Exhibit SA: Museums Galore

We started with the big ones. Ya know… the first ones to come up when you search museum: the engaging Witte Museum with more to wonder about and explore in each room, the peaceful and stunning McNay Art Museum, and the overwhelmingly beautiful San Antonio Museum of Art. We took our son (several times, per his request) to the DoSeum and watched him learn and explore with kids of all ages (including myself). They were each amazing and brought us back again and again!

But, I’ll admit, every time I searched to see which new museum to check out next, I found even more I wanted to explore. I had no idea there were this many museum experiences in the Alamo City. Let me share a few that I’ve been pleasantly surprised with, and a few more that I can’t wait to visit this year.

While I’d argue that kids should be in every museum, not every museum is particularly engaging for an interaction and sensory-seeking kid. Here are a few museums the kiddos will LOVE: the Texas Transportation Museum is a train bonanza that will bring out the kid in anyone, the San Antonio Fire Museum is a great place to spend the afternoon, it’s especially great for littles with a play area but fun for the older kids too, the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures with really engaging displays and so many areas to explore, you can really feel like you’ve been taken back in time, and the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum that is, believe it or not, pretty interesting if you read the people’s stories. Take your kids and a few friends to the Texas Selfie Museum. Make sure to bring a camera and get ready for a lot of smiles, you’ll be there a while!

Now, some of the museums that made my list aren’t quite a whole morning stroll. Some of these are on the smaller side but still pack a big historical punch. Because they are on the smaller side, check on hours, pricing, and details before heading out. I call these the Micro Museums: the deeply impactful Holocaust Memorial Museum and the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum are both great places to learn about the individuals who are all too often forgotten. Plan a visit to the calm homestead in the middle of downtown – Casa Navarro State Historic Site, make sure to check out the Ralsom Family Collections Center, it is a great addition to an obligatory family’s-in-town-gotta-visit-the-Alamo-trip. The Villa Finale: Museum & Gardens is a unique and highly decorated home filled with a magnificent array of historical goodies in the gorgeous King William District, or find a reason to visit the Ricos Museum that I hope will bring a smile to even those who are laughtose intolerant (who knew nacho cheese could be so important!), and the one I’m most excited to visit next year SAMSAT (San Antonio Museum Science And Technology) AREA 21 celebrating and highlighting 21st-century technology.

To broaden our horizons we are planning to visit more of the city’s great art museums such as: the San Antonio Art League and Museum, Contemporary at Blue Star, the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the Centro de Artes Gallery displaying history and artwork from Hispanic-American culture, and the Lighthouse ArtSpace San Antonio.

But to consider our horizons officially broadened we can’t skip out on the eclectic museums. These museums are best visited with friends. Have a giggle at Plaza Wax Museum or

Louis Tussaund’s Waxworks, or join me at another museum that’s at the top of my list for this year the TexPopS.A., a South Texas pop culture museum, or the hard-to-describe Retro Fun Store & Museum and The Forgotten Dollhouse Museum showcasing dolls and other creepy collectibles. 

There are even more museums that didn’t make my list this time. But, that’s one of the greatest parts about this city – there are so many ways to get out and explore the history and people that make our city truly one of a kind.