy a family friendly museum. read more

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This is not the Witte of my childhood. I am born and raised here and the Witte has not had a makeover like this in forever. The interactive Texas exhibit is much better. The exhibitions overall are more interactive and interesting. There are buildings that have never been open before that are open now. The grounds are great and not boring at all. The cowboy exhibit was great especially with the rodeo upon us. Highly impressed. Go check it out. read more

Witte Museum - Exhibit of Black Cowhands (aka cowboys) here until end of February - Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Came here on a Tuesday because it was free for locals my fam and I really enjoyed it. read more

Witte Museum - Tree house view - Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

This is a beautiful museum- for children and adults a like. We visited for a Culinaria (food and wine tasting) event. So we only saw parts of the museum, but from where we ventured we were able to see that a lot of time and effort has been put into this museum. We will be back again for another trip. read more

Took our 4 and 5 year olds here over Christmas Break and had a great time. Spent a few hours. They loved the animals, dinosaurs and Pecos gallery. We had a snack at the cafe which was so cute and then went over the HEB Body Adventure area and had a great time going through the stages and then playing outside. There was a good mix of education and hands on activities. read more

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The Witte is San Antonio's very own version of a natural science museum complete with dinosaur fossils, local history, and more. It's not the largest museum in the world but it's a great way to spend a few hours. As a dinosaur lover I adore the new dinosaur section that greets visitors as soon as they enter the museum. It really puts the Witte on par with some of the other museums across Texas. The shadows of pterodactyls flying across the room is a nice AV touch. Other great features include a display of Fiesta royalty dress trains which are gorgeous to view up close and I only regret that there aren't more on display, history of Native American tribes first to the region, a look at stuffed animals from the different regions of Texas (narrated by local legend George Strait nonetheless), and more. Pro Tip: Museum General admission is free on Tuesdays so while it may be more crowded it's worth taking advantage of this great perk. read more

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It's pretty awesome, but on free days it's packed with people who do not know how to behave in a museum including running screaming kids.

This museum is a huge complex with several buildings! My friend and I visited today as one final excursion before we departed from San Antonio. The museum is heavily endowed, with beautiful architecture and modern buildings with bright light, attractive displays, huge drop off area, and nicely manicured landscaping. It's also on a busy street so lots of hustle and bustle! Also, the museum is extremely clean, well taken care of, well run, organized with experienced professionals, and adequately staffed. We stunned the director of visual something or other when we professed that their website offered free baggage check for out-of-towners and were flatly told no, they don't do coat check/baggage check. She then said she'd ask security to hold our belongings if the website does say that. I said that was one of the reasons we came. We didn't want to lug all of our things. She was nice about it and told her staff to take a screenshot so that they could remove it from their website because it's a not service they offer. Ultimately a security staff came by with a sheet with a list of previous baggages checked dating back to September 2017. The last one before was in February 2018, so they did do baggage check and I concluded that the woman just wasn't aware. On Tuesday from 3 to 8 pm it is free admission, and you'd think all hell-children would break loose, but surprisingly the line was very well maintained, civilized, and wrapped in an orderly fashion. Signage was clear where to go and where to stand, and parents and their little monsters were following directions obligingly. My friend and I came much earlier than 3pm so we didn't deal with the free admission nonsense but we did watch the line grow from 30 people to something like 300. More people came in droves. Spring break fever! This is definitely a very child-oriented museum, but it caters to adults too. There are definite hits and misses. Hits: The large dinosaur models--we couldn't tell if these were replicas or real ones. It wasn't specified in the placard. The alamosaurus in the rear and the pterodactyl above the main foyer were my favorites. I marveled at their beauty. The serenity space on the rooftop. Great views. Beautiful breezes. A bunch of wind chimes on one side and a few xylophones on the other side. Of course children treated both like the goal was to create the loudest possible noise, and parents looked on without any interest in discipline. That's the down side of a museum during spring break--can't avoid the children. The climbing wall. Catered to kids but still a fun adventure if you're an adult. I didn't climb. Had a plane to catch and didn't want an injury lined up beforehand. Misses: The room full of maps. I'm not a cartographer or in a related field so those were boring. The room was empty of people. The room full of pics of old white ranchers. A short description of each or what their significance is under their photo would have been helpful. It looked like a huge yearbook. That room was empty of people, too. The creepy statue of the Native American whose mouth and eyes did not open/close but you could see the mechanism behind them moving as you heard his voice, so it was very creepy effect. It's also creepy because it's motion sensor activated. I tried to take a video to show this phenomenon. Take a look. read more

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An impressive update of the Witty Museum has attracted millions of people with our favorite dinosaurs! People of all ages can enjoy a walk in the museum to cool off from our Texan summer heat and enjoy learning about dinosaurs through interactive displays along with the imitation of fossil displays that your gonna want to take pictures with the family to show off to your friends! Love the different rooms where they focus the light and inform you of the animals habitat and behavior along the way. Almost as though your watching them from afar. Very cool, can capture the attention of the noisiest kid too! Lol. There is also other displays of different kinds of art, so don't worry there is a little bit of everything for every kind of taste and age. So go ahead and indulge in some history with the Witty's newest updates. read more

