List of museums in East Texas facts for kids

The museums in East Texas are special places where you can explore and learn about many different things! These places collect and take care of interesting objects related to culture, art, science, or history. They then show these collections to the public. Think of them as giant treasure chests filled with stories from the past and amazing discoveries. This list includes museums, as well as art galleries and other exhibit spaces that are open to everyone.

The Texas & Pacific Depot's Railway Museum

Exploring East Texas Museums

East Texas is a big part of the U.S. state of Texas. It shares borders with Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, and Oklahoma to the north. This area is famous for its beautiful forests, especially the Piney Woods. It covers many counties, making it a large and diverse region to explore.

Museums in Anderson County

• The Howard House Museum in Palestine is a historic home that shows what life was like long ago.
• Also in Palestine, the Museum for East Texas Culture is located in an old high school building. It tells the story of East Texas culture.

Museums in Angelina County

• In Diboll, The History Center is a great place to see old photographs and learn about local stories.
• Lufkin is home to the Museum of East Texas.
• The Naranjo Museum of Natural History in Lufkin is super cool for dinosaur fans! It has fossils and artifacts from ancient cultures.
• The Texas Forestry Museum in Lufkin teaches you all about the history of timber and trees in Texas.

Museums in Bowie County

• In Texarkana, you can visit the Ace of Clubs House, also known as the Draughn-Moore House. It's a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Kids will love the Discovery Place Children's Museum in Texarkana, which is designed for hands-on learning.
• The Texarkana Museum of Regional History shares the rich past of the Texarkana area.
• The Regional Arts Center in Texarkana showcases local art.
• The Williams House Museum in De Kalb is an old railroad house from 1885. It has exhibits about famous people like Lead Belly and Dan Blocker.

Museums in Camp County

• The Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Museum in Pittsburg explores the history of rural life in the region.

Museums in Cass County

• The Atlanta Historical Museum in Atlanta has an exhibit about Bessie Coleman, a famous aviator who was born nearby.

Museums in Cherokee County

• The American Freedom Museum in Bullard displays items from World War II.
• The Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Alto is an important historical place where you can learn about the ancient Caddo people.
• In Rusk, the Heritage Center of Cherokee County has artifacts from the American Civil War to today.
• The Jim Hogg Historic Site is also in Rusk.
• The Vanishing Texana Museum in Jacksonville has collections from the 1800s to the 1970s.

Museums in Delta County

• In Enloe, you can find the Patterson Museum and the Clara Foster Slough Museum, which has artifacts and a genealogy center.

Museums in Franklin County

• Mount Vernon has the Alamo Mission Museum, which is a replica of the famous Alamo.
• The Cotton Belt Depot and the Fire Station Museum are also in Mount Vernon. The Fire Station Museum has items related to football player Don Meredith.
• The Majors-Parchman Farmstead is an 1883 Victorian farmhouse.
• The Old Jail Art Museum in Mount Vernon is housed in a jail building from 1912.
• The Winnsboro Historical Museum is in Winnsboro.

Museums in Gregg County

• The Kilgore College East Texas Oil Museum in Kilgore tells the story of the oil boom in East Texas.
• The Gladewater Museum in Gladewater shares the history of the area, including how Elvis Presley performed there many times!
• In Longview, the Gregg County Historical Museum is in the old Everett Building from 1910.
• The Longview Museum of Fine Arts focuses on modern art from the region.
• The Rangerette Showcase and Museum in Kilgore is part of Kilgore College and celebrates the famous Kilgore College Rangerettes dance team.

Museums in Hardin County

• The Batson Oil Patch Museum in Batson honors the workers of the oil industry.
• The Bertha Terry Cornwell Museum of Sour Lake History in Sour Lake covers the town's history from 1840 to today.
• The Kirby-Hill House in Kountze is a beautiful historic home.
• The Ice House Museum in Silsbee is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

Museums in Harrison County

• The Harrison County Historical Museum in Marshall is in the old courthouse and tells the story of the county.
• The Michelson Museum of Art in Marshall displays the work of Russian-American artist Leo Michelson.
• The Starr Family Home State Historic Site in Marshall is a historic home.
• The T. C. Lindsey and Co. General Store in Jonesville is like an old-fashioned general store and museum, with antiques and even rare cars.
• The Texas and Pacific Railway Museum in Marshall is all about railroads.

