Beaumont, Texas

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas began as the Beaumont Art Museum, first housed in 1950 on the ground floor of a rented house. Today, it is located on a beautiful 5-acre estate in Beaumont’s Old Town historic district. Probably the best reason to visit this museum is the Somethin’ Out of Nothin’: The Works of Felix ‘Fox’ Harris exhibit in their eclectic permanent collection. The found art sculptures, built by local artist Felix Harris, were donated to the museum following his death. The museum is also home to a number of temporary exhibitions, including the works of Richard Stout, Sirena Laburn, Ellen Tanner, and John Gaston Fairey.

500 Main Street, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-832-3432

The Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum is dedicated to the Beaumont native of the same name. The record-setting female athlete made her claim to fame by dominating numerous sports. During the 1932 Olympic tryouts, Babe won the national women’s tryouts by herself with second place going to the 22 contestants of the Illinois Women’s Athletic Club. An All-American basketball player, Olympic track and field gold and silver medal winner, and three-time Western Women’s Open golf champion, it seemed there was no sport she couldn’t dominate. The Associated Press voted her the World’s Greatest Woman Athlete of the First Half of the 20th Century. Visitors will learn all about her storied life at this museum.

1750 IH-10 E, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-833-4622

“Nature heals and gardens grow.” That was the philosophy of the Beaumont Botanical Gardens after two devastating blows to the gardens by Hurricanes Rita (2005), and Ike (2008). The community members and organizations rallied to speed the healing of the gardens, and today they are as vibrant as ever. Guests will find the Friendship Walk, which winds among the themed gardens, a propagation house, the Garden Center building, a pond with a rock waterfall, and a large rose arbor in the Antique Rose Garden. Other highlights include the Bert & Jack Binks Horticultural Center, which houses botanical art, the Warren Loose Conservatory with tropical rainforest plants, a September 11th Memorial Garden, and a fountain plaza.

6088 Babe Zaharias Drive, Tyrrell Park, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-840-6456

The Beaumont Children’s Museum is located inside the Beaumont Civic Center. The interactive museum strives to reinforce interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) among children, from toddlers to young inventors. With nearly 30 interactive exhibits, visitors are encouraged to come back again and again. Among the many fascinating exhibits are the Dinosaur Den, Making Music, Puppet Theater, Maker Space, and Lego City Model. The museum’s Ronald McDonald House Charities Village features a bank, store, medical clinic, and dental center to teach kids about food and trade, money and counting, finance and exchange, health and wellness, and oral hygiene. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday.

701 Main Street, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-347-7919

The Chambers House Museum is the former home of the Chambers family, who lived in the 1906 house from 1914 until the youngest daughter’s death in 2004. The Beaumont Heritage Society has preserved the home, and 100 years worth of original furniture, artifacts, and personal items since then.

Visitors who are curious about what life was like for the upper middle class during that century of time, particularly the 1920s to the 1940s, will enjoy a unique experience touring this home. Exhibits have included the Chambers women’s hand-stitched quilts, lace and linen doilies and tablecloths, and the artwork of Florence Chambers.

2240 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-832-4010

Cattail Marsh is an excellent destination for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. Located within Tyrrell Park, in the Big Thicket National Preserve, Cattail Marsh offers visitors the opportunity of observe a variety of wildlife in their natural habitats. You can go hiking along miles of scenic hiking paths, all of which offer excellent bird watching opportunities. At one point you will find a wooden boardwalk which extends into the wetlands, allowing visitors to get up close to many water birds and alligators sunning themselves along the banks of the waterways. Restrooms and picnic areas are available in the greater Tyrrell Park.

4233 Babe Zahanas Drive, Beaumont, TX 77706, 409 554 2407

Lamar University is host to the Dishman Art Museum in Beaumont. Not only is it dedicated to serving the needs of the Lamar University student and faculty artists, it also contributes to the cultural art of Southeast Texas. Visitors will find permanent collections of African and Pre-Colombian art, 18th and 19th century academic paintings, four Salvador Dali silkscreen prints, local folk art, and modern and contemporary art. Temporary exhibitions have included the works of university alumni, faculty, and graduate students. Visitors can take self-guided tours of the museum weekdays. There are often museum events on weekends that are open to the public. Admission to the museum is free.

1030 East Lavaca Street, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-880-8959

Thomas Edison fans will be happy to discover the Edison Museum in Beaumont. Dedicated to the famous inventor, the museum offers interactive exhibits to display over 60 historical objects. This small, but specific, museum is located in the Travis Street Substation, and is the only museum of this kind in the West. They have over 1,400 artifacts in their collection, and a reference library that is always growing. Tours are self-guided. Because the museum is a mere 1,100 square feet, no more than 40 visitors can attend at a time. The Edison Museum is conveniently located downtown near other desirable attractions for those who want to make a day of it.

350 Pine Street, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-981-3089

This Renaissance revival style museum is actually an authentic former fire station and Texas Historic Landmark. The Fire Museum of Texas is easily recognizable by a giant fire hydrant, painted in a Dalmatian black and white design, which sits out front. It is billed as the world’s largest working fire hydrant. Inside the museum, visitors will be delighted by an array of 19th and early 20th century firefighting equipment, like a 1901 hand-cranked aerial ladder and an 1856 hand-drawn tub pumper. Besides the collections, the curious can learn how Texas fire disasters set the stage for how fires are fought today. There is a fascinating Fire Departments of the World exhibit that is also a must-see.

400 Walnut Street, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-880-3927

Gator Country is not only the largest alligator adventure park in Southeast Texas, it also doubles as a 15-acre alligator sanctuary where alligator and crocodile rescues have a safe place to live out their lives. Two of their alligators are the largest in captivity at over 13 feet long. The park offers three educational shows and opportunities for guests to have their pictures taken holding an alligator. Visitors can learn about the ecology of the Taylor Bayou on a swamp tour, where they’ll also see cypress trees draped in Spanish moss and an abundance of swamp wildlife.

21159 FM 365 Road, Beaumont, TX, Phone: 409-794-9453