The Bryan is an absolute must... Go! Historic Orphanage building purchased and restored by JP Bryan a Houston Oil Man for a place to exhibit his vast collection of western memorabilia. One of the best overall projects of this type I've every experienced. If you like history Go. If you love Texas Go. If you like real estate go. There's almost no one who wouldn't appreciate the 1+1=3 qualities of this place. Originally built before the historic Hurricane of 1900 that wiped out a large percentage of Galveston. Orphaned children actually rode out that storm in this building that was significantly damaged. Repaired and operated as an orphanage until 1984 when it was closed, then used as a private residence. Sitting vacant for many years it was restored to perfection in 2013 and operating as a museum in 2015. Besides stunning, sombreros,fire arms,saddles,documents and fine art,each room has a kiosk that tells you what the room was used for when it was an orphanage. To top it all off,exit through the world class gift shop. I did and purchased two future gifts! Again,a very strong.... Go! read more

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Took the family to The Bryan Museum on the Island and what a gem! It was such a beautiful outing filled with history. Before it was a museum the building was an orphanage. It survived the devastating 1900 storm. The storm blew out the center of the building but the east and west wings held and the survivors made it because they were tucked into those sides. I got chills learning about that. To think of those children scared for their lives is so touching. There is so much to see. There are three floors of history. The collection covers the West and beyond. It's the kind of place where you keep stopping and going, wait, what?! The $15 per person ticket is worth it. If you haven't been, especially if you're local to Houston or Galveston, put it on your list. History feels different when the building itself is the history. read more

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This has cowboy, Texas, and island history, plus the building served as an orphanage in the past with the basement recreating that period. It is highly recommended. read more

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I hadn't heard much about the Bryan Museum before visiting last weekend, and it's kind of a surprise why. It's a wonderful facility. It's about 60% museum and 40% art gallery that they do a nice job of blending. The main theme is Texas and Galveston history from the exhibits and the art. The artifacts are very impressive. They do have a small theater which for $5 a person I recommend. We saw their movie about the 1900 Galveston Hurricane which was very informative and told through the accounts of the survivors. If you are interested in seeing the movie be aware the theatre is pretty small. It's a large TV in a room that seats 20ish people. The seats are all on the same level so if you're short I would suggest you get in early to sit on the first row. Normally this might be worth a bit of a mark against but in my opinion they're doing the best they can within the constraints of a 124 year old building so it gets a pass. I highly recommend a stop here if you're looking for a fun and interesting indoor activity in Galveston. read more

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Loved touring this older building and hearing its history. It is a unique collection. We bought tickets for the 1900 Galveston hurricane movie. The actual theater area was pretty cramped but the movie was very informative. Easy parking and good for my cane walking husband to get around. read more

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An unparalleled assemblage or artifacts from Texas history Any visit to Galveston should have the Bryan on the to do list

Beautiful grounds and really informative collection. I really enjoyed the artwork. Also reasonable ticket prices!

Yelp deleted my review here from a year ago for some reason causing me to write this one. This is my favorite museum on the Island. It is so well maintained both inside and out. The exhibits inside are of high quality and the building is beautiful inside. Outside the landscaping crew really takes care of all of the greenery. There are many Galveston 'centric social events and weddings held here every year. During my visit last week they had a free wine event in the grounds. They have a nice separate gift shop out back along with the glass filled Conservatory building also available as a rental. Parking is free street parking in front along with a dedicated lot in back. The Bryan Museum is a real treasure of Galveston. read more

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The Bryan museum was formerly an Orphans home! So, the ambiance is pretty somber/spooky, but the museum itself is wonderful! It's a beautiful building inside and out. "The west as it will never be seen again"...Beautiful architecture and also a historic landmark! If you love history and/or museums, I highly recommend stopping by! read more

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What a wonderful museum! This is my top recommendation if you're in Galveston. This lovely old mansion is beautifully maintained. The garden has artwork to enjoy. After purchasing tickets in the nice museum shop, you'll enjoy historical collections about coastal cowboys, the civil war, the Spanish colonial period, the Mexican revolution, and the battles taught in Texas history. There is a nice selection of art to enjoy. Throughout, you can learn about the building's history as an orphanage, and the basement is specifically dedicated to this. My three favourite things were the incredible collection of saddles, the very high quality wax figures (including Stephen Austin), and the miniature battle scene. An employee inside was very interesting, and I should've gotten her name. This is a great museum. read more