Museums in Henderson County

• The Chandler Museum & Visitors Center is in Chandler.
• The East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society in Athens is a lovely place to see plants.
• The Henderson County Historical Museum in Athens shares local history.
• The Old Henderson County Jail in Athens is a historic building.
• The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens has a huge 26,000-gallon aquarium and live shows!

Museums in Hopkins County

• The Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park in Sulphur Springs has a local history museum and a park with many historic houses moved there.
• The Southwest Dairy Museum in Sulphur Springs teaches about dairy farming and products.

Museums in Houston County

• The Houston County Visitor Center And Museum in Crockett has a varied collection.
• The Monroe-Crook House in Crockett was built in 1854 and is a Texas Historic Landmark.

Museums in Jasper County

• The Calaboose Museum in Kirbyville has images and artifacts.
• The East Texas Regional Art Center in Jasper hosts many art exhibitions.
• The Jasper County Historical Museum in Jasper has a collection of weapons dating back to the Texas Revolution.

Museums in Jefferson County

• The Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont has an art collection spanning three centuries.
• The Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum in Beaumont celebrates the life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, a famous athlete.
• The Beaumont Children's Museum in Beaumont is a fun place for kids to learn through play.
• The Chambers Historical House Museum in Beaumont is a historic house.
• The Dishman Art Museum in Beaumont is part of Lamar University.
• The Dutch Windmill Museum in Nederland has exhibits about the area's cultural history.
• The Edison Museum in Beaumont is all about Thomas Edison and his amazing inventions.
• The Fire Museum of Texas in Beaumont is a historic landmark.
• The John Jay French House in Beaumont is the oldest house in the city, built in 1845.
• The La Maison Acadienne in Nederland is a replica of early homes from South Louisiana, showing local French heritage.
• The McFaddin-Ward House in Beaumont is a beautiful historic home.
• The Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur explores the heritage of the Gulf Coast.
• The Pompeiian Villa in Port Arthur is a replica of an ancient Roman villa.
• The Rose Hill Manor in Port Arthur is another historic home.
• The Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum in Beaumont is part of Lamar University. It's a restored oil boomtown village that shows how the Spindletop oil discovery changed the community.
• The Texas Artist Museum in Port Arthur is a working museum for local artists.
• The Texas Energy Museum in Beaumont teaches about the Texas oil industry.

Museums in Lamar County

• The Lamar County Historical Museum in Paris shares the county's history.
• The Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site in Paris is a historic home.

Museums in Marion County

• The Jefferson Historical Society Museum in Jefferson is in a former U.S. courthouse from 1888.
• The Lafayette Street Vintage Vehicles Car Museum in Jefferson has old cars from the 1920s to the 1950s.
• The Epperson-McNutt House, also known as the House of the Seasons, in Jefferson is a beautiful 1870s Greek Revival house.
• The Museum of Measurement and Time in Jefferson has a unique collection of clocks and measuring tools.
• The R. D. Moses Texas & Pacific Model Railroad in Jefferson has a cool model train layout from the 1950s.

Museums in Nacogdoches County

• The Durst-Taylor Historic House and Gardens in Nacogdoches is a mid-19th-century house.
• Millard's Crossing Historic Village in Nacogdoches is a village with buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• The Nacogdoches Fire Department Museum and the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot Museum are also in Nacogdoches.
• The Old Stone Fort Museum in Nacogdoches is part of Stephen F. Austin State University. It's a replica of an old trading post and fort.
• The Sterne-Hoya House Museum and Library in Nacogdoches is a mid-19th-century house linked to famous figures like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston.

Museums in Newton County

• The Newton County Historical Center and Museum in Newton has local history and artifacts.
• The Powell Hotel Museum in Newton was built in 1889 as a college before becoming a hotel.

Museums in Orange County

• The Orangefield Cormier Museum in Orange shows what life was like in a small town.
• The Bridge City Historical Museum in Bridge City shares local history.
• The Heritage House Museum in Orange is a historic landmark.
• The Stark Museum of Art in Orange has American Western and Native American art.
• The W. H. Stark House in Orange is a historic home from the 1920s.

