The Witte Museum is a natural history museum representing Texas’ rich environmental and biological history of the present ecology. The Witte dives into the past of dinosaurs that once roamed the seas. These seas from the Permian Period and the Cretaceous Period volcanoes created the current geology conditions you currently find in Texas. Your first introduction to the Witte is when you enter the atrium or lantern, and flying above you is a replica of a Quetzalcoatlus that once flew in the skies over Texas in the Cretaceous Period. It is a bright and airy entry that is surrounded by glass on three sides. As you step past the lantern and into the main building, you enter the larger atrium filled with prehistoric dinosaur bones of creatures that once roamed the seas, land, and skies that left their footsteps embedded in our river banks. You can see these footprints at Government Canyon State Park about thirty minutes from the Witte or at the appropriately named Dinosaur Valley State Park, which is about four hours from the Witte, just south of Fort Worth.
The front desk will be what you first reach after the entryway. There will be someone to answer questions about tickets and the experience of the museum at the welcome desk. The admission ticket is priced to match museums of the same caliber. The special temporary exhibits are available for an additional fee. If this is your first visit to the museum, definitely visit the permanent collection, and you can even bypass the special exhibit unless this is the purpose of your visit. The permanent exhibition will take you about 2-3 hours to experience, and you can add thirty minutes to an hour for a special exhibit. If you head outside to the HEB Body Adventure, that will take an additional hour of your time. There is also a wonderful collection of early settlement buildings that run along the San Antonio River. You may even see a barge traveling down transporting guests. If you are a member of a museum in another city that is part of the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers), you can receive admittance to the museum for free. The special exhibitions will have a fee attached.
I always recommend picking up a physical map of the museum. It is just a tad bit easier to get your bearings when you can turn and twist something physically in your hands. It gives a better concept of depth to the space. Directly to the left of the welcome desk is the museum shop off in the corner. Straight ahead is the Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery, home to the life-size model of an Acrocanthosaurs that roamed the river basins of present-day Texas and left his tracks in Government Canyon State Park. There is also an introduction to the terrors that filled the ancient seas of Texas and the giant reptiles that roamed the shores looking for prey. Directly to the left is a fun tactile room for kids to become interactive with a dinosaur dig, and in the many drawers that line the wall, you can feel samples of fossils from this region.
Now we come to my favorite exhibit in the Witte, the McLean Family Texas Wild Gallery, which is on the main floor to the left of the dinosaur exhibit area. It has rolling thunderstorms, and in about ten minutes, you can experience a day in the ecological life of the wildlife that roams Texas. The exhibit is a walk-through experience that truly immerses you in flora and fauna of the different regions of Texas. You can even peak and see what is living under the earthen mounds. It will be dark at some point, and there will be thunder and lightning effects occurring as you walk through the space. This can cause uncertainty in smaller children or those with sensory issues. As an adult, it is delightful because you understand there is no danger, but the illusion can be perceived as real for a kid. There are additional rooms past this exhibit that focus on education and hands-on experiences so kids and adults can dive deeper into the animals and landscape that are a part of Texas. The SWBC Live Lab has small mammals, reptiles, and insects that can be found in the deserts and parks in Texas.
Above the wildlife exhibit is another immersive experience, but this is an archeological exhibit that introduces you to the people who called the Pecos region of Texas home. It is the Kittie West Nelson Ferguson People of the Pecos Gallery. You can experience the daily life of this lost culture by walking through their environment and sitting through a short film that focuses on their lives and the cliff petroglyphs they left behind. There is also a wall and a small interactive area for kids to learn about petroglyphs. The Witte is a conservatorship of the Rock Art Foundation White Shaman Preserve. You can book a reservation to visit this preserved area, one of the largest bodies of rock art in the Americas. Unfortunately, this is only available to those that are 12 and older. It is along the Texas and Mexico border in Comstock and is about 3 hours from the Witte. Del Rio is the closest city with a selection of hotels and amenities. Comstock has a few amenities that include gas and a restaurant.