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One of the most interesting museums we've been to. Loved the basement the best- showed how the children in Galveston Orphanage lived. The rest of the museum was Galveston History, Texas independence, Galveston horrible hurricane in 1900. We also walked around the gardens- beautifully maintained and great photo ops. Highly recommend this museum read more

This museum is full of treasures, I needed two days to really absorb it all. My 77 year old dad truly enjoyed it too! So much fun history read more

We came all the way from Seattle to enjoy Galveston for a day before going on a cruise. As non-Texans, we appreciated all the museum had to offer. We learned a LOT here about Texas. The artifacts that they have for display are beautiful, and they had great exhibits. My favorite exhibit was the marti gras masks. They are absolutely worth the stop. read more

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This place is filled with amazing pieces and exhibits around every corner! It was my first time visiting this museum, and I'm pleased I did! You may easily spend a whole day at The Bryan Museum because it is immediately clear that you are going to see amazing stuff. Getting here can be a bit of challenge if you are not familiar with the area, but once you arrive plan to stay the whole day and soak it all in! Price of admission is very reasonable! read more

Go late on Thursdays and have a glass of wine while listening to local musicians! This is a gem of a small museum. Great permanent and rotating exhibits. They have quite the Texas collection. Really enjoyed the Billy Gibbons display. read more

Such treasure of a museum and their gift shop has unique items and books. The Kermit/Hermes exhibit was wonderful. We love this museum so much, that even though we live in Houston, we have been members for several years. read more

It's an amazing museum it's really interesting it has some Texas and Galveston history. Also the building is really pretty.

My family took a break from the sun and visited The Bryan Museum. What an absolute treat! As we walked into the beautiful building, we were greeted at the desk by a lovely lady. We explained that we were Texans currently living in the DC suburbs of Maryland. She greeted us with, "welcome home!" That was the beginning of our wonderful day at the museum. Loved hearing, reading and experiencing the exhibits of Texas! read more

Beautiful beautiful building with a great selection of Galveston and Texas history. Friendly...helpful staff. read more

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This is an interesting, educational and wonderful way to spend a few hours getting to know Galveston's (and Texas) history. From Texas wars, diverse settlements, the Spanish Colonial era and Catholicism in Texas, cowboy culture, art, weaponry... A day well spent. As of 2013, The Bryan Museum is located at the old Galveston Orphans Home (a beautiful structure, rich with history, that survived the 1900 Storm). Your admission ($14/adult) gives you access to all three levels - start on the main floor, work your way up, then downstairs to the basement that has some artifacts from the orphanage. I screamed bloody murder when a certain spooky sitch happened after staring at an old photo - beware. Outside is a BEAUTIFUL patio garden, gift shop, and conservatory - perfect for weddings or corporate events. read more

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This was an enjoyable experience when I visited Galveston. The history on the culture of Texas was very helpful and I informative

This place was incredible! Great history. Stunning building with an amazing story. Once an orphanage, now a museum of Texas artifacts, art work, saddles, weapons and much more. Well worth the entry fee and free parking! The staff were super friendly and informative! Highly recommend! read more

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This sounded exactly like a museum we would enjoy seeing examples of Texas history & we were so glad we made this our first stop on a 4 day weekend in Galveston. The Bryan collection consists of history & art of Texas and the American West. The videos were helpful in learning about the galleries and the history of the Orphans Home. read more

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Exquisite new museum, established 2015, which contains an array of Texas historic materials. The mansion for one was established as an orphanage and survived the devastating 1900 hurricane. It has been gloriously restored. The first floor traces Texas' history from its early settlements, indigenous people, and subsequent growth. A startlingly realistic replica of Stephen F. Austin greets you as you walk through the rooms, along with a diorama of the Battle of San Jacinto. Other Texas objects include ornate and hand tooled saddles by The Stelzig Family, incredible films about early Galveston, and paintings by Texas masters. I look forward to going back and visiting this museum again. It's deeply rich in Texas history. read more

The Bryan Museum - Confederate Violin Shotgun. Incredible. - Museums Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Really nice museum with lots of Texas artifacts and amazing art. Definitely stop by if you're in the Galveston area. read more