Museums in Panola County

• The Panola County Heritage Museum and Texas Tea Room in Carthage is a great place to learn about the county's past.
• The Panola County Jail in Carthage is a historic jail that now includes the Old Jail Museum and the Soape Family Museum.
• The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in Carthage celebrates Texas country music singers and songwriters.

Museums in Polk County

• The Johnson's Rock Shop and Museum in Livingston has cool rocks, crystals, and fossils.
• The Polk County Memorial Museum in Livingston has exhibits on prehistory, Native Americans, pioneers, and local industries.

Museums in Rains County

• The Emory Heritage Park is in Emory.

Museums in Red River County

• The Lennox Home in Clarksville is an 1897 Queen Anne-style home.
• The Red River County Old Jail Museum in Clarksville was completed in 1889.

Museums in Rusk County

• The Depot Museum in Henderson is a historic railroad depot.
• The Gaston Museum in Joinerville shows what life was like in the East Texas Oil Field from the 1930s to the 1960s.
• The Howard Dickinson House in Henderson is a historic home built in 1855.
• The London Museum in New London tells the sad story of the 1937 New London School explosion, which was a terrible tragedy.
• The Monte Verdi Plantation in Cushing is a historic plantation that used enslaved labor until 1865.

Museums in Sabine County

• The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum - Remembering Columbia in Hemphill honors the crew of the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
• The Sabine County Jail Museum and Vergie Speights Memorial Library is also in Hemphill.

Museums in San Augustine County

• The Ezekiel Cullen House in San Augustine is a mid-19th-century house.
• The Mission Dolores State Historic Site in San Augustine has a visitor center and museum with artifacts from an old Spanish mission.

Museums in San Jacinto County

• The San Jacinto County Museum and Old Jail in Coldspring is a historic jail.

Museums in Smith County

• The Camp Ford Historic Park, C.S.A. in Tyler is a historical site.
• The Carnegie History Center in Tyler is a place to learn about local history.
• The Center for Earth and Space Science Education in Tyler is on the campus of Tyler Junior College.
• The Cotton Belt Depot Museum in Tyler is a historic railroad depot.
• The Discovery Science Place in Tyler is a fantastic museum for kids of all ages, with lots of hands-on exhibits.
• The Goodman–LeGrand House in Tyler is a historic home.
• The Historic Aviation Memorial Museum in Tyler has oral histories, memorabilia, and aircraft.
• The Tyler Museum of Art in Tyler has over a thousand works of art.
• The Tyler Rose Museum in Tyler celebrates the history of the Texas Rose Festival.
• The Whitaker-McClendon House in Tyler is a historic Victorian estate.

Museums in Trinity County

• The Trinity County Museum and Hensley Genealogical and Historical Research Center in Groveton has local history and family research resources.

Museums in Tyler County

• The Allan Shivers Library and Museum in Woodville was started by former Texas governor Allan Shivers.
• The Colmesneil House in Colmesneil was built in 1880.
• The Heritage Village in Woodville has replicated pioneer structures.

Museums in Upshur County

• The Flight of the Phoenix Aviation Museum in Gilmer is about aviation.
• The Historic Upshur Museum in Gilmer is a historic landmark.
• The Literary Museum in Gilmer has a global collection of memorabilia.

Museums in Van Zandt County

• The Blackwell House Museum in Carlton was built in 1886.
• The Canton Plaza Museum in Canton shares local history.
• The Salt Palace in Grand Saline is a unique building made entirely of salt! The whole town is built on an underground salt deposit.
• The Heritage Park Museum of East Texas in Edgewood is a historic landmark.
• The Van Area Oil & Historical Museum in Van focuses on oil and local history.
• The Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial and Visitors Center in Canton honors veterans.
• The Wills Point Depot Museum in Wills Point has artifacts, documents, and photos.

Museums in Walker County

• The Gibbs-Powell House Museum in Huntsville is a historic home.
• The H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum of Texas in Huntsville honors veterans.
• The Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville is a historic site dedicated to Sam Houston.
• The Samuel Walker Houston Museum and Cultural Center in Huntsville tells the story of Samuel Walker Houston and his father Joshua Houston, who were enslaved by Sam Houston.
• The Texas Prison Museum in Huntsville has exhibits about the history of prisons in Texas, including the Old Sparky electric chair.

