Abilene-Area Museums That Locals Love

Whether you're a history nerd, science buff, or just someone who likes oddities and curiosities, there's probably a museum in the Big Country that caters to your interests.

Sometimes the best gems are hidden, so we took to Facebook and asked our listeners what their favorite small-town museums are across the Abilene area.

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As usual, the responses did not disappoint. Keep scrolling for more don't-miss museums in and around Abilene:

Thankfully, most of these museums are less than two hours away from Abilene proper, so you can enjoy them within an afternoon without straying too far off the path. (Although if we're honest, that's half the fun of exploring the smaller towns.)

Looking for something out-of-doors where kids can run and explore history as it still stands today? Fort Chadbourne, Fort Phantom, and the Taylor County Historical Center (Buffalo Gap Historic Village) all make good-weather escapes that also provide historical context to the settling of the West Texas frontier.

Have an engine geek in your crew? Woody's Classic Cars & Baseball Museum in Cross Plains was the most-recommended museum on this list, so you know it's loved by locals and out-of-towners alike.

Several towns in the Abilene area have museums dedicated solely to the history and people of their own areas or counties, like the Merkel Area Museum and the Museum of the West Texas Frontier. If you're already nearby for shopping, dining, or other events, swing by and learn something you didn't know you didn't know. A lot of these museums and their local preservation efforts are funded by entry fees and fundraisers, so donations and fees go back directly into the community.

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