4 Best Sights in Austin, Texas

The artifacts on display inside this stunning travertine building provide sharp insight into the 36th president's mind and motivations, and though his foibles are downplayed, a clear sense of the Texas native—earthy, conniving, sensitive, and wry—emerges. Pick up any of the clunky rotary-phone receivers throughout the museum to hear real recordings of conversations Johnson had with famous politicians and figureheads during his time in office. The 30-plus hours of tape include ruminations on Vietnam and civil rights, plus strategic arguments about vote wrangling (LBJ's specialty). There are rotating temporary exhibits on the ground floor and free on-site visitor parking in lot 38.  Be sure to check out the second floor, where a life-sized audio-animatronic figure of LBJ spins humorous anecdotes; it's a hoot.

Named in honor of former governor Dolph Briscoe, the Briscoe Center at the University of Texas is a go-to scholarly resource for 750,000-plus photographs, thousands of archival documents, hundreds of handmade quilts, and over 50,000 music recordings. The staff are expert researchers who sift through these artifacts to chronicle a fascinating stockpile of American and Texas history. While much of the center functions as a research facility (available by reservation only), frequently changing exhibits of items from the collections are open to the public on weekdays.

Established in 2001 just a few blocks north of the Capitol, this fascinating museum (with a massive star statue out front) documents the history of the Lone Star State with excellent interactive exhibits and programming fit for all ages. Nearly 500,000 visitors from around the world tour the 34,000-square-foot museum every year, learning about "The Story of Texas" through permanent and traveling collections that cover prehistoric to modern times. The on-site Star Cafe serves coffee, snacks, and basic lunch fare. Check the events calendar in advance for showtimes at the on-site IMAX theater.

Formerly known as the Texas Memorial Museum (a name still etched in the historic building's limestone facade), this UT campus museum had a major revamp in 2023 that included a name change that reflects its true mission—to serve as the only science and natural history museum in the Austin area. Visitors can explore the natural world of Texas, from prehistoric to modern times, with fossils from millions of years ago, life-sized dinosaur models (including a 40-foot-long pterosaur), and dioramas of Texas wildlife, from buffalo and roadrunners to cougars and flying squirrels. Excellent permanent and rotating exhibits are now on view throughout the four-story space, and a partnership with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center plans to provide for native pollinator gardens around the museum exterior.