Panhandle–Plains Historical Museum facts for kids
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| Established | April 14, 1933 |
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| Location | 2503 4th Avenue Canyon, Texas 79015 |
| Visitors | 55,000 (2021) |
| Founder | Panhandle-Plains Historical Society |
The Panhandle–Plains Historical Museum is a large history museum in Canyon, Texas, a small city near Amarillo, Texas. It's located right on the campus of West Texas A&M University. This museum is the biggest history museum in Texas!
The museum is home to over three million artifacts. It welcomes about 70,000 visitors every year. The Panhandle-Plains Historical Society owns the items. West Texas A&M University helps maintain the museum buildings.
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Exploring the Museum's Collections
The museum has many different types of exhibits. You can see artifacts from American Western life. There are also displays about farming and ranching history. You can learn about paleontology and geology too.
Native American and Art Exhibits
The museum features beautiful Native American art. You can also see many historical artifacts. There are collections of fine art and decorative arts. The museum also displays antique furniture and textiles.
Vehicles and Industry History
If you like vehicles, you'll enjoy the antique cars and bikes. There are also exhibits about the petroleum (oil) industry. You can learn how oil shaped the Texas Panhandle. Sports fans will find interesting sports artifacts too.
A Glimpse into the Past
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Society started the museum in 1921. Teachers and students from West Texas State Teachers College helped. They wanted to save the history of pioneer life. They also wanted to preserve the natural history of West Texas.
Museum's Opening and Growth
The museum officially opened its doors in its current building on April 14, 1933. It received money from the 1936 Texas Centennial. This helped the museum grow and add more exhibits. In 2001, the museum had a big renovation. This update cost $5.8 million.
Popular Museum Exhibits
The museum has several exciting permanent exhibits. These displays help visitors understand the past. They show what life was like in the Southern Plains.
People of the Plains
The "People of the Plains: Experiments in Living" exhibit is very interesting. It shows how people lived in the past. You can see how their lives were different from today. It also highlights what stayed the same.
Pioneer Town Outdoor Exhibit
Step back in time at "Pioneer Town." This outdoor area looks like a small settlement. It shows what a town in the Texas Panhandle was like in the early 1900s. You can see a livery, a saloon, and a schoolhouse. There's also a pioneer cabin and other old buildings.
The Don D. Harrington Petroleum Wing
Learn about the oil boom years in Texas. "The Don D. Harrington Petroleum Wing" has two floors. It tells the story of the 1920s and 1930s oil boom. This was a very important time for the Texas Panhandle.
The T-Anchor Ranch House
Outside the museum, you can visit "The T-Anchor Ranch House." This exhibit is a recreation of an original house. The first house was built in the late 1870s. It gives you a real feel for ranch life.
Gallery
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Statue of legendary cattleman Charles Goodnight
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Chuckwagon exhibit
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A 1920s vehicle
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Turn-of-the-century bicycle
See also
