If you find yourself traveling through West Texas, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the friendly people and open skies. Take time to enjoy these museums as you make your way across West Texas — maybe you'll learn something.

Check Out These Cool Museums in West Texas

Looking to learn a little more about the people and places that have shaped West Texas into what we know today? Check out these cool museums across West Texas.

Several of these museums are focused on the area of West Texas they represent.

In Abilene, Frontier Texas! paints a vivid picture of how the Wild West was settled in Texas, without the same dusty displays and models you'll find at other museums. Interact with the Native people, cattle ranchers, cowboys, railroad workers, and other characters who made Texas what it is today in a state-of-the-art museum that puts you at the center of the story.

The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum shares both the science and the sociology that comes with the oil industry in Texas and across the globe, so it's only logical that you can find oil rigs and other equipment on display at the museum in Midland. (Anyone who's recently traveled to the Permian Basin during this latest oil boom knows exactly what I'm talking about.)

The National Ranching Heritage in Lubbock focuses specifically on how ranchers formed the landscape and communities that form the backbone of West Texas and American agriculture overall. Be prepared to cover some distance, because you'll want to explore all 27 acres of restored historical buildings at this outdoor museum.

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Destination Texas in a series that highlights all the great things about traveling within the Lone Star State. Keep scrolling for things to see and do in places like Lubbock, Witchita Falls, and more.

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