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Museums, Galleries & Culture in Downtown
11 places
Museums, Galleries & Culture in Downtown, checked by People of Austin. Museums, galleries, tours and historic Austin, including the free ones and the ones that are better with kids.
AllEat & Drink 116Kids & Family 4Outdoors 10Museums & Culture 11Live & Events 30Hotels & Stay 19Shop 4Things to Do 12
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11 places
LandmarkFreeFree tours under the dome
Texas State Capitol
The pink granite Capitol stands taller than the one in Washington, with free guided tours daily and a rotunda floor where you can look up 218 feet to the star.
Museum$Downtown contemporary art and rooftop
The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center
The downtown half of the Contemporary, a Congress Avenue gallery of rotating contemporary shows with a rooftop deck that opens for evening events.
Museum$Day of the Dead every fall
Mexic-Arte Museum
Austin's official Mexican and Latino art museum on lower Congress, best known for its Day of the Dead exhibitions and the Viva la Vida parade each October.
Museum$Sideshow oddities on Sixth Street
Museum of the Weird
A Sixth Street dime museum of shrunken heads, a Fiji mermaid, the Minnesota Iceman, and a live sideshow performer who swallows swords for the crowd.
ArchiveFreeResearch your own house's history
Austin History Center
The city's archive in the 1933 old central library building next to the current one, with rotating photo exhibitions on Austin's past and staff who will pull maps of your block.
MuseumFreeMexican American art and culture
ESB-MACC (Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center)
A city-run cultural center on the lake celebrating Mexican American art and history through rotating gallery exhibits, dance and music programming.
TourFreeTour the governor's historic residence
Governor's Mansion
The Greek Revival residence of Texas governors since 1856, offering limited guided tours that walk through its antique-filled public rooms.
MuseumFreeAuthor O. Henry's Austin cottage
O. Henry Museum
The modest Victorian cottage where author O. Henry lived while writing in Austin, now a small free museum with his original furnishings.
MuseumFreeThe Alamo's survivor and messenger
Susanna Dickinson Museum
A small house museum next to the O. Henry cottage telling the story of the Alamo survivor who carried word of its fall to Sam Houston.
MuseumFreeOrientation before touring the Capitol
Texas Capitol Visitors Center
A visitor orientation center housed in the old General Land Office building, with exhibits on Capitol history before you walk the grounds.
Museum$Free Mexican American culture on the lake
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center
A city cultural center on Lady Bird Lake with a gallery and theater celebrating Mexican American heritage.
Happy hours in Downtown
| Venue | Days | Hours | Deals | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wu ChowDowntown · Bar and cocktail area only | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6pm | Discounted happy hour cocktails (Texan's Take On Tiki, Green Dragon), beer, wine and mocktails Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |
| La CondesaDowntown · Bar only; weekend brunch happy hour Sat-Sun 11am-2pm | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6pm | Half off all drinks, $3 tacos | Venue-confirmed source |
| Bill's OysterDowntown | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 5:30pm | $10 burger, $10 martini (Beefeater or Tito's) Low-carb lane: martinis |
Venue-confirmed source |
| Jupiter Supper ClubDowntown · Bar is first-come, first-served; late-night social Fri-Sat midnight-2am with same pricing | SMTWTFS Today |
5pm to 7pm | $13 craft cocktails, 30% off wine by glass and bottle, $8-$14 bar bites Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Venue-confirmed source |
| Swift's AtticDowntown | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6pm | $7 New Fashioned, $6 mules, specially priced snacks | Venue-confirmed source |
| Perry's Steakhouse & Grille (Downtown)Downtown · Bar 79 only; runs the whole bar service (Sun until 9pm; Fri from 10:30am) | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 10pm | Social Hour 79: 7 bar bites, 7 cocktails and 7 wine pours for $9 each; Friday pork chop lunch 10:30am-5pm Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Venue-confirmed source |
| Truluck's (Downtown)Downtown · Bar only; all evening on the second-level patio | SMTWTFS Today |
4:30pm to 6pm | 50% off handcrafted cocktails, spirits, wines by the glass, oysters and 50 select bottles of wine Low-carb lane: oysters, wine by the glass |
Venue-confirmed source |
| VanHorn'sDowntown · Street address not confirmed; verify before publishing | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 5:30pm | Select $10 cocktails and bites, $3 oysters, $30 steak au poivre with a martini Low-carb lane: oysters, steak or meat plates, martinis |
Press-confirmed source |
| PéchéDowntown · All-night happy hour pricing Sunday and Monday | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 7pm | Half off select food, $6 cocktails | Press-confirmed source |