Museums in Wood County

• The Alba Public Library and Museum in Alba serves as both a library and a museum.
• The East Texas African American Museum in Hawkins was founded in 2016.
• The Mineola Historical Museum in Mineola is a historic landmark.
• The Mineola Railroad Museum in Mineola is located at the historic Mineola station.

Defunct museums

• Light Crust Doughboys Hall of Fame and Museum, Quitman, was a museum about the Light Crust Doughboys music group. It opened in 2005 and closed in 2011.

Images for kids

• 

  Howard House Museum

• 

  Museum for East Texas Culture

• 

  Texas Forestry Museum, Lufkin, TX IMG 8594

• 

  Draughn-Moore House, Texarkana

• 

  Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Center and Museum

• 

  Atlanta Historical Museum

• 

  Caddo Mound Texas State Historic Site

• 

  Jacksonville Senior Center and Vanishing Texana Museum

• 

  Clara Foster Slough Museum

• 

  Cotton Belt Depot

• 

  Fire Station Museum

• 

  Old Jail Art Museum

• 

  East Texas Oil Museum building, Kilgore, TX IMG 5900

• 

  East Texas Museum

• 

  Everett Building 2

• 

  Longview Museum of Fine Arts

• 

  Texas Rangerette Museum, Kilgore, TX IMG 5907

• 

  Kirby hill house kountze Texas 2014

• 

  Confederate marker in Marshall, TX IMG 2332

• 

  Michelson Museum of Art, Marshall, Texas

• 

  Starr Home at Christmas, Marshall, TX IMG 2350

• 

  Texas and Pacific Railway Museum

• 

  Henderson County Historical Museum

• 

  Old Henderson County Jail

• 

  Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park

• 

  Houston County (TX) Museum IMG 1010

• 

  Monroe-Crook House

• 

  Jasper County Texas Historical Museum 2018

• 

  Art Museum of Southeast Texas

• 

  Babe Zaharis Museum IMG 1061

• 

  Beaumont February 16 023

• 

  Chambers Historical House Museum

• 

  Dishman Art Museum

• 

  Edison museum beaumont tx 2014

• 

  Fire Museum of Texas in Beaumont

• 

  2014-10-11 Beaumont, Tx., French Trading, Historic homes 014

• 

  McFaddin-Ward House

• 

  Pompeiian Villa by Michael Reed fastturtles.org

• 

  Rose hill by Michael Reed fastturtles.org

• 

  The Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum

• 

  Lamar County Historical Museum

• 

  Sam Bell Maxey House

• 

  The Jefferson Historical Museum

• 

  House of the Seasons, Jefferson, Texas

• 

  Museum of Measurement and Time

• 

  DurstTaylor1

• 

  Old Stone Fort in Nacogdoches, Texas

• 

  Sterne-Hoya House Museum and Library, Nacogdoches, TX IMG 3998

• 

  Polk County Memorial Museum

• 

  Red River County Old Jail Museum

• 

  Depot Museum, Henderson, Texas

• 

  Gaston Museum Joinerville Texas 2019

• 

  London Museum, New London, Texas

• 

  Sabine County Jail Hemphill Wiki

• 

  Ezekiel Cullen House, San Augustine, Texas

• 

  San Jacinto County Jail, Coldspring, Texas

• 

  Cotton Belt Depot Museum

• 

  Historic American Buildings Survey, Harry L. Starnes, Photographer December 23, 1936, FRONT AND SIDE ELEVATION. – Colonel John Dewberry Plantation House, Farm Road 346, Bullard, HABS TEX,212- ,2-1

• 

  Rear view of DSP Ship in Discovery Landing

• 

  Goodman–LeGrand House

• 

  WhitakerMcClendonHouse1

• 

  Trinity County Museum and Hensley Genealogical and Historical Research Center

• 

  Blackwell House Museum, Canton, TX IMG 5614

• 

  The Salt Palace, Grand Saline, Texas

• 

  Gibbs powell house huntsville tx 2014

• 

  Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Huntsville, Texas

• 

  Texas Prison Museum

• 

  Mineola Historical Museum

• 

  Mineola Railroad Museum

See also

• List of museums in Texas
• List of museums in Central Texas
• List of museums in the Texas Gulf Coast
• List of museums in North Texas
• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
• List of museums in South Texas
• List of museums in West Texas

Resources

• Texas Association of Museums
• Historic House Museums in Texas