I was not expecting it to be as wonderful as it was but highly recommend. The front building has some interesting exhibits such as a real Wells Fargo Stagecoach that you can actually get into. Behind this is an open air museum of buildings from Texas ranch life in the 1800's. It is varied and fascinating to see how people lived and worked back then. The buildings are spread along a 1 1/2 mile loop and there is a nice paved sidewalk so you can walk (I did!) or you can take the little mini train which has a conductor/tour guide. I would happily return! read more

Wow! This place is special. Took my very uninterested teenagers and they loved it. So interactive and well presented. We really enjoyed the outdoor buildings and train. We highly recommend! read more

Had the pleasure of taking a tour of the center on a trolley with some friends. Bill was our tour guide and man o man is he knowledgeable about the NRHC. We learned a lot about Texas ranching and cattle history, barbed wire and more. I would totally recommend this tour to everyone. read more

Very interesting history of Texas ranch life. The exhibits were laid out well. Would highly recommend this museum and it is free to tour. read more

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We stopped by during a day trip to Lubbock. In the morning we went by the Buddy Holly Center and were looking for something to do after lunch. I threw out the heritage center and figured if it wasn't interesting, all it would cost us is time. Turns out it's really interesting and huge if you tour all the dwellings outside. There were a few indoor displays including a Yellowstone (TV Show) section. I spent more time looking at the collection of spurs. Outside they have a ton of buildings depicting ranch life over the centuries. You can enter most and climb around, go down to different levels, peak through windows, etc. It's very immersive. Inside the barns you'll find a vast display of brands and how some came to be. Climb around on the trains or step into the stone/mortar structure (Los Corralitos) and see how much cooler it is inside compared to the normal Texas heat. Since they don't charge admission, we made sure to pick up souvenirs in the gift shop. This is a great option for families and all ages, just make sure the weather is comfortable so you can take your time outside. read more

Admittedly I had low expectations for this but was quite pleasantly surprised. Fascinating look into life of ranching. Interior exhibits are fine but the outside buildings are so interesting. Everyone slightly different and the care taken to move each to the exhibit is it's own story. Free to the public but more than worth it! read more

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What to Do in Lubbock? #1 Visit the National Ranching Heritage Center Wherever you're from: Long-time Texas Resident, or Mongolia, or South Africa, or wherever, if you have seen a Western Movie, then you MUST VISIT. I really wished I'd made it past the Lonesome Dove Exhibit, but time ran out. read more

National Ranching Heritage Center - Racher - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Great place to visit, especially with kids. Download their app for an on-phone guide and games for the kids, or use the paper guide they give you. Tours are self guided and you can take your time. Be sure to swing by the cute gift shop. The museum is FREE!! Take note the outside heritage museum closes at 4pm and the NRHC is closed whenever Texas Tech is (Christmas Break, Spring Break, etc). Enjoy! read more

National Ranching Heritage Center - Ladies Day at the Ranch - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

My 9 year old and I are huge history nerds. She says "Go in the fall because it was a little bit sweaty. A dozen buildings brought from all over Texas show the history of the state as you walk the trail through time. Plus the brand museum." Wish we could have toured the Victorian inside but you get to step in all the others. Homes, barn, train station and train. There are tons of jackrabbits running around. read more

National Ranching Heritage Center - Museums Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

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As a midwesterner, I had no idea what to expect from this center. We were blown a way and spent half a day there exploring everything. They have done an exceptional job of creating a chronological history of the west. The buildings give a realistic feeling of what life was like for early ranchers. Great family venue for all ages. read more

I am a adamant modernist; clean lines, glass, and metal are the things I like in design. Even though RHC has none of these things, it is pretty awesome. The homesteads on display date from the time that the panhandle of Texas was settled and it's pretty easy to appreciate what they went through when you visit. I don't know of any other place that offers the opportunity to interact with structures like they do at the Ranching Heritage Center. The grounds are very well taken care of and provide a very nice place to visit and experience museum going at its best. I have been told that the earth burms that guide visitors were made from the debris of the 1970 tornado that really took its toll on Lubbock -- I don't know if its true, but I like to believe that it is. It's a neat place to slow down a bit and appreciate some history. read more

Free. Fun to stroll through all of the old living arrangements used by the folks of Texas. Also extras like the huge cattle locomotive, a barn full of brands and some beautiful paintings. Well put together. And mister 1 star because the museum was closed on a holiday? Shame on you, Yelp should take your review off, because this museum is great. read more

This place is astonishing. I spent the better part of the morning here and barely uncovered the smallest fraction of the gems which this museum houses. If you are interested in this aspect of local/national history, you are at the fountainhead. Take the time to linger. read more

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This is one of my childhood favorites. It has been around for as long as I can remember and I have attended so many events there. Within the past year or so the NRHC did some upgrades that are very impressive. This place is great for kids and events! Read Lubbock In The Loop's full review at http://www.lubbockintheloop.com/?p=2113 read more

We had some time to kill and stopped in. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it! This is a really nicely done museum/park. It was free, but I didn't mind donating at all so they can continue to share the history of ranching. read more

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Spent a couple of hours there yesterday. What a gem! The facility is lovely with welcoming staff members. I think it would be especially nice for walking during the Fall and Spring. read more

I give them just one star, as I am not sure what it is like. We came to Lubbock for a quick stay-cation. We had this place on our list to stop. We pulled up on Friday of Spring Break to find it CLOSED! I check the website before we came to get the hours and no where did it say anything about being closed. There were even more people driving up and then away just like us. With the price of gas, $3.55, it would have been nice to know for those who made plans to drive here, that is would be closed. After we calmed our crying son we headed off to plan B. read more

Lots of wealthy ranchers contributed to this place. Exhibits are elegant and generous inside. Outside, the village is huge with over 40 stops. It's frustrating on some level because you can't access the village past 3 on weekends even though they close at 5. And on Sundays, they don't open until 1. So plan your visit with this in mind. And it's a long haul but the buildings are in good shape with lots of variety. read more

We had a blast here. The walking tour of Prarie life was tons of fun! Keep that in mind if you decide to go here, lots of walking!

Loved walking through and seeing all the different historic things they have...the saddles inside were awesome and my son really loved walking around outside and looking at all the buildings. His favorite was the train! The guy in the gift shop was so nice and told us all about what was around. We will definitely go back! read more

Great afternoon spent wandering along the outdoor path, checking out the different dwellings Texans once called home! All of them allow you to either peek inside a window or even walk inside, so you have a glimpse of day-to-day life years ago. read more