Naranjo Museum-Natural History — Attraction in Lufkin

My mom and I took my 3 kids (all under 10). We were pleasantly surprised at how much stuff was in a relatively small building in a small town. And not just "stuff" high quality artifacts that spanned from the time of the dinosaurs to recent history.

Fascinating fossils from around the world were on display. There were sea creatures, a cave bear, a partial mammoth (I think), a complete hadrosaur, dinosaur eggs and even a coprolite collection in case you're into that! I found the section of fossils found in Texas interesting as well.

In addition to fossils, a large collection of artifacts from Egypt, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe were on display. There was fully intact pottery from the time of Moses, coins like the widow's mite, arrowheads and other stone implement from prehistoric people, a mummified bird from Egypt.

The space area had a moon rock, a meteorite and a replica that you can hold, a heat proof suit, a space shuttle replica, shuttle tires, and a whole collection of astronaut food detailing how it evolved over the years.

A small room contained a collection of gemstones and jewelry from rough specimens found in nature by Dr. Naranjo to pieces like a 9 carat diamond ring and a necklace owned by Rudyard Kipling.

While the kids enjoyed the museum, they wanted to move through quickly, not understanding the significance of many of the things there. I would have liked to have more time to look more closely and thoroughly at everything, but the kiddos weren't particularly patient that day.

I only have 3 complaints. The first is that the lighting could be improved. There were some areas you could not even see in the displays. Second, some things were not labeled so you had no idea what you were looking at. And third, they desperately need some at least moderately enthusiastic employees. It was obvious they didn't love their job and had no desire to answer any questions, but they were kind enough to open the place up and...

We're glad we made time to visit the museum as we passed thru. You could feel the joy that Dr. Naranjo has for collecting and displaying history

From what we could tell, no piece was deemed "not cool enough for display." Even the tiniest ancient pine cone-like fossils were grouped and proudly displayed with an info card.

Dinosaurs and fossils seemed to be the museum's focus but there was also a room full of gems/minerals/coins/ornate small sculptures (including an item owned by the author of The Jungle Book), along with a space area and a corridor full of human history. Throughout all of it, you could tell more was in work and planned for the future.

Plenty of "did you know" style info cards scattered around to keep your interest. And most area were situated low enough that a 3 or 4 year old could view while standing on their own.

My only complaint is that not all items had a card describing their origin or background.

Overall a lovingly laid out museum and set of collections. Looking forward to see how it progresses next time...

A Gem for Dinosaur Enthusiasts, Naranjo Museum-Natural History you will not miss it. We visited it today. We loved it. The exhibits are informative, providing fascinating insights into the lives of these magnificent creatures. The display of authentic dinosaur bones, which brings a tangible sense of reality to the creatures that once roamed our planet. The inclusion of a moon stone from the Apollo 14 mission adds an unexpected but delightful twist to the experience, bridging the gap between prehistoric life and human achievements in space exploration. They have a gift shop and they give scavenger hunt print out to keep you engage. I completed mine! Parking - very easy Tickets - $ (affordable) Time required ( 1- 2 hours) depends wheel chair accessible - Yes Customer service - excellent Restrooms - available ( reasonable) crowded ( not really) provides summer camp ( Yes) informative/ worth spending ( Yes - also depends on your kids...