How to Tour the Austin History Center Exhibits

The Austin History Center, located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas, is more than just a repository of documents and artifacts—it is a living archive of the city’s cultural, social, and political evolution. As one of the most comprehensive local history collections in Texas, the Center offers visitors an immersive journey through over 180 years of Austin’s development—from its founding as a frontier settlement to its emergence as a vibrant, diverse metropolis. Whether you’re a lifelong resident, a new transplant, a student, a researcher, or a curious traveler, touring the Austin History Center exhibits provides unparalleled insight into the forces that have shaped the city’s identity.

Many visitors assume that a history center is simply a quiet room filled with dusty shelves and old photographs. In reality, the Austin History Center is a dynamic, curated experience designed to engage, educate, and inspire. Its rotating exhibits, interactive displays, oral histories, and multimedia installations bring the past to life in ways that textbooks and online searches cannot replicate. Understanding how to navigate these exhibits effectively—what to see first, how to interpret the context, and how to make the most of available resources—can transform a casual visit into a deeply meaningful encounter with local heritage.

This guide is designed to help you plan, execute, and reflect on your visit to the Austin History Center exhibits. From logistical preparation to interpretive techniques, we’ll walk you through every stage of the experience. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know not only how to tour the exhibits, but how to connect with the stories they tell in a way that resonates long after you’ve left the building.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Plan Your Visit in Advance

Before stepping into the Austin History Center, take time to plan your visit strategically. The Center operates on a schedule that differs from typical museums—its hours are limited, and certain exhibits rotate seasonally. Start by visiting the official Austin History Center website to confirm current operating hours, which are typically Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with closures on major holidays.

Check the “Exhibits” section of the website to identify which permanent and temporary exhibitions are currently on display. Some exhibits, such as “Austin in the 1960s: Music, Protest, and Change” or “The Legacy of Black Austin,” may only run for a few months. Planning around these limited-time displays ensures you don’t miss key content.

Consider the size of your group. While walk-ins are welcome, groups of 10 or more are encouraged to schedule a guided tour in advance. Even if you’re visiting solo, booking a time slot—especially during peak seasons like spring and fall—can help you avoid crowds and secure better access to high-demand materials.

2. Arrive Early and Orient Yourself

Arriving 10–15 minutes before opening allows you to settle in without the rush. The Center is located at 810 Guadalupe Street, within the historic Central Library building. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by a welcoming lobby with an information desk and a digital kiosk displaying the current exhibit map.

Take a moment to study the floor plan. The exhibits are arranged chronologically and thematically across two main levels. The ground floor typically features rotating temporary exhibits, while the second floor houses the permanent collection, including the “Austin Through the Ages” timeline and the “Community Voices” oral history station.

Don’t overlook the orientation video, which plays on a loop in the lobby. It’s a concise 8-minute overview that introduces major themes in Austin’s history—Indigenous presence, early settlement, segregation, music culture, and urban development—and sets the tone for what you’ll encounter in the galleries.

3. Begin with the Permanent Exhibit: “Austin Through the Ages”

Start your tour on the second floor with the Center’s cornerstone exhibit: “Austin Through the Ages.” This 300-foot timeline stretches across the corridor and uses artifacts, photographs, maps, and touchscreen interfaces to trace Austin’s evolution from 1839 to the present.

Key highlights include:

• 1839–1850: Founding and Early Growth – Original land grants, handwritten city ordinances, and a replica of the first courthouse.
• 1870–1900: Reconstruction and Segregation – Documents on the Freedmen’s Town community, school segregation, and the rise of Black-owned businesses.
• 1930–1960: New Deal and Urban Renewal – Photos of WPA projects, the construction of the Mopac Expressway, and the displacement of neighborhoods.
• 1970–2000: Counterculture and Tech Boom – Music posters from the Armadillo World Headquarters, early tech startup memorabilia, and protest signs from the 1990s.
• 2000–Present: Diversity and Displacement – Interactive maps showing gentrification patterns, immigrant community contributions, and climate resilience efforts.

Use the touchscreen stations embedded along the timeline to access digitized primary sources—letters from early settlers, newspaper clippings from the Austin American-Statesman, and audio recordings of city council debates. These aren’t just supplementary; they’re essential for understanding the context behind each era.

