5 Best Museums In Waco That You Should Actually Visit

By Kelsey Kennedy | November 13, 2024

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Honesty, there are a few museums in Waco that are a “swing and a miss” that probably aren’t worth your time. But there are 5 museums in Waco that are actually worth a visit!

Note that I’m using the term “museum” really loosely here. 😉 Waco is very small, so it’s a pretty small pool of museums to start with! But if you’re a big museum person and you really want to check one out during your stay in Waco, here’s where to start.

5 Best Museums In Waco, TX

1. Waco Mammoth National Monument

More of a “monument” than a typical “museum,” but remember how I said I’m using that term loosely? And this is actually a really cool place to visit if you find yourself with a free hour or two in Waco!

The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a site in Waco, TX where they found 24 Columbian Mammoths. It’s the only nursery herd of Columbian Mammoths in the United States, and it’s right here in Waco!

I wrote all about my visit right here, if you want more details.

Cost of entry to the Waco Mammoth National Monument

$6 for adults, $5 for children.

How much time should I spend at the Waco Mammoth National Monument?

About 1-2 hours.

WEBSITE | 6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr, Waco, TX 76708, United States

2. Dr Pepper Museum

Again, we’re not really zoning in on “serious” museums here. Mostly because Waco doesn’t have a ton of them, so they excel in the more quirky spots! And the Dr. Pepper Museum is definitely quirky!

The Dr. Pepper Museum has been around since 1991, and it definitely looks like it! It’s not a shiny and fancy place, but it definitely does a good job of sharing the Dr. Pepper story. (And if you weren’t already a Dr. Pepper fan before visiting, you’ll probably become one!)

You can enjoy all the interactive exhibits and bits of history, and you even get a free soda fountain drink with your admission. Plus, you can choose to add on the make-a-soda experience for $10, which is where guests can mix different flavors to create their own custom Dr. Pepper drink. Kind of fun!

Cost of entry to Dr. Pepper Museum

$12 for General Admission, Free for ages 4 & under

How much time should I spend at the Dr Pepper Museum?

1-2 hours, which includes time for the make-a-soda experience if you add that on. It’s a pretty small museum!

WEBSITE | 300 S 5th St, Waco, TX 76701, United States

3. Mayborn Museum Complex

The Mayborn is Baylor University’s on-campus museum, so it’s the most academic of all the museums in Waco. It’s not “about” the University, but it is owned and sponsored by Baylor. It’s all about natural science and cultural history, but (pro tip) this is a great kid-friendly museum in Waco!

The Jeanes Discovery Center is sooo cute, and it’s full of fun stuff for the younger museum audience. They have a walk-on piano, light displays, bubbles and energy and all sorts of stuff to explore, and even “Play Waco,” a little town for tots!

Of course, adults can enjoy the Mayborn, too. There are all sorts of natural history exhibits, like an exhibit about the Cretaceous period when Waco was underneath a shallow sea (hence the abundance of sea life fossils in Waco!)

Cost of entry to the Mayborn Museum

$10 for adults, $9 for children 2-12 years old, free under 2

How much time should I spend at the Mayborn Museum Complex?

Between 1-4 hours…which I realize is kind of vague! But it depends on how much you love reading every little thing, and how long your kids are able to focus.

WEBSITE | 1300 S University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76706, United States

4. Texas Ranger Hall Of Fame And Museum

I’m including the Texas Ranger Museum in this list of the best museums in Texas with one major caveat…it’s an old museum! You’ll walk in and think, “wow, 1970s!” and that’s because it was built in 1968.

But if you want to learn more about the Texas Rangers law enforcement agency (no, this is not about the Texas Rangers baseball team, y’all!), how they came to be formed, and what they’re known for doing, there’s nowhere else better on the planet to get all that information.

You can read my honest thoughts about the Texas Ranger Museum right here.

Cost of entry to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum

$10.50 for adults, $4 for children 6-12, free for children 5 & under

How much time should I spend at the Texas Ranger Museum?

About one hour! Unless you are SUPER into the history of Texas law enforcement, you’ll probably get bored after about an hour.

WEBSITE | 100 Texas Ranger Trail, Waco, TX 76706, United States

5. Texas Sports Hall Of Fame

The fifth and final idea of the best museums in Waco is the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, which is located right across the street from Baylor University.

It was built in 1993, and if you absolutely loooooove Texas sports (mostly Texas high school and college football, y’all) you will 100% geek out over this place.

(Not into sports? This museum probably isn’t for you!)

Cost of entry to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

$8 for adults, $6 with a college ID, $4 for children 6-18

How much time should I spend at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and Museum