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Pretty cool. Medium sized museum but there's more quality than quantity here, and that fine by me. We went to a fantasy themed event with a focus on supernatural oddities like Bigfoot, dragons etc. I learned! It was neat seeing the different cultural interpretations on dragons, and Bigfoot, and I like movie they had. We'll go back again when they have a showing that interests us. read more

I was here for a great event to help a wonderful organization, Aid the Silent. This museum is a perfect spot for events such as these. They provide valet parking and a great staff. read more

Pros: This small museum has a nice mix of ancient and historical artifacts, including a dinosaur exhibit, which was the main thing that attracted us to this museum. We saw the 300 years of San Antonio exhibit, it was very well done and I learned a lot about its' history. My favorite part was the children's health and activity center. We had a blast doing all the activities. The gardens are spectacular, must be beautiful for a wedding! The Texas historical wing was also very neat. Cons: Limited food options, so make sure to eat before going! read more

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Since it was raining and my fiance had a bonus weekday off from work we decided to do some indoor exploring around San Antonio. The Witte Museum seemed like a good choice and it was. Admission was $12 a piece for adults. Parking was free and a short walk from the structure to the museum. The Witte has recently undergone an expansion and is beautiful with large floor to ceiling glass that lets the natural light in. The grounds were landscaped impeccably with mature oak trees throughout providing welcoming shade. Make sure to block out a few hours here as there were quite a bit of exhibits to walk through. Each section was well laid out with plenty of displays. Kids will love the hands on displays especially in the dinosaur area. I was impressed with how much there was to see and learn about South Texas. Great way to spend an afternoon! read more

It was just ok. Based on the raving reviews, we expected something unique. Having visited a lot of museums, we were not impressed. It was smaller than expected with lots of empty space. Dirty and broken exhibits. A lot of the outdoor areas need maintenance and repairs. Some signs would be incredibly helpful. We tried to exit outside, and an employee rudely shouted at us that we were not allowed to exit through the open gate. Many of the doors are locked, and you have to go back out the same way you came in. My father is disabled and had a hard time walking the long distance back to the front. There were no signs pointing to exits. The layout just doesn't make sense. It would be convenient to exit on the side that directly faces the parking garage. read more

Returned to see the renovation of the Witte Museum. I park at the usual garage hidden in the trees and walk up to the entrance. At first glance it looked very different. It was a new facade. I walk in and realized they must have just torn down the existing building where now it has high ceilings and lots of windows. I was impressed. They did a great job upgrading this museum. After purchasing tickets along with the traveling whale exhibit I walked into a new museum store. I don't remember this place having a store at all. The center atrium contains dinosaur bones and displays. They still have the hall of stuffed animals found in Texas but it was all new with modern lighting and displays. Other connecting buildings remain where one is historic and the others which are fairly new. There is now a huge area for traveling exhibitions which along with the Store helps bring in revenue for the museum. The kids treehouse area also has been updated and much cleaner and focuses on healthy living. The cafe is in the back which sells drinks and snacks. It's a great place to take kids to where they love dinosaurs and there are now more activities for them to do. read more

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Great way to spend the afternoon. If you want to avoid the crowds then come during the week, you can spend as much time as you want in any area without being hassled except for the 2nd floor section where the artwork is hung (someone will be there shortly after you arrive and kind of follow you around to ensure the paintings are not messed with; sadly there are folks that don't know how to keep their hands to themselves) or overrun with kids. The layout is kind of all over the place so you have to pay attention to where you are going so you don't miss out on an exhibit, otherwise, it's very reasonably priced with a lot of really great information on the history of our great state of Texas! read more

We had a great time at the Witte on a free family Tuesday night & only paid $10/person for the Survival exhibit. My son & I loved the obstacle course! I felt like a kid. Plenty of parking in garage & great restaurants nearby. read more

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The WITTE MUSEUM is seriously one of the best cultural touch points in San Antonio! If you haven't been to the new building and visited the impressive permanent exhibits, you are missing out! The Witte Museum says it brings Nature, Science and Culture together and it does that and more! The Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery: T -REx and other great creatures are skillfully displayed and delight the young and the old! It is just the right size for the attention span of both as well... The McLean Family Texas Wild Gallery. Where the Flora and Fauna of South Texas is wonderfully displayed in an exhibit that lets you see the wildlife of South Texas in a one great hall! The Kittie West Nelson Ferguson "People of the Pecos Gallery" where the original humans who inhabited Texas and the lives they lived in the Pecos River Canyon area are recreated in a wonderful exhibit. The Kleberg South Texas Cultural Heritage Center includes the history of South Texas is a sensory treat and both the sights and sounds of Texas and its cultural roots are skillfully displayed. You can spend a day or an hour and either way it is an unforgettable experience This is a must see for anyone who is interested in better understanding the history of South Texas and the San Antonio region! read more

