Bandera Natural History and Art Museum — Attraction in Bandera

I kinda have to give this place 3 stars even though I enjoyed my BRIEF visit. There's really nothing wrong with the place but.....Pretty much all the exhibits are replica's. The Trike "skeleton" is a replica and was used evidently in the movie Night at the museum. If you are looking for REAL dinosaur fossils you wont find them here. There are 6 "biome" exhibits that are reasonably well done.....if not a little strange! Why strange? Because they are for example "swamp" and then have animals from ALL over the world that might inhabit a swamp. Not necessarily animals from the same region but from ANYWHERE so that makes it a tad odd for anyone that wants to learn about a specific area.

The dinosaurs outside are ok but, we've all seen the rubber ones in the malls that are passably better. Some of these replica's are strange as they have some very odd incorrect features such as canine teeth on herbivores etc.

As an adult this museum probably wont hold a ton of value for you, but your children will probably love it! It's a small town museum for sure and for that it's very well done but.....set you expectations accordingly. Would DEFINITELY recommend taking your kids. As an adult you'll likely breeze through this place in maybe...

EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS! Decided to visit on a whim while looking for a day trip during spring break. We were lucky to arrive in time to speak with a very informative paleontologist who, after sharing knowledge about fossils he had on hand, allowed the kids to take a souvenir fossil home! Then it was on to the walking Dino Tour, about a 30 minute walk thru their life-sized dino replicas outside. Fun tour, just wished volunteer would've had a little more definitive dino knowledge. Back inside, we were amazed with all the wildlife taxidermied mounts and dioramas they had. Also, an interesting collection of face masks and other relics from different eras and triceratops! But the crown jewel was the Spanish Art Collection exhibition. My goodness...😍 the beauty of all the artwork is breathtaking! I was completely blown away by the amount of paintings and their quality. The staff members were EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE and so patient explaining the history to ourselves and our children and answering all our questions. Thank you once again for making our visit so memorable! This is one of the best values for a museum visit you'll get. There are too many pictures to post, you must go...

What a hidden gem! From the moment we pulled into the parking lot and saw that it is surrounded by life-size dinosaur statues, our boys were in awe and immediately scrambled out to run around and check them all out.

One of the highlights for our family was the outdoor fossil dig sites, where kids can unearth and place “missing” fossil pieces into large skeletons. It's hands-on, educational, and wildly fun—our boys felt like real paleontologists! Inside, the museum has many fascinating exhibits, showcasing a large collection of art and animals from around the world!

And the cherry on top? The actual triceratops skeleton featured in Night at the Museum 3—a jaw-dropping sight for movie lovers and dino fans alike.

The museum is incredibly well maintained and thoughtfully run. Every exhibit, both indoors and out, is clearly created with care and passion. It’s rare to find a place that balances education and entertainment so perfectly, and even rarer in a smaller town setting. This is a must-visit for families, school groups, or anyone with a curiosity about the natural world. We’ll...