State Capitol Building
When the Legislature is in session, onlookers can watch policy and sometimes history in the making.
Governor's Mansion
Since 1856, every Texas governor has called this gracious antebellum dwelling home. Closed at the discretion of the Governor's Office.
Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library
The building houses some of the state's most important historic documents and collections.
Capitol Complex Visitors Center
Circa 1857. The oldest government office building in Texas, this historic structure formerly served as the General Land Office and was the workplace of short-story writer O. Henry. Meticulously restored and newly re-opened, the building now functions as the Capitol Complex Visitors Center and Texas History Museum.
State Cemetery
Known as the "Arlington Cemetery of Texas," the State Cemetery contains the graves of many historic figures, among them Stephen F. Austin and eight former governors.
Lone Star Riverboat
Take a Town Lake excursion on a relaxing paddle wheel boat. The Lone Star Riverboat is a tour of Austin's colorful river history. Excursions are 90 minutes and no reservations are required. The riverboat is docked between the Congress and South First Street bridges on the south shore.
Treaty Oak
The last of a cluster called Council Oaks where treaties with Indians were said to have been signed, the historic Treaty Oak has stood on Texas soil for more than 500 years. The tree, once counted among the most beautiful in North America, garnered attention and sympathy when it was poisoned in 1989. Two-thirds of the tree has been removed to save the remaining portion.
French Legation Museum
Built in 1841 as a French embassy to the Republic of Texas, it is Austin's oldest standing building.
Bats
Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America. At last count, an estimated 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats were hanging around beneath the historic Congress Avenue Bridge that crosses Town Lake. Between March and November, these bats emerge nightly en masse at dusk, delighting visitors to the Austin area who line the bridge, the river walk and area cafe patios to see the spectacle.
Elisabet Ney Museum
Restored former home and studio of the state's first eminent sculptor.
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Built in 1882, the Gothic Revival church is a tribute to Austin's Swedish settlers and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It now holds offices.
Mount Bonnell
Austin's premier hilltop view looks over Lake Austin and the Hill Country.
Henry G. Madison Cabin
This African-American heritage exhibit is a converted home built in 1863 and is one of Austin's rarest treasures.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Visitors pass picturesque Mexican-American murals on their way to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, one of Austin's oldest Mexican-American parishes.
Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum
The largest of the nation's presidential libraries, the LBJ Library houses papers and memorabilia of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th U.S. president. A visit is a rare opportunity for a closer look at President Johnson and his Great Society programs. Displays include a Vietnam War exhibit and gifts from other heads of state.
Neill-Cochran House
Abner Cook, the designer/builder who designed the Governor's Mansion, built this Greek Revival house around 1853. The museum is run by the Colonial Dames of America.
Old Bakery and Emporium
Newly restored, the 1876 building has served continuously as a bakery. Visitors now find home-baked goods and items handcrafted by Austin senior citizens.
Sixth Street
Seven blocks of historic buildings are woven together by charming restaurants, boutiques and all the live music one could hope to hear. It is Austin's most celebrated entertainment district. Yearly events include spring, fall and Christmas arts and crafts festivals and a Halloween street bash that draws 60,000. Don't miss the Texas Walk of Stars.
Zilker Hillside Theatre
Austin's largest park, Zilker Park, is home to the city's oldest theater, the beloved outdoor Zilker Hillside Theatre. During the summer, the theater stage offers free summer musicals for the crowds that line the grassy hills with their blankets. The theater hosts other events throughout the year.
Auditorium Shores Concert Series
For almost 100 years, the Austin Federation of Musicians has organized free evening concerts on outdoor stages in Austin. Music legends like The Fabulous Thunderbirds and the late Stevie Ray Vaughn have been launched on the stage at Auditorium Shores. On consecutive Sundays and Wednesdays during May and June, the public turns out in droves for the free live concerts.
Austin Nature & Science Center
Austin's only living science museum! Indoor exhibits: the hands-on "Discovery Lab," the "Nature of Austin," showing Austin's four central eco-systems, and "Small Wonders," highlighting small reptiles, arthropods, and fish. Outdoor exhibits: live animals that can't be returned to the wild and Eco-Detective Trail with checkout Eco-kits!