Oh the Wittie! You guys have been around for us native Texans for many years & I tell you what. They are growing with us as a museum as well. So many upgrades and renovations taking place that are really sprucing things up. The new additions are all well received but one of my favorite things to see is in the building on the corner of Avenue B & Tuletta by the beautiful dinosaur my son respectively addresses as "Liz". Within that building beholds the treasures that were kept in storage and unseen for years.P.T Barnums mini wagon, beautiful armor & amazing gem stones. As well as priceless artifacts that once belonged to our indigenous natives of the western hemispheres. So much to do,so much to see. When you go make sure that you have plenty of time to take in all of the information and make note of what it is that you are looking at,try and imagine what life was like. Sometimes I wish I could give many of our advancements back and go back to a simpler time,minus the small pox,plague,malaria,Spanish flu etc. The museum also has wonderful programs for kids camps,homeschoolers as well as shindigs for the adults. I am always left enamored by my experience at the Wittie. Quintessential part of my childhood & my child's as well. We love the Wittie.My favorite local museum. read more

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Last minute escape from the heat and Witte Museum popped up! It's a beautiful interactive museum with 2 levels, outdoor options and flows from one exhibit to the other easily. The facility is clean and fun for all ages. I even participated in the kids activities such as the H-E-B health and wellness area. There is a small cafe with drinks and snacks and a gift shop. They offer military, student and other discounts. Being military my ticket was $24 for the adventure pass which let you do their seasonal exhibit as well. I encourage you to bring your kids! And if you don't have any well let your inner kid come out! read more

Witte Museum - Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

More of a museum for grade schoolers and toddlers. We paid the extra to see the space pioneer exhibit and it wasn't worth it. Basically a playroom for kids. The rest of the place is OK. A section on the history of Texas Native Americans and ranchers and cowboys. A section on native habitat and animals with labs for further exploration. A dinosaur room. My fav was the Native American exhibit. The facility is clean and staff are helpful. Not the best Natural Museum I've ever seen. read more

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It had been several years since my last visit to the museum, so it was really nice to visit it in the evening for an adult gathering. No kids or babies - just adults having a good time and talking amongst ourselves about the experience we're having. This particular occasion was planned by Astronomy on Tap, which normally hosts its events elsewhere but had a hookup for this month's event. They really made a good first impression for me! First, know that it costs $20 per person for tickets, but included in this is access to quite a few areas of the museum, as well as free alcoholic beverages. So it evens out when you think about it. Beer, whiskey, vodka... Simple but good selection. This is the first time I've seen dinosaur fossils on display here, so it was a real sight to see such majestic archaeological findings and within arms reach. If you ever get a chance to visit the museum at night, do it. read more

Witte Museum - Night at the museum. - Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Me and my boyfriend (not from San Antonio) went back in February during our Valentine's Day weekend getaway and it did NOT disappoint! Such educational and extremely immersive exhibits! My favorite one was the one about the sounds Texas animals make throughout the day (2nd picture) I love museums and this is one of my absolute favorite ones I've been to so far! read more

Witte Museum - Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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If you live long enough in this city at some point in your life you will go to the Witte Museum. Period. Whether it be on a field trip with your elementary school class, with a community group to chaperon kids or as a parent to take your own children at some point in your life, you will go here. Let me put this disclaimer out first if you are hoping to see a Matisse, Warhol, David, Avant-Garde, Postmodern or any other pieces etc.that you are accustomed to see at other places, this might not be the museum for you. But if you or your children have a curiosity for science, nature or you want to go to a place to be engaged without the use of some electronic device, this is a cool place to start. The Witte is quite vast but it's not going to kill your feet. They have exhibit rooms that house Texas artifacts, mummies, butterflies contingent on the season. What I mean to say is that the exhibits rotate periodically based on a theme, for example they had one on Charles Darwin. Another exhibit on South American Mummies. South American Mummies? They had an extensive one on dinosaurs. The human body. CSI. These special exhibits do have a fee, coinciding with the normal admission to get in, which can be pricey. However, on Tuesday from 3 pm to 8pm is the best way to go since it is free(you still have to pay a fee for the special exhibits). The museum opens up and it is quite exquisite. There is a patio, an open area outside and it's really nice to look out at it. There are work areas where they teach kids how to make fossils, among other educational endeavors. But the main attraction by and far is their, "tree house." It is big enough for teenagers to handle but not overwhelming to dissuade the smallest children. There are stations to engage and be engaged. For example there are periscopes to look out of. Cute pathways that connect one point of the tree house to another. There are perfect opportunities for parents and adults also to engage in dialogue with their kids, as most of the museum is interactive. And above all very user friendly. In addition the museum staff are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. I know there have been some misgivings about what the Witte is and what it is not. I think this museum is geared toward children, field trips for school-aged kids and their parents. It certainly has a vibe that lends to that. It's nice to see there are still places where kids can put down there IPods, IPads even for a nanosecond. And create new memories with their friends and family. For Egyptian Tombs and Italian Frescos might I suggest The San Antonio Museum of Art. For exhibits on Frida Kahlo or Van Gogh please refer to The McNay. In search of a big tree house and new wonderment, by all means take your kids to the Witte Museum. This might just be your spot(museum). read more