4. Explore Rotating Exhibits on the Ground Floor

After absorbing the broad sweep of Austin’s history, move to the ground floor to engage with the Center’s temporary exhibitions. These are often curated in partnership with local universities, cultural organizations, and community groups, offering fresh perspectives on underrepresented stories.

Recent examples include:

• “Chicana/o Art and Activism in Austin” – Featuring murals, protest flyers, and interviews with artists who used public art to challenge racial and gender norms.
• “Water in the Capital: From Springs to Drought” – A multimedia installation exploring the ecological history of the Colorado River, indigenous water practices, and modern conservation efforts.
• “Austin’s Queer Spaces: 1950–2020” – A collection of photographs, flyers from underground clubs, and personal narratives from LGBTQ+ residents who helped shape the city’s inclusive identity.

Each temporary exhibit includes a printed guide with key questions to consider as you move through the space. These prompts encourage critical thinking—for example: “Whose voices are missing from this story?” or “How does this exhibit challenge common assumptions about Austin?”

5. Engage with Oral Histories and Interactive Stations

One of the most powerful aspects of the Austin History Center is its extensive oral history archive. Located in a quiet alcove near the second-floor reading room, the “Community Voices” station allows visitors to listen to firsthand accounts from residents across generations and backgrounds.

Headphones are provided, and the interface lets you filter by decade, neighborhood, or theme—such as “Education,” “Work,” or “Family.” Highlights include:

• A 92-year-old Black woman recounting her walk to school during segregation.
• A Vietnamese immigrant describing opening the first pho restaurant in East Austin in 1982.
• A college student from 2015 reflecting on the impact of the

  BlackLivesMatter protests on campus.

These recordings are not curated for spectacle—they’re raw, unfiltered, and often emotional. Allow yourself time to sit and listen. One 10-minute interview can offer more insight than a dozen informational plaques.

6. Visit the Research Room and Digital Archive

Even if you’re not conducting formal research, the Center’s Research Room is worth a brief visit. Open to the public during operating hours, it houses original documents, microfilm readers, and access to the Center’s digital archive—over 150,000 digitized photographs, maps, and manuscripts.

Use the public computers to search the online catalog. Type in keywords like “East Austin,” “1950s,” or “music venues” to uncover hidden gems—such as a 1947 map of Black-owned businesses, or a photo of a 1968 protest at City Hall that never made the front page.

Ask a staff member for assistance. They’re trained to help visitors navigate the archive and can point you to lesser-known collections, such as the “Austin City Council Meeting Minutes” from the 1920s or the “Austin School District Photograph Collection.”

7. Take Notes and Reflect

Bring a notebook or use your phone to jot down observations. What surprised you? What stories felt absent? Did any exhibit challenge your understanding of Austin’s identity?

Many visitors leave with a new appreciation for the complexity of urban history. For example, you might learn that the famous “Keep Austin Weird” slogan emerged not as a celebration of eccentricity, but as a grassroots response to corporate homogenization in the early 2000s.

After your visit, spend 10 minutes reflecting. Consider writing a short paragraph or recording a voice memo about what you learned. This act of reflection solidifies your understanding and transforms passive observation into active learning.

8. Extend Your Experience

Don’t let your engagement end when you leave the building. The Austin History Center offers several ways to continue learning:

• Sign up for their monthly newsletter, which highlights upcoming exhibits, public lectures, and volunteer opportunities.
• Download the free “Austin History Center” mobile app, which includes audio tours, augmented reality overlays of historical sites, and self-guided walking tours of historic neighborhoods.
• Participate in “History Happy Hour,” a monthly evening event featuring local historians, musicians, and storytellers.
• Donate or volunteer. The Center relies on community support to preserve materials and expand access.

These extensions deepen your connection to the material and turn a one-time visit into an ongoing relationship with Austin’s past.

Best Practices

Respect the Materials

Many artifacts on display are irreplaceable. Even if an item looks sturdy, avoid touching glass cases or leaning on display pedestals. Flash photography is prohibited, and tripods are not allowed without prior approval. These rules aren’t arbitrary—they protect the integrity of the collection for future generations.

Ask Questions

Staff members are historians, archivists, and storytellers—not just information providers. Don’t hesitate to ask: “Can you tell me more about this photograph?” or “Why was this document chosen for this exhibit?” Their insights often reveal hidden layers of meaning that aren’t included in the labels.