| The Roosevelt RoomDowntown · Official site confirms daily 3pm-6pm happy hour window; exact $7-cocktail figure sourced from do512 listing, not the venue's own page text. | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 6pm | Discounted cocktails, beer, and wine daily 3-6pm (third-party sites cite $7 cocktails, $1 off beers, $2 off wine) Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Venue-confirmed source |
| Nickel CityDowntown · Official venue menu page confirms Mon-Fri 2-6pm HH; do512 also lists a Tuesday 2-6pm recurring HH event with same deal. | SMTWTFS Today |
2pm to 6pm | $6 select cocktails, $5 house wine, $3 draft beers Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Venue-confirmed source |
| Small VictoryDowntown · Confirmed via do512 recurring weekly event listing and Eater Austin coverage; venue's own site did not list HH specifics directly. | SMTWTFS |
5pm to 8pm | Half off rosé/sparkling/fortified wine, beer & cider, $6 bartender's daiquiri, half off rotating cheese/charcuterie Low-carb lane: steak or meat plates, cheese, wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |
| ComedorDowntown · Official menu page lists a dedicated HAPPY HOUR section with $6 margarita; do512 confirms a weekly Tuesday 5-6:30pm bar happy hour/tasting event. Days beyond Tuesday not independently confirmed. | SMTWTFS |
5pm to 6:30pm | $6 Comedor Margarita (reg. $18) plus discounted apps/tacos; Tuesday bar tasting menu ($15-$25) with mezcal pairing Low-carb lane: spirits and highballs |
Press-confirmed source |
| Corner RestaurantDowntown · Venue has an official 'Happy Hour Menu' page confirming the offer exists, but it did not render exact times/pricing on fetch; times/pricing corroborated by a Tripadvisor photo caption ('Mon-Fri 4pm-6pm, $2 off draft beers & signature cocktails') and the Fairmont Austin's own happy-hour roundup blog. | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6pm | $2 off draft beers & signature cocktails | Press-confirmed source |
| Upstairs at CarolineDowntown · Official site confirms a dedicated Happy Hour offering exists (linked from main page) but exact times weren't rendered on fetch; Fairmont Austin's own blog corroborates multiple daily happy-hour windows. | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6pm | Rotating happy hour specials ('Don't limit happy to an hour'); Sunday dog-friendly discount per Fairmont Austin roundup | Press-confirmed source |
| Firehouse LoungeDowntown · Sourced from Firehouse Hostel's own site (parent venue) happy-hour guide page, which lists its in-house Firehouse Lounge HH schedule alongside nearby venues. | SMTWTFS Today |
5pm to 8pm | $7 classics, $8 margaritas/manhattans/martinis daily 5-8pm; Mon Industry Night all-night $6 Verde mezcal & margs; Sun Sinner's Brunch 12-5pm $6 mimosas/bloodys/espresso martinis Low-carb lane: martinis, spirits and highballs |
Venue-confirmed source |
| Arlo GreyDowntown · Sourced from The LINE Austin hotel's own restaurants/bars page. Closed Mon-Tue. Deal specifics (pricing) not listed on the page. | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6pm | Bar happy hour service; additional late-night bar hours Fri-Sat 9-10pm | Press-confirmed source |
| Casino El CaminoDowntown · Secondary roundup, updated May 2026 | SMTWTFS Today |
11:30am to 7pm | Drink specials and burger deals (no prices published in source) | Press-confirmed source |
| HalcyonDowntown · Reverse happy hour Mon late night per source | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 8pm | $2 off coffee cocktails; $5 beers and house wines; $2.50 Lone Star and Miller Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |
| Moonshine Patio Bar & GrillDowntown · Secondary roundup, updated May 2026 | SMTWTFS |
3pm to 5:30pm | Signature bourbon slush special (no price in source) | Press-confirmed source |
| CodependentDowntown · Source also lists Mon from 3 PM and all day Sun | SMTWTFS Today |
5pm to 7pm | $5 off charcuterie, wine by the glass and classic cocktails; half-off still and sparkling rosé on Sun Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |
| CorinneDowntown · Source says 3-6 PM every day | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 6pm | $8 house wine and select cocktails; $7 beers; $8 apps Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |
| Lavaca Street BarDowntown · Secondary roundup, updated May 2026 | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 7pm | $3 well drinks; $2.50 domestic bottles Low-carb lane: well drinks |
Press-confirmed source |
| Numero28Downtown · Secondary roundup, updated May 2026 | SMTWTFS Today |
4:30pm to 6pm | $10 Aperol spritz; house wines, prosecco and sangrias; food specials Low-carb lane: wine by the glass, prosecco |
Press-confirmed source |
| Iron Cactus Mexican RestaurantDowntown | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 6pm | $7 regular house margaritas, $7 chile con queso | Venue-confirmed source |
| Barchi SushiDowntown · Sunday happy hour runs 3pm-10pm. Fri-Sat late night: food specials 10pm-24:00, drinks 10pm-11pm. Dine-in only. | SMTWTFS Today |
4pm to 6:30pm | Discounts on kitchen and bar items: hot and cold tastings, robata skewers, nigiri, specialty rolls, Lychee Martini, sakes. Exact prices not listed. Low-carb lane: Robata skewers, Sashimi |
Venue-confirmed source |