November 2010

The French Legation Museum as it exists today represents a conscientious effort to return to details authentic to the time of the earlier building, although only three pieces of furniture, an armchair and settee in the parlor and a table in the kitchen, originally belonged to Dubois de Saligny. Many pieces remain from the Robertson family's ownership of the home. The reconstructed French country kitchen is notable for its extensive nineteenth-century equipment. Gardens and outdoor plantings added in the 1950's, although not authentic to the bare "swept yards" of early Texas, provide the twentieth-century visitor to the Museum with a refreshing oasis of green in a busy city.

Pioneer Farms is a living history museum celebrating the rich heritage of Texas.

Pioneer Farms offers a number of educational and entertaining opportunities. The Farms contains old buildings to allow visitors to get a glimpse of what life was like in early Texas. Various displays and exhibits cover the farm. In addition, the farm offers a number of classes so that visitors may get in touch with the period, including blacksmithing and traditional woodworking.

The Elisabet Ney Museum continues to be a place where people of all ages can renew their links with the past as it is experienced not only in the life and spirit of Elisabet Ney, but also in the great men and women whose spirits are embodied in their portraits: Schopenhauer's grand philosophies, Stephen F. Austin's quiet heroism, the gallantry of Giuseppe Garibaldi and the creative fantasies of King Ludwig II and his Bavarian castles all under one roof–the cherished legacy of Elisabet Ney.

Opened in 1998, the Texas Pharmacy Museum is the only museum in Texas specializing in the collection, preservation, research, and exhibition of the history of pharmacy. As one of only 18 museums affiliated with pharmacy colleges among the over 140 pharmacy museums in the U.S., it is a unique educational resource. In 3,000 square feet of exhibit space located in the basement of the Texas Tech School of Pharmacy building on the Amarillo campus, there are rooms displaying a restored early 20th century pharmacy, tools of the trade, pharmacy products and delivery systems, pharmacy literature and art, sidelines, and a room honoring Texas practitioners. Artifacts and other items have been donated from 34 communities in Texas and from six other states; there have been 130 different donors to date; and the total collection numbers over 11,000 items.

The Museum of Regional History tells the fascinating story of Texarkana, the city in two states.

Housed in the city's oldest brick building, all new galleries with exhibits tell of the region's history including agriculture, early industry, civil rights and World War II. See extraordinary pottery made by the area Caddo people and learn about the early Spanish and French explorers. An interactive music exhibit tells of native son, Scott Joplin, "Father of Ragtime Music," Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter and Conlon Nancarrow.

The Texas Maritime Museum houses a variety of permanet exhibits that strive to tell a complete story of Texas' maritime history.

At the Texas Maritime Museum, exploration and settlement is told through the La Salle Odyssey and an exhibit focusing on the development of maritime communities such as Indianola. The Age of Steam exhibits on of the reason these maritime communities developed. Oil and Gas exploration is a vital resource for the Texas Coast and Gulf waters. The museum explores the technology used in the extraction of petroleum from waters several feet to several thousand feet deep. The exhibit features an interactive kiosk and a scale model of Bullwinkle, the largest offshore drilling platform in history.

The Museum of South Texas History recently installed the first two sections of the Rio Grande Legacy. This permanent exhibit sequence, with bilingual text and state of the art displays, takes visitors on a journey through the prehistory and history of the region. The first section, River Frontier, illustrates the geological origins of the area, its ancient animals and plants, its native peoples and their encounters with Europeans and the establishment of the region as a frontier of New Spain.

Celebrate the Cowgirl Experience – activities and exhibits that capture the extraordinary courage and pioneer spirit of the American West.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors and celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience, and independence that helped shape the American West, and fosters an appreciation of the ideals and spirit of self-reliance they inspire. The museum includes interactive exhibit galleries that feature artifacts and photographs of the permanent collection, a traveling exhibit gallery, three theaters, an expanded research library, a retail store and a grand rotunda where visitors begin to learn about the spirit of the cowgirl.

While the Civil War Museum is best known for its military collections, it also holds significant collections of domestic objects and decorative flags, personal furniture and artifacts, and postwar Victorian attire. Exhibits include "The United Daughters of the Confederacy, Texas Confederate Collection", "The Judy Richey Victorian Dress Collection", and "The Ray Richey Civil War Collection".

Visitors to the Lake Jackson Historical Museum can experience life in the Lake Jackson area from prehistoric times to the present.

Guests are entertained through dozens of video presentations, hands-on exhibits and interactive displays. Visitors can experience life in the Lake Jackson area from prehistoric times to the present. The 12,000 square-foot museum features four eras, or "heritage's," of Lake Jackson: the prehistoric era, the plantation era, the development of the area's petrochemical industry during World War II and finally the birth and growth of modern Lake Jackson.