Follow the Narrative Arc

The exhibits are intentionally sequenced to tell a story. Avoid jumping from one display to another based on personal interest alone. Start at the beginning of each exhibit and follow the flow. This ensures you understand cause-and-effect relationships—such as how redlining in the 1940s led to economic disparities still visible today.

Consider Multiple Perspectives

Austin’s history is not monolithic. Pay attention to whose voices are centered and whose are marginalized. An exhibit on “Austin’s Music Scene” might feature Stevie Ray Vaughan prominently, but what about the Chicano rock bands who played in East Austin clubs? The Center often includes disclaimers or counter-narratives—look for them.

Use All Your Senses

Don’t just read and look. Listen to audio clips. Notice textures in reproductions of fabrics or signage. Smell the recreated scent of a 1920s grocery store (yes, some exhibits include scent stations). Engaging multiple senses enhances memory and emotional resonance.

Time Your Visit Wisely

Weekday mornings are typically the quietest. Avoid weekends if you prefer solitude, especially during university breaks or tourist season. If you’re visiting with children, check for family-friendly programs like “History for Little Ones,” offered on Saturday afternoons.

Connect Exhibits to Your Own Life

Ask yourself: “How does this relate to my neighborhood? My family? My daily life?” For example, if you live in South Austin, learn how the construction of I-35 divided communities in the 1960s. This personal connection transforms history from abstract facts into lived experience.

Document Your Visit Ethically

If you take photos for personal use, avoid tagging locations that might reveal private donor information or unpublished materials. Always credit the Austin History Center if you share images on social media. This supports their mission and encourages others to visit.

Tools and Resources

Official Website: austinhistorycenter.org

The primary hub for all exhibit information, hours, event calendars, and digital collections. The site is mobile-optimized and includes downloadable PDF maps of the exhibits.

Online Digital Archive

Access over 150,000 digitized items—including photographs, newspapers, oral histories, and city planning documents—at collections.austintexas.gov. Search by keyword, date, or location. Many items are high-resolution and downloadable for educational use.

Austin History Center Mobile App

Available on iOS and Android, the app offers GPS-triggered audio tours, 3D reconstructions of historic buildings, and self-guided walking tours of neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Clarksville, and Rundberg. It also includes a “Find Your Ancestor” feature using digitized city directories.

Local Libraries and Academic Partners

The University of Texas at Austin’s Benson Latin American Collection and the Briscoe Center for American History maintain complementary archives. Researchers can request interlibrary loans or access joint exhibits through partnerships with the Austin History Center.

Books and Publications

Recommended reading includes:

• Austin: A History of the Capital City by Louis H. Hahn
• Black Austin: A History of the African American Community by Dr. Mary Ann Mason
• Music City USA: Austin and the Rise of the Live Music Capital by James M. Mankey
• Urban Sprawl and the Fight for Equity in Austin by the University of Texas Urban Studies Press

Many of these titles are available in the Center’s reference library or can be borrowed through the Austin Public Library system.

Historical Maps and GIS Tools

The Center provides access to interactive historical maps via its website. Use tools like “Austin Then and Now” to overlay 1940s aerial photos with current satellite imagery. This reveals how neighborhoods have changed—such as the disappearance of the once-thriving Mexican American commercial corridor on East 11th Street.

Volunteer and Internship Programs

For those seeking deeper involvement, the Center offers volunteer training in archival digitization, exhibit curation, and oral history collection. Internships are available for college students in history, library science, and public humanities programs.

Community Partnerships

The Center collaborates with organizations like the Austin African American Cultural Heritage District, the Mexican American Cultural Center, and the Austin LGBTQ+ History Project. These partnerships ensure that exhibits reflect diverse community input and avoid tokenism.

Real Examples

Example 1: A Student’s Research Project

In 2022, a high school student from East Austin began a project on “How School Desegregation Impacted My Community.” Using the Austin History Center’s archives, she accessed school board minutes from 1956–1972, interviewed her grandmother about attending L.C. Anderson High, and found photographs of student-led protests demanding equal resources.

Her exhibit, displayed in the Center’s youth gallery, included a timeline of busing policies, a map of school boundaries, and audio clips from her interviews. The project won a statewide history competition and was later archived as part of the Center’s permanent educational collection.

Example 2: A Tourist’s Unexpected Discovery

A visitor from Germany, touring Austin for the first time, expected to see landmarks like the Capitol and Barton Springs. Instead, she spent an afternoon at the History Center after hearing about it from a local bookseller. While exploring the “Water in the Capital” exhibit, she discovered that the city’s famed natural springs were once used by Indigenous communities for spiritual ceremonies.

