By Nanci Dixon
I recently visited the Frontier Texas museum in Abilene, TX. During my visit, I will admit that being the only one in the museum’s darkened room made me wish I had dragged my husband with me. Picture buffalo stampedes, saloons with poker games gone bad, cattle drives, and Indian attacks. But overall, it’s a museum that should not be missed.
Indian history
At the beginning of the museum tour, there was a display dating back thousands of years, of native tribes and the tools and weapons they used, along with a teepee and household items. An interactive timeline went from 150,000 years ago to the present day.
15,000 years ago humans traveled through the area now known as Texas but did not stay—it was a harsh, unforgiving land. In the 1700s Comanches became excellent horsemen and feared warriors, and had called the region home.
Amazing holograms realistically showcased several native peoples speaking in their own words about life and the encroaching white settlement on their lands.
Realistic holograms
The museum had more fascinating, extremely well-done holograms of settlers, captives, soldiers, buffalo hunters, and more.
The role of soldiers in the history and settlement of Texas is covered with signage and holograms.
There was a lot of interesting information in a manageable space. It was so good, I returned to several of the displays, particularly the settings with the holograms. They were so well done.
The buffalo
The history and importance of the buffalo and the impact on the Indians of overhunting are showcased. Mountains of buffalo hides and buffalo heads were sent East by railcar—enough to make hunters rich and set them up as cattle ranchers when the buffalo were gone.
Something fun: When you enter the museum you are given a card with your new “name” and information on it. At the end of the museum, you place the card with a QR code in the wall and it tells you what happened to you. Evidently, I died at the ripe old age of 97 in California, having been the madam at a well-established brothel. Hmmm…
The small gift shop had a number of very nice items, but being an RVer I knew one thing in equals one thing out.
It is not an experience to be missed. Visit the Frontier Texas museum website here to learn more and plan your visit.
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What a wonderful fascinating find! Definitely putting it on my list. Thank you
Agree. So well done!
While in Abilene, everyone should also visit the WASP Museum at the airfield where WWII women pilots were trained to fly every aircraft in the Army Air Corps, including the P-51 Mustang and B-29 bombers. And they flew those planes from factories to airfields all over the nation and even to Alaska and England during the war. A not-to-be-missed museum and story!
Not sure if they’re open to the public but there were 12 intercontinental missile silos constructed around the Dyess Air Force base in the ’60’s. We moved from CA to TX for a year while dad worked on these silos. I read they were decommissioned 3 years after they were completed (at a cost of $18-22 million each).
How cool! Thank you!
We love museums like this. The hologram presentations sound intriguing! Thanks for the review. 👍
Thank you, Nanci! 🙂 This sounds exceptional! I hope we make it to Abilene one day. I hope, too, that I remember to look for and visit this museum. Thank you for calling attention to it! 🙂 Safe travels! 🙂