One of my favorite things about working on a college campus are the gems (art, music, dance,…read moretheatre) that are available to enjoy.who knows if the arts can withstand the tide that is currently decimating our history so I won't take it for granted and will experience as much of it as I can. The contemporary, modern and Latin collections in the Blanton, along with the art pieces at Rowling Hall are my favorites.

Unpopular opinion loading: as someone who has lived in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, I'm…read moreafraid that this museum leaves very much to be desired, both for the quantity, and quality of the artworks, or lack there of. Basically a single story of actual art, since the first floor is in overly large, check-in area, atrium, and staircase with a large piece of art hanging from the ceiling. The second floor is laid out around the perimeter of said atrium, leaving little space for actual art. I would be surprised if this museum could display more than 20 works at one given time. I've been three times and never seen anything impressive or particularly interesting, and the entire ground can be covered in about 20 minutes if you move at a relatively leisurely pace. One of the times was there Saturday events and it was pretty boring. It was basically a bunch of people congregated outside in the heat because they had declared it wasn't an event with an OK band playing and food. You had to pay for on top of paying for the event. It was the regular art exhibit and there was no where air conditioned to sit in the heat. Whyyyyyyy? The little house outside is cute but it's not worth a visit alone. It's a novelty that wears off within about five minutes. In a city that prides itself on being so artsy, why don't we have any good museums or film houses? Not even one.

So glad I came across this place. So cool! Love all the nostalgic stuff. Lots of Godzilla!read more

All-included arcade games and nostalgic toys, wha's not to love? loved playing origal Pac-Man and…read moreCentipede, and reading about the history of Star Wars action figures... so cool

We had time for one museum while on our trip and so we picked Bullock Texas State History Museum…read more This was a great choice that we made and certainly something to explore. The History History and the contemporary history that is all laid out here is very well presented and in the contemporary part it felt like you were reading, observing and strolling from decade to decade. A wide range of topics and different vantage points of Texas is explored here which makes it very fascinating and was mind broadening as we progressed through the displays and artifacts. I didn't know a whole lot about Austin City Limits and all of the musicians and musical acts that played there which was very much a learning experience and perhaps one of my favorite sections of the museum. Definitely worth going to if you are in Austin and wanting to take in some history and culture that makes up the state and the city.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is an absolute must see! From the moment you walk in,…read moreyou're immersed in the rich story of Texas from its early days to modern times. The exhibits are interactive, engaging, and thoughtfully curated, making history come alive for visitors of all ages. There is a paid parking garage available, but parking is free after 5:00 for movie showings. Highlights include the detailed artifacts, hands-on displays, and the impressive theater experiences that really bring Texas history to life. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable, happy to answer questions and guide you through the exhibits. Whether you're a history buff or just looking for a fun and educational outing, this museum is a must-see. I left feeling inspired and with a deeper appreciation for my home state of Texas! I have attended numerous movie screenings at the IMAX theater on site. Most recently the EPiC Elvis Presley in Concert. The seats are comfortable and it was easy to purchase tickets from the box office and they have a bar and concessions. Was a very comfortable place to watch a film.

This is a great place to bring your kids, but for adults it's not as entertaining, it feels kinda…read moresmall and overpriced. I wish they had more stuff to look at/interact with, I thought the place would be bigger. On the bright side they can be somewhat flexible with scheduling tickets, they say they aren't refundable but if you're running late they can push the time for you if you call.

the museum of illusions was a fun experience, but it only took us about 30 minutes to go through…read moreeverything, so i'm not sure it fully felt worth the ticket price. there are a lot of photo ops, though many of them felt a bit underwhelming. i wish the space was more immersive with larger rooms and installations. it was also pretty crowded for how small the space is, which made it harder to enjoy some of the exhibits. that said, the staff was very friendly and helped us take lots of pictures. it's a fun one-time visit kinda thing but a cute spot to take your kids!

We loved our visit. I didn't know anything about the art before coming here but was very pleasantly…read moresurprised. I'm drawn to classically influenced, figurative sculpture, rather than highly abstract contemporary styles. Umlauf's work was precisely that -- it focused on the human form primarily and touched upon themes of religion, war, love, beauty. There were some pieces that took my breath away, particularly the refugee mother and baby pieces. The garden itself is small (you'll likely spend an hour here, at most) but very pleasant to stroll around. The trees were bare when we visited but I can see it being even lovelier in spring/summer. Very reasonable admission fee ($8 per adult). Children 0-4 are free. Super friendly staff. The woman working the front desk was very kind to us and made our family feel so welcome (we brought our two small children). Small parking area but it wasn't crowded when we came (despite it being a weekend afternoon). If you're visiting Austin and you like classical and figurative sculptural work, make sure you add this spot to your itinerary.

