Visitor Information

An obelisk at the site honors Stephen F. Austin.

A new museum facility at the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site opened in April of 2018. Exhibits display objects such as a field desk that belonged to Stephen F. Austin, an 1830s printing press, and many artifacts recovered during archeological excavations. In addition, custom murals and a variety of multimedia interactives help visitors learn more about the town’s history. Weekend programming often includes guest speakers/authors, hands-on programming for children and families, and other interactive experiences.

Opened in 2021, our outdoor exhibit, the Villa de Austin, showcases reconstructed buildings based on real buildings in the town 200 years ago. These buildings include a functioning print shop, Farmer's Hotel, one-room schoolhouse, town courthouse, small family home, and home and kitchen of an enslaved woman named Celia. These buildings can be explored and interacted with by the public. Historic interpreters in period clothing often staff the Villa on most Saturdays. To learn more about programing or staff availability to prepare for your visit, give us a call at 979-885-2181.

The historic site also includes about 1/3 of a mile of walking trails. These trails include interpretive signage detailing information about area land owners, various town trades and landmarks, as well as cultural information about the town. From the trails, you are able to view our old museum location across the street which include a bronze statue of Stephen F. Austin and commemorative obelisk. Visitors may also visit the property on the west-side of FM 1458 via personal vehicle to explore these statues and grounds.

Tours of San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site and museum generally take 90 minutes to 2 hours. Visitor parking is available on site. Planning your visit to San Felipe de Austin

School Groups

Our museum is able to host school groups of all ages. School tours last between 2-3 hours and include vital curriculum-based topics as well as interactive and hands-on learning. To learn more about our school tour options as well as find contact information for booking a tour, please click here.

Group Tours

We welcome your group! To learn more about booking guided group tours as well as find contact information, please click here.

BSA and Girl Scout Troops

We offer a varitey of badge programs to fulfill requirements for both BSA and Girl Scout Troops. We also offer guided tours for your Pack or Troop and can work with older Scouts on Eagle Scout, Silver Award, and Gold Award projects. To learn more, please click here.

Museum Store

The new museum and visitors center includes a museum store that carries a wide variety of souvenirs, books, t-shirts and caps, colonial toys, as well as a number of customized, one-of-a-kind offerings related to the site's broad history.

Private Event Rentals

We offer the ability to rent museum spaces for private events. To learn more about rental information, pricing, and availability, please give us a call at 979-885-2181.

Accessibility

Handicapped parking is available in the parking lot of the new facilities, with ramp access to the main entry.

Facilities

The new visitors center and museum include modern restrooms, located near the entrance. Bottled water is available for purchase at the visitors center. Visitors are allowed to bring food and drinks, but we respectfully ask that they may not be taking into the museum galleries.

Pets are welcome on site provided they are kept on a leash. Only service dogs are permitted inside the buildings. To help us with our preservation and conservation mission, and for the safety of our visitors, we ask that visitors respectfully refrain from climbing the monuments and markers on site. Alcohol is not permitted on site. State historic sites are smoke-free environments. Patrons are allowed to smoke in the parking lot but not inside buildings or on public grounds at the site.