Out & About in Austin
Art & Culture
Austin Museum of Art – The AMOA is a community-oriented museum with two locations to serve the Austin area. The downtown location reflects ‘the unconventional spirit of Austin,’ while the original Laguna Gloria locale is situated on 12 acres along Lake Austin, and features revitalized historic gardens.
Austin Symphony Orchestra – If you have plans to arrive early or stay later, check out the Hartman Foundation Concerts in the Park. In its seventh season, these free concerts are scheduled every Sunday event at 7:30 p.m., between May 31 and August 23. The symphony performs a different ensemble each week, with selections ranging from light classical, jazz, pops and popular film scores.
Blanton Museum of Art – Located on the campus of the University of Texas, the Blanton Museum of Art houses the largest and most comprehensive collection of art in Central Texas.
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum – this museum ‘tells the story of Texas’ with three floors of interactive exhibits, including Austin’s only IMAX Theatre.
French Legation Museum – This unique museum is a converted residence, originally built by Alphonse Dubois, the French diplomat to the Republic of Texas. The museum opened to the public in 1956, and devotes itself to sharing Texas’ rich cultural history through authentic attention to detail.
Harry Ransom Center – Another favorite on the UT campus, the Ransom Center houses an extensive collection of rare books, original manuscripts, photographs, film and artwork in an effort to advance to the study of the arts and humanities.
Educational
Campus Tours – The University of Texas offers a wide variety of options for those who’d like to explore their campus. From student-led walking tours, self-guided excursions and trips to the UT Tower Observation Deck, everyone can find a way to experience the burnt orange and white.
LBJ Library and Museum – This presidential library houses historical materials related to one the country’s most influential presidents, Lyndon Baines Johnson. In the former president’s own words, “I hope that visitors who come here will achieve a closer understanding of the presidency… [and] what this nation tried to do in an eventful period of its history.”
The State Capitol – Few are able to visit Austin without a trip to the Capitol, the oldest state office building in Texas. A restored General Land Office building, the Capitol offers a variety of rotating and permanent exhibits, historical presentations and photos.
Texas Natural Science Center – The center is home to a variety of scientific and natural history enrichment programs, including the Texas Memorial Museum, the Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory, the Non-vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory and the Texas Natural History Collection. It was also named ‘Best Museum in Austin for Children’ by Nickelodeon’s Parent’s Picks.
Natural Wonders
Barton Springs
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Founded in 1982 by the iconic former first lady, the center displays native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas. It also houses the Plant Conservation Program, which protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving rare and endangered flora.
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve – This 227-acre preserve exists to protect and maintain the urban wilderness of the Austin area, and to promote the importance of environmental education, research, conservation and preservation.
Zilker Botanical Garden – Located just south of Town Lake, The Zilker Botanical Garden is supported by the Austin Area Garden Center, a non-profit established in 1955 to promote education and a love of gardening.
Zilker Park
Fun & Funky
Alamo Drafthouse - An Austin institution, Alamo Drafthouse is a unique combination of movie theater and restaurant. With four locations around the city, you can find the best in first-run and independent films. Their menu offers everything from popcorn and pizza to healthful salads and gourmet burgers. Be sure to save room for their infamous milkshake!
Austin Duck Adventures – Check out one of Austin’s most popular amphibious tours!
Bat Watching – More than 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats make their home in Austin, comprising the largest urban bat colony in North America. Each night between roughly April and October, the bats emerge from beneath the Congress Street Bridge in order to search for food. Come check out one of the top tourist attractions in the city!
Capital Cruises – Established in 1991 as the city’s only all-electric boat fleet, Capital Cruises offers bat watching tours, and a variety of watercraft rentals.
6th Street District – Check out the city’s original entertainment district.
Art & CultureAustin Museum of Art – The AMOA is a community-oriented museum with two locations to serve the Austin area. The downtown location reflects ‘the unconventional spirit of Austin,’ while the original Laguna Gloria locale is situated on 12 acres along Lake Austin, and features revitalized historic gardens.
Austin Symphony Orchestra – If you have plans to arrive early or stay later, check out the Hartman Foundation Concerts in the Park. In its seventh season, these free concerts are scheduled every Sunday event at 7:30 p.m., between May 31 and August 23. The symphony performs a different ensemble each week, with selections ranging from light classical, jazz, pops and popular film scores.
Blanton Museum of Art – Located on the campus of the University of Texas, the Blanton Museum of Art houses the largest and most comprehensive collection of art in Central Texas.
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum – this museum ‘tells the story of Texas’ with three floors of interactive exhibits, including Austin’s only IMAX Theatre.
French Legation Museum – This unique museum is a converted residence, originally built by Alphonse Dubois, the French diplomat to the Republic of Texas. The museum opened to the public in 1956, and devotes itself to sharing Texas’ rich cultural history through authentic attention to detail.
Harry Ransom Center – Another favorite on the UT campus, the Ransom Center houses an extensive collection of rare books, original manuscripts, photographs, film and artwork in an effort to advance to the study of the arts and humanities.
Educational
Campus Tours – The University of Texas offers a wide variety of options for those who’d like to explore their campus. From student-led walking tours, self-guided excursions and trips to the UT Tower Observation Deck, everyone can find a way to experience the burnt orange and white.
LBJ Library and Museum – This presidential library houses historical materials related to one the country’s most influential presidents, Lyndon Baines Johnson. In the former president’s own words, “I hope that visitors who come here will achieve a closer understanding of the presidency… [and] what this nation tried to do in an eventful period of its history.”
The State Capitol – Few are able to visit Austin without a trip to the Capitol, the oldest state office building in Texas. A restored General Land Office building, the Capitol offers a variety of rotating and permanent exhibits, historical presentations and photos.
Texas Natural Science Center – The center is home to a variety of scientific and natural history enrichment programs, including the Texas Memorial Museum, the Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory, the Non-vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory and the Texas Natural History Collection. It was also named ‘Best Museum in Austin for Children’ by Nickelodeon’s Parent’s Picks.
Natural Wonders
Barton Springs
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Founded in 1982 by the iconic former first lady, the center displays native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas. It also houses the Plant Conservation Program, which protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving rare and endangered flora.
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve – This 227-acre preserve exists to protect and maintain the urban wilderness of the Austin area, and to promote the importance of environmental education, research, conservation and preservation.
Zilker Botanical Garden – Located just south of Town Lake, The Zilker Botanical Garden is supported by the Austin Area Garden Center, a non-profit established in 1955 to promote education and a love of gardening.
Zilker Park
Fun & Funky
Alamo Drafthouse - An Austin institution, Alamo Drafthouse is a unique combination of movie theater and restaurant. With four locations around the city, you can find the best in first-run and independent films. Their menu offers everything from popcorn and pizza to healthful salads and gourmet burgers. Be sure to save room for their infamous milkshake!
Austin Duck Adventures – Check out one of Austin’s most popular amphibious tours!
Bat Watching – More than 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats make their home in Austin, comprising the largest urban bat colony in North America. Each night between roughly April and October, the bats emerge from beneath the Congress Street Bridge in order to search for food. Come check out one of the top tourist attractions in the city!
Capital Cruises – Established in 1991 as the city’s only all-electric boat fleet, Capital Cruises offers bat watching tours, and a variety of watercraft rentals.
6th Street District – Check out the city’s original entertainment district.