A friend of mine was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend and he then committed suicide. Today my…read morefriend's family had a celebration of life ceremony for her. This celebration of life ceremony was a deeply moving and beautifully planned tribute to her life well-lived. The ceremony took place in UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum. The grounds are serene and peaceful with art sculptures sprinkled throughout the garden. UMLAUF is strategically hidden behind Zilker Park in Austin, TX. The garden was a perfect place for my friend's celebration of life. She would have loved the tree canopy, small ponds, and the bronze and stone works in the garden. My friends passing caused me to think about life, death and the dash in between the two. The commentary today came from her younger brother, two friends and her aunt. Their glowing remarks intertwined with snippets of humor helped to soften the moment. One of the comments from her brother is that you need to keep in touch with family and friends, tell them you love them and do not miss those very important moments. Those thoughts resonated with me. Sometimes in this microwaveable society, we do not make time to be intentional and spend uninterrupted time with family and friends. I committed today to be more intentional from this day forward. When my mom and sister passed, I was selected by our family to do the eulogy, which is one the hardest things you can possibly do in life. How can you capture one's life in 15-20 minutes? What topics are most salient to discuss? Inevitably, my mind drifted to gratitude. I am so grateful for my family who loves me unconditionally. I am grateful to all my friends and especially those friends who have been riding with me for 25+ years. "The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." Eleanor Roosevelt

It was awesome place. I went there in May, but I was looking for a Deinosuchus skeleton there, but…read morethey have it there

Every 4th Sunday of the month is FREE (sponsored by HEB) which is always nice. We actually…read moreaccidentally showed up on that day. Personally, I think I'd prefer to pay ($10 per adult, 4 and under are free) and have it be a little less crowded. The building is small, the hallways narrow, the elevator slow. I wasn't sure what to expect but I'd advise you to keep your expectations low. The museum is a bit dated, the building is old, and some of the exhibits felt antiquated. There is a certain charm to that. Plus, you can see everything in one short visit. They did make it ADA accessible -- there's a separate entrance for wheelchairs and strollers. There's a wheelchair ramp available for the inaccessible areas (like the paleontology exhibit). For strollers, I'd recommend just leaving it upstairs and holding your kid. The exhibits are small so you won't be there for long. Gift shop had a nice selection of cute gifts/souvenirs. Easy parking in the San Jacinto garage next door. Cost us $6 or something like that. While the woman's restroom had a diaper changing station, I don't think the men's did. I noticed a dad going in to change his son's diaper (he verbally noted it to the mom) and walked right back out. If they want to be accommodating to families, this might be an upgrade worth making. FYI: they're card only, no cash.

This was a fun interactive time, that went by really quick…read more There is minimal staff here, 2 at the register and 1 person at the bar. I loved the drink while you art concept and definitely got a drink, which was a good amount of tasty and strong. By far we all loved the first lighting art display the best. The kiddos loved running through it, the changing lights and the music. The other exhibits were less interactive. We enjoyed them as adults, however, the kiddos passed through most of them without interest. The selection was good, but we craved more once we got to the end. I was able to make my drink last the entire time we were there. That being said, the adult prices were fair, however I would not charge children under 12. Overall we had a great time escaping the Texas heat. So if you're looking for a nice adult escape I recommend this thoughtful art space.

Very cool art gallery full of fun and interesting exhibits! They were interactive and immersive…read morewhile maintaining a calm atmosphere. I liked the Submergence exhibit since it had many pretty glowing lights that hung from the ceiling. Great for pictures and videos. Some other exhibits were engaging with movements too. It really involves your various senses with multiple sounds, sights, and things you can touch. You can view at your own pace and no one rushes you. It took us around 2-3 hours to go through everything. There's a wide selection of different installations, so I feel like it's worth the $25 value. There is also a bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy. Book your tickets in advance as they have limited spots per time slot so it is not cramped. There's a kiosk near the entrance to check in and then they will help you get started at the front desk. Lots of free parking in front of the building. What a unique and chill place to bring the family. They really are spaces filled with wonder. They do rotate out the exhibits periodically, so there's always more to see. Overall a great experience and I look forward to coming back to see new installations!

I absolutely love this library (Lyndon B. Johnson). I visited once before relocating to Austin and…read morenow that I live within walking distance, I often take family and friends who come to visit. It's an important museum that houses millions of photos, videos, documents, etc. with regard to the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, LBJ's presidency, and so on. There are exhibits displaying information on Medicare and its beginnings. The Oval Office replica is pretty cool to see. So many things to check out including, you guessed it, a gift shop! This is a "not to be missed" museum.

I gave this Presidential Library only 3 stars because I was only able to visit 2/3's of the museum…read more Apparently, they are renovating one of the floors. When we arrived and paid our admission fee, we immediately were met with 2 hosts that kind of went over and explained everything you would be seeing. The funniest part is when an elderly white lady tried to explain to me their new traveling exhibit. It was a hip hop exhibit and she was explaining how interesting it was. She was like 70 and I am sure she is bumping Biggie and 2 Pac on her way to work. The 1st floor was just the presidential Limo, some campaign exhibits, a gift shop and the hip hop exhibit. When I think about LBJ, I am pretty sure Hip Hop is far from the top of the list of things associated with him. However, as a kid from the hip hop generation it was cool to see Run DMC's Adidas, Slick Rick's Kangol and other artists out fits. The 10th floor (I think it was the 10th) had a replica Oval Office, lots of gifts given to LBJ during his presidency and other exhibits as well. I enjoy going to the different Presidential Libraries and Museums and this one is pretty nice but nothing that will wow you.