18 Best Sights in Fort Worth, Dallas and Fort Worth

Architect Louis Kahn's most famous American building was this museum, composed of six long concrete vaults with skylights running the length of each. Here are top-notch collections of both early-20th-century European art and old masters, including Munch's Girls on a Bridge and Goya's The Matador Pedro Romero, depicting the great bullfighter who allegedly killed more than 6,000 of the animals without sustaining an injury. The museum also exhibits Greek and Roman antiquities, African and pre-Columbian art, and has one of the largest collections of Asian art in North America.

The billionaire Bass brothers of Fort Worth are to be thanked for what may be the most eye-pleasing juxtaposition of scale: rather than tear down several blocks of brick buildings to accommodate the twin towers of their giant City Center development, they created Sundance Square by restoring the area as a center of tall-windowed restaurants, shops, nightclubs, and offices. Tourists mingle effortlessly with the business crowd during the day, and at night the mood is laidback and down-to-earth—much like the city itself.

A short walk from the Kimbell, west of Downtown Fort Worth, this museum's collection of American art is centered on Remington and Russell mostly, though in recent decades the curators have incorporated works by many late-20th-century artists. The photographic collection, among the largest in the United States, spans the history of the medium, from 19th-century daguerreotypes to 21st-century digital prints.

You can't miss the two 48-foot limestone angels on one side of this multipurpose building, which unabashedly fills a city block. The hall opened to great fanfare in 1998 and it continues to draw acclaim for its classic architecture, sight lines, and acoustics. It hosts four resident companies and various touring shows, as well as the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held every four years. Free public tours are Saturday mornings at 10:30 if event schedules permit.

The renowned honky-tonk has been a cattle barn, airplane factory, and department store. It's now home to live music, eating, drinking, shopping, playing, and live bull riding. Daytime's probably the best time to visit if you've got children in tow; nighttime is much rowdier.

Test your navigational skills and patience in this human maze patterned after Old West cattlepens. For a fee you can race against the clock or someone else, but it's free to stand on the observation deck and watch others wander through the wooden maze.

Among the 23 gardens here are the Lower Rose Garden, whose classical design was inspired by the Villa Lante gardens in Bagnaia, Italy, and the Oval Rose Garden, where many Texas roses grow. The Japanese Garden is beautiful in fall, when the leaves on the maples begin to turn, and in spring, when cherry and other blossoms burst forth. Also on-site is a 10,000-square-foot conservatory.

This museum has interactive exhibits, a planetarium, and an Omni IMAX theater.

The oldest continuous zoo site in Texas, the lush grounds here house more than 5,000 exotic and native animals—including Komodo dragons, koalas, and a rare white tiger—in natural habitat exhibits. The Texas Wild exhibit offers an overview of the wildlife and habitats of the state's different regions. Children love the train, petting zoo, interactive barn, and weather theater.

Visitors can roam the grounds and tour log cabins representative of life on the North Texas plains in the 19th century. Staff members and volunteers wear period dress and crush corn, cook on an open fire, help visitors dip candles, and demonstrate the techniques of blacksmiths. Children particularly enjoy ringing the bell outside the schoolhouse and exploring the one-room school's interior. The Seela Cabin allows little ones to try on bonnets, aprons, and workshirts and get to work—sweeping, cooking, and spinning yarn.

This structure, residing in a gorgeously realized building designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and consisting of five glass pavilions built on a shimmering lagoon, sets the right tone for contemplating one of the country's strongest collections of post–World War II painting and sculpture. The 53,000-square-foot exhibition space holds works by icons of modernism and later movements, from Picasso and Jackson Pollack to Carrie Mae Weems and Cindy Sherman. If you're lucky, you'll catch works of a future master in the museum's occasional Focus series, which features up-and-coming contemporary artists.

You don't have to be a cowgirl or cowboy to fall in love with this fine museum and its celebration of pioneering women. The building, just across from the Will Rogers Memorial Center, shares fascinating Western history through technologically savvy exhibits. The Hall of Fame honors more than 180 pioneering women, including Sacagawea, Mary Ann Goodnight, Georgia O'Keeffe, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Sandra Day O'Connor. Each woman's accomplishments are highlighted on easy-to-use touch screens. Other kiosks allow visitors to listen to female country music stars and modern-day cowgirls describe life on ranches and the road. Another area displays flashy rodeo fashions from the past century. Don't miss the chance to "ride" a bucking bronco and later watch and share the video online.

Fort Worth is an appropriate setting for this private collection of art celebrating the American West, with pieces that capture the emotion, movement, and landscape of the frontier. The gallery affords space and appropriate lighting for up to 39 pieces at a time. (The late Sid Richardson's collection includes more than 100 paintings.)

Catch a live rodeo Friday and Saturday nights to watch competitive bull riding, roping, barrel racing, and more. The rodeo draws locals, families, tourists, couples on dates—all folks who want to experience some cowboy culture.

The recalls the prosperity brought to the city in 1902 when two major Chicago meat packers, Armour and Swift, set up plants here to ship meat across the country in refrigerator cars. You can witness a cattle drive here today; cowboys on horses lead a city-owned herd of about a dozen longhorns down East Exchange Avenue every day at 11:30 am and 4 pm, weather permitting. Between their walks, the cattle can be viewed in their pens behind the Livestock Exchange Building.

Gathered under one roof is a sort of Western-style mall, with restaurants, shops, and benches for resting your boots. If shopping's your game, look for souvenirs, Western wear, specialty foods, jewelry, art, and Western music. If you're hungry, you're bound to find something you'll like among the barbecue, burger, and Mexican food options.

Embrace the rodeo and Western culture at this newer museum. Exhibits share details and gear from members of the hall fame, such as country-and-western singer George Strait, world champion Ty Murray, and rancher and photographer Bob Moorhouse. The museum also houses 60 wagons and carriages and a tribute to legendary bootmaker John Justin.

Near Fort Worth's museums, this partially restored coliseum–and–stock pen complex was named after the humorist and Fort Worth booster, who described the city as "where the West begins" (and Dallas as "where the East peters out"). The center boasts an equestrian arena that's used for horse and livestock shows. Will Rogers is host to the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo every January.