If you return to the Dinosaur hall and go to the right, you will walk through a corridor to the Robert J. And Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center. This was one of the first sections the Witte updated. Most of the fun is upstairs, and it highlights life in Texas with the beginning of cowboys, ranchers, sheepherders, and oil tycoons. There are quite a few hands-on activities for the kids in this area. They can sit on a saddle and try to direct a ball throw a maze of challenges that the ranchers faced trying to get their cattle to market. The immersion of this area was well thought out. The lighting, sounds, and textures fill the senses while you walk through the various exhibits. Even the floor submerges you into the world of the rancher as it resembles the parched earth and fields that they trod.
The first floor of this building showcases small art exhibits that capture the wild west in different mediums. The latest display is a photographer that highlighted the Texas ranchers that worked the fields in the seventies. The art raises the stature of the cowboy and shows their perseverance and love for their trade. Across the hallway through the atrium is a room that pays homage to the ranchers of Texas. It showcases their lineage and artifacts that defined their times and work.
There is an additional exhibition hall as you pass through the South Texas Heritage Center to the Mays Family Center. This room is expansive, with plenty of room to move around. One of the best shows located here was a fascinating exhibit from Australia and New Zealand about whales and the stories carried throughout the Maori culture. It highlighted beautiful carvings from the Oceanic cultures that emulated the importance of the sea that illuminated their lives and origin stories. Each exhibit has a tie to pop culture, archaeology, and biology. Each exhibition uniquely encapsulates a different part of our world and brings them to us so that we can experience the world through their eyes.
There are two experiences once you leave the main building. If you head straight through the building past the Dinosaur Gallery, you will head outside and see a sprawling expanse that butts up to the San Antonio River. It is beautifully landscaped, and the plants have grown up to echo the beauty of the region. You can see several houses created and repositioned here to represent the many groups that tried to tame the wild west and capture its beauty. They tell their story of how they helped transform San Antonio into the city it presently represents.
If you follow the path to the left, you will land at the HEB Body Adventure. This is the most hands-on exhibit that the Witte has to offer, and it is a lot of fun for the kids. They can learn about the physics of a pulley system as they try to pull their body up using a rope on the main floor, along with understanding the health of their heart. On the second floor, it is all about your gut and how you achieve a balanced diet. You can use the POWERpass located at the entrance to record your journey through the HEB Body Adventure. A few outside experiences around the Body Adventure can enhance your visit to this area. There is an Mt. Witte to work on your mountain climbing skills and a SkyCycle to ride a bike up in the air as you cross an abyss. Behind the HEB Body Adventure is a Water Works fountain adventure to learn about the flow of water and a Little Treehouse to enjoy the expanse of trees that surrounds you along the San Antonio River.
Witte is a great way to spend an afternoon to stay out of the hot and humid summer that can be intense in San Antonio. This is an excellent choice for any family, any size, and any age. It gives you a great representation of the flora, fauna, and culture of Texas. For those that need a handicap spot, there is parking in the front of the building. There is an additional general parking garage, with further handicap spots, located to the left of the Witte. The parking is free, which is a nice reprieve in a large city. San Antonio is defiantly a larger city with a family emphasis. Most of the museums like the Witter are away from the downtown, so parking is usually free.
The Witte Museum
3801 Broadway Street
San Antonio, Texas 78209
210.357.1900
Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Age: Preschool and up
As for the sensory sensitive children, make sure you bring your headphones or other items that help your child manage change. It is generally pretty quiet, but a large group could come through at any time. Also, there is a lot of change in atmosphere, lighting, and environment. There are plenty of hands-on activities for the kids and it is a place for kids to try new things and be comfortable. It can be a little pricy if you come to see the permanent collection and the special exhibit. If this is your first visit or you are visiting San Antonio, focus on the permanent collection. The special exhibitions are usually traveling and can be visiting your local museum soon.
Images from: Two Weeks a Year, Jeff Kennedy Associates, and Witte Museum
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