Tyler Rose Museum & Gift Shop — Attraction in Tyler

The Texas Rose Festival, active since 1933, is organized by the rose growers, and celebrates the role of the rose-growing industry in the local economy. Many of the festival's events center on the Rose Queen and her court, who wear lavish gowns and costumes that are often in keeping with the theme of the year's festival. Events include Queen coronation, gendered luncheons, formal balls, vespers, parade, Queen's Tea... I attended the Queen's Tea, where the royal court enters in procession, and remains in full display for visitations at the Rose Garden.

This is a high society event, everyone was formally dressed, I was clearly out of place in my hiking attire. The whole pageant is an internal affair between wealthy white rose growers. The queen is chosen by the President of the Texas Rose Festival Association from one of the grower families, often with the queen having played various roles in the court since childhood. The court includes Duchess of the Rose Growers (members of rose-growing families), Out-of-town Duchesses and Escorts (non-growers invited because of family relationships), Ladies in Waiting (from families involved in in festival), and Train bearers and queen attendants (children of rose festival families).

The whole event seemed very exclusive and privileged. All members of the court were wealthy white rose growers, and the families simply recycle the titles between them. The Rose Museum preserves the history of Tyler’s Rose Growing Industry and the Texas Rose Festival, with photos, memorabilia and gowns of past Rose Queens, courts, and festival officials. I couldn't find any person of color in all the festival's years, and hardly any even in the attendees of the Queen's Tea today. Although the town is diverse, as evident by the festival's workers and security. This lack of diversity is noticeable, I felt transported in time to the segregated Old South.

In addition to the wealth display of the rose growers, the festival included an arts and crafts show, with various rose-related art made in different media. A giant Texas Rose Festival Rose Display was front and center for picture taking. I left perplexed at this elite festival, where clearly little to no effort is made to foster diversity or include the...

If you love roses, you have to make time to stop by the Tyler Rose Garden and Museum. The 16 acre rose garden is absolutely gorgeous, and it is wonderful simply to take a quiet stroll around and through the rows and rows of blooming bushes. Check with their website for dates of the big rose festival in the fall. My trip was made in April when the weather was just beginning to warm, and the blooms were unbelievable. The gift shop is quaint, with an unbelievable array of rose items, from mugs and towels, to aprons, soaps and bath items all with rose themes. Whether you just find yourself in the Tyler area with an hour or so of free time, or you plan a specific trip to Tyler to see the garden, museum and gift shop, you won't be...

There's a video in the first room. Mostly how men brought roses and football to Tyler. Museum has costumes. They're basically vanity projects for the wealthy. The trains are really spectacular!

I've always wondered and wanted to know how they keep roses looking good on floats. I still do.

Docent took a liking to us. She was telling us about tickets, October, the rose tea, etc. Gave us t-shirts and a book.

She said we should book a room, now.

I was disappointed with the rose garden. I said I was a Ft. Worth native. Docent went silent for a minute. It just doesn't compare to Ft. Worth's botanical garden.

I thought with the claim to fame, it would be bigger. It's tiny! Two city blocks.

It was...