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Not a bad collection of historical Texas artifacts but not astounding either. I thought the price of admission was too high for what was there. The grounds were really pretty and the little bit about the 1900 hurricane and how that building survived was kind of interesting but in general it was way too many guns and saddles for my interests. However, if you like old guns and saddles, this is your place. read more

The Bryan Museum - Stained glass - Museums Near Me - Galveston, Texas

I came here on a vacation to Galveston. The woman at the front desk was very nice, she told us a lot about what to expect in the rooms. The exhibits were very fascinating, I enjoyed looking at the large saddle collection. The grounds and building were very beautiful. The bathroom was very clean but may be hard to find and I would recommend that they get different smelling soap. This would be a good place to bring students learning about Texas history. I would definitely come here again the next time I'm in Galveston. read more

Oh my goodness. I felt SO SO bad taking my 3rd grade son out of school for a week. So so bad. Then the Bryan Museum..... Hello parents!! The scavenger hunt is amazing and engaging for young minds. My son is not a conventional student. He loves history and the old war. The scavenger hunt kept him dialed in and tempted his competitive streak. The owners humble me. They obviously love and value their community. This museum was just a beautiful pleasure for someone that appreciates time, honor of community and home. Wonderful kind staff. They were attentive and friendly. Please stop by the gift shop bc they are too sweet. There are some unique souvenirs to be had! I absolutely recommend this stop to enjoy the rich history of Texas and Galveston! read more

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Beautiful space. Very informative and interesting exhibits. Interactive use of technology. Broad range of Texas history. Very enjoyable!

I was disappointed that this place did not have much information about the old orphanage. The grounds and rooms were so beautiful it would have been nice to know what each room was used for, etc. This is mostly a museum of Texas' history. Mostly guns and saddles. Not kid friendly, I would be very bored if I was a kid here. So I would not recommend bringing your children here. I also thought it was interesting that there was staff about but they were all running around and no one was truly around to answer questions or even wanted to give you any information at all. read more

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You'll see an eclectic collection of Texas history artifacts, documents and paintings from the 1800's. Very impressive and interesting!

Whenever I was in Galveston, I tried to visit here.But I went to other attractions.I had a plenty of time, I was at the museum.The parking was free, thank you.This museum was pretty big.It took two hours to check everything.The inside was clean.I was amazed at the modern restrooms.I learned a lot of things about history in Texas.Thanks. read more

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Worth every penny! Teachers and kids up to 17 $10.00. A truly must visit in Galveston. Many original artifacts of Texas, Spanish and Austrian history read more

Awesome museum; so much more than anticipated. The building itself has been beautifully restored and my husband and I, who are avid museum-goers, came away with knowledge we didn't have before. Kudos, as well, to the staff, including the gift shop, all of whom were Texas-friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Excellent museum about Texas History and James Perry Brian's great great uncle, Stephen F Austin.

Great Texas history museum! The interactive displays are so fun and the staff is extremely helpful.

Only attended for a wedding in the gazebo, but it was gorgeous! The grounds were lovely and there were plenty of bathrooms, what more could you ask for from a venue. Everyone was thrilled with the support and friendly staff. Great time! We can't wait to come back for the museum proper! read more

Couldn't find the pirate cove/basement. There was a lot of history to read about. I enjoyed the tablets near the displays to dig further into given information. Very Galveston heavy in the time line- for good reason. Elevator was slow and scary. The bathroom was too close to the cafe tables on the other side of the door/wall. I felt like I was peeing in this guy's conversation- although the restroom was nicely decorated and antique-y. read more

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This historical home and orphanage is now a grand museum of Texas history. I urge anyone who's interested in Texas history or early weapons, saddles, spurs, explorers, people, documents, letters, Buffalo Soldiers, paintings and more to visit this wonderful museum. Though it's self described as "The...home to the world's largest collection of historical artifacts, documents, and artwork relating to the Southwestern United States," it's mostly Texas history. Maybe it's because I went with low expectations, but it knocked my socks off! You're not permitted to take pictures inside the museum so I only have this one picture. read more

The Bryan Museum - First a home, then an orphanage and now a remarkable museum of Texas history. - Museums Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Well how wonderful to have a great museum with so much history! This is a must do when traveling to Galveston . So much history so interesting! read more

The Bryan Museum - Museums Near Me - Galveston, Texas