She later wrote a blog post titled, “Austin’s Hidden Heart: The Springs That Shaped a City,” which went viral among European travel bloggers. Her post included photos she took of the exhibit’s water flow diagrams and a link to the Center’s digital archive.

Example 3: A Local Resident Reconnecting with Heritage

After retiring, a 78-year-old Austin native returned to the History Center to revisit his childhood neighborhood, which had been demolished for urban renewal in the 1960s. He found a 1958 neighborhood map and a photo of his family’s grocery store—still standing at the time—on display.

He contacted the staff, who helped him locate a copy of the original business license. He donated the license to the Center, along with a handwritten letter from his mother describing life in the community. His donation became part of a new exhibit on “Lost Neighborhoods of Austin,” opening in 2023.

Example 4: A Teacher’s Classroom Integration

A middle school teacher in North Austin designed a semester-long unit on local history using the Austin History Center’s resources. Students visited the Center twice: once to explore exhibits, and again to digitize family photographs and oral histories.

They created a digital exhibit titled “My Austin: Voices from the Classroom,” which was displayed on the Center’s website and featured in a district-wide showcase. The project improved student engagement and civic awareness—87% of participants reported a stronger connection to their city after the unit.

FAQs

Do I need to reserve a ticket to visit the Austin History Center?

No, admission is free and open to the public. No reservation is required for individuals or small groups. However, large groups (10+ people) are encouraged to schedule a guided tour in advance to ensure a quality experience.

Can I bring my children to the exhibits?

Yes, the Austin History Center welcomes visitors of all ages. The Center offers family-friendly programs on weekends, including hands-on activities, storytelling sessions, and scavenger hunts designed for younger audiences.

Are the exhibits accessible for people with disabilities?

Yes. The building is fully ADA-compliant, with elevators, wheelchair-accessible restrooms, and tactile exhibits for visually impaired visitors. Audio descriptions and large-print guides are available upon request.

Can I take photographs inside the exhibits?

Yes, personal photography without flash is permitted. However, photography of archival materials in the Research Room requires permission. Commercial photography and filming must be arranged through the Center’s communications office.

How long should I plan to spend at the Austin History Center?

Most visitors spend 1.5 to 3 hours exploring the exhibits. If you plan to use the digital archive, attend a lecture, or participate in a guided tour, allocate 3–4 hours.

Is there a gift shop or café?

The Center has a small gift shop offering books, postcards, and locally made items related to Austin history. There is no on-site café, but several restaurants and coffee shops are within a two-block radius.

Can I access materials not on display?

Yes. The Research Room provides access to thousands of items not currently exhibited, including manuscripts, maps, and unpublished photographs. Staff can retrieve materials upon request during operating hours.

How often do the exhibits change?

Temporary exhibits typically rotate every 3–6 months. Permanent exhibits are updated annually with new artifacts and digital enhancements. Check the website monthly for updates.

Is the Austin History Center suitable for academic research?

Absolutely. The Center is a premier resource for historians, sociologists, urban planners, and students. Its collections include over 20,000 linear feet of archival materials, making it one of the most significant local history repositories in the Southwest.

Can I volunteer or donate historical items?

Yes. The Center accepts donations of photographs, documents, oral histories, and artifacts that relate to Austin’s history. Volunteers are trained in archival handling and exhibit support. Contact the Curatorial Department for guidelines.

Conclusion

Touring the Austin History Center exhibits is not a passive activity—it is an act of reclamation, reflection, and connection. Each photograph, each oral recording, each map and artifact is a thread in the rich, complex tapestry of Austin’s identity. To tour these exhibits with intention is to engage with the city’s soul.

By following the steps outlined in this guide—planning ahead, engaging deeply with the narratives, respecting the materials, and extending your learning beyond the walls—you transform from a visitor into a steward of local history. You become part of the ongoing story, not just an observer of it.

The Austin History Center does not exist to glorify the past. It exists to challenge us, to remind us that history is not static, and that the choices made today—about housing, education, equity, and culture—will one day be displayed in these very halls.

So when you walk through those doors, don’t just look. Listen. Question. Remember. And carry the stories you find with you—not as souvenirs, but as responsibilities.

Because the most important exhibit at the Austin History Center isn’t on the wall.

It’s what you do next.