The Story of Texas.  Told so very well at The Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin.  This “non-collecting”museum only showcases historical objects on loan…over 5,000 historical objects from over 700 museums, libraries, archives, and individuals.  The exhibits are permanent, but items within them get changed out, creating a new experience each time you visit.

There are 3 floors of exhibits, broken into 3 distinct themes of Texas History: Land, Identity, and Opportunity.

Land tells the story of the Encounters on the Land featuring the first explorers of Texas.  The exhibit that fascinated us the most was La Belle, a boat and it’s contents from the 1600s.

Identity tells the story of how Texas became an independent nation in Building the Lone Star Identity. From the Texas Revolution to it’s time of Independence, the exhibits are interactive and life-sized.

The third floor highlights how Texans have used our great land to Create Opportunity. Ranching, Drilling Oil, and 20th Century explorations into space, medicine, and technology are all highlighted within these exhibits.

What we enjoyed the most about the museum is how it brings the history of Texas together in a unique way.  Exhibits are life-sized and not behind glass cases (for the most part).  We love historical artifacts and this museum has tons of them. A Mexican Army hat from the 1800’s, a pair of drumsticks from the 1600’s, and the Mission Control console are just a few of the unique artifacts that are on loan.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum also has 2 interactive theaters.  The Star of Destiny and Wild Texas Weather can both be seen in the Texas Spirit Theater.  Austin’s only IMAX Theatre is located here, showing TEXAS: The Big Picture as well as a few 3D movies. There are additional tickets  that need to be purchased to see any of these shows.