Coming from a big city, visiting all kinds of museums has always been a huge part of my spare time. A good museum offers invaluable knowledge, eye-opening experience, fun time with family and friends, and most importantly, the feeling of connection to the local community. As the Spring Break is fast approaching, I write down a list of interesting museums in and around College Station (in addition to our George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on campus), so that those of you who are interested can get out of your offices, labs and library study rooms to embrace the great cultural traditions of our locale!
 
1. Brazos Valley African American Museum
Location: 500 East Pruitt, Bryan, Texas 77803
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 1:00PM to 5:PM, Saturday 10:00AM to 4:00PM
Check on-going exhibitions and events: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBVAAM/
 

• The museum was built on the site of one of the original black schools in the Brazos Valley. It showcases a collection of African and African American arts and crafts, old photographs and stories of notable local African American residents, and oral history with written, audio and video materials. Just by browsing through their oral history records, we can learn so much about the struggles, achievements and activism of African American people in the Valley. The museum also hosts temporary fine art exhibitions with themes on African American life and culture. This is also a civic center for the community, a place you can attend town hall meetings and learn about the on-going issues in our society.

 
2. The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley
Location: 4001 East 29^th Street, Suite 80, Bryan, Texas 77802
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Check on-going exhibitions and events: https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensMuseumoftheBrazosValley/
 

• This family-friendly place is known for its interactive and educational exhibitions: The High Flyer Wind Tunnel (designed and made by Mechanical Engineering Aggies!), Giant Piano, Train Table, Family Pet Center, and a reading corner. Occasionally, the museum hosts family nights for the moms and dads to enjoy some dancing and hands-on activities with their children. The interior space is bright and colorful, and for those of you who have kids, maybe consider booking the museum space for your little ones’ birthday parties in the future!

 
3. Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History
Location: 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan, Texas 77802
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Check on-going exhibitions and events: https://www.facebook.com/BrazosValleyMuseumOfNaturalHistory/
 

• This natural history museum offers a wide range of exhibitions and activities – from Ice Age mammals and pre-historical fossils, to Native American tools and ranch wagons, and also, a Discovery Room with real (live) fish, snakes and turtles. This means that the natural history museum is for us of all ages. Right across the museum entrance is the Carter Creek Nature Trail as an outdoor classroom, where you can learn about numerous plant and animal species.

 
4. Museum of the American G.I.
Location: 19124 Highway 6 South, College Station, Texas 77845
Hours: Friday to Saturday 10:00AM to 5:30PM, Sunday 12:00PM to 5:00PM
Check on-going exhibitions and events: https://www.facebook.com/MuseumOfTheAmericanGI/
 

• Flags, vehicles and uniforms – this is a small and yet exciting place for y’all military enthusiasts! The museum hosts a permanent exhibition to commemorate the Texas servicemen who died or went missing in action during the Vietnam War. In 2017, the centennial year of World War I, the museum opened a temporary exhibition that featured a large collection of original posters, uniforms, and vehicles (including a fully-operational tank!) from the American involvement in the Great War. Even though some of you, like me, might not be very familiar with the U.S. military (I study history, but not military history), you would still be drawn to the impressive outdoor display! Plus, occasionally the museum hosts living history weekend, where you can go visit and learn the actual operation of the real stuff.

 
5. Star of the Republic Museum (as part of the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site)
Location: 23400 Park Road 12, Washington, Texas 77880
Hours: open daily 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Check on-going exhibitions and events: https://www.facebook.com/StarOfTheRepublic/
 

• This is a fabulous place to learn the history of Texas, especially the Republic of Texas period. The museum is part of a 293-acre state historic site, with the Texas Independence Hall (where the constitution of the Republic was written in 1836), Barrington Living History Farm (site of the final home of Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic), and a 2.8-mile well-maintained nature trail. The museum has a two-story exhibition space for the display of historical documents and artifacts, and a very informative video upon entry. The site also offers a guided tour, which meets at the visitor center and goes through the stories inside of the Independence Hall and around the trail area. The Part Rangers are very friendly and answer every question. We as students can get a discounted combined ticket for all the activities at the site, and I think the museum and the living history farm (livestock, of course!) are the most interesting parts to visit. It will be a half an hour drive from campus, to the South of Navasota.

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Mingqian Liu
Mingqian is a fourth year doctoral student in the Department of Architecture