Things to do in Beaumont, Texas (TX): The Best Museums

Built in 1906 by a local lumberman, the house was sold to the Chambers family in 1914. C. Homer and Edith Fuller Chambers moved into the home with their two young daughters, Ruth, 11 and Florence, 16 months old. The family cherished this home for the rest of their lives. While the Chambers daughters did go off to college, a fairly unusual occurrence in those days, both returned home and never married. Few changes occurred to the house or it's furnishings in nearly 90 years of Chambers family occupancy. The collection inside contains nearly all of the original family furniture and artifacts, most dating to a 1924 remodel. Very little was thrown away and they rarely purchased anything new. A truly unique tour awaits anyone wishing to see how an upper middle class family lived life during the 1920’s through 1940’s time period.

Museum exhibiting life in Spindletop during the first oil boom.

The Beaux-Arts Colonial-style house and its furnishings reflect the lifestyle of the prominent rancher's family who struck oil at Spindletop and made it their home for seventy-five years. Today, the museum offers docent-led tours of the house for guests 8-years and older, self-guided tours of the carriage house and gardens, as well as year-round events and programming. Through education and community outreach, the museum reaches a wide range of audiences. From school tours and internship opportunities to educational lectures and activities, the McFaddin-Ward House Museum offers something for everyone. Reservations are highly recommended. Call for tour details and reservations.

The Fire Museum of Texas is housed in the historic 1927 Central Fire Station for the City of Beaumont. View interactive exhibits for the entire family that trace the history of the fire service in the state of Texas. Our exhibits explore equipment, trucks and fire fighting methods from the mid-1800s to the present. Perhaps one of the most comprehensive fire museums in the nation, our exhibits feature a 1856 Howle Hand Drawn Tub Pumper, a 1909 Ladder Truck and a 1931 REO Light Truck - the first of its kind in the entire world. An interactive Fire Safety House allows children to practice escaping from a house fire.

The John Jay French home is the oldest house in Beaumont that has been restored to its original state. Built in 1845, the home has the distinction of being one of the first two-story homes, one of the first made with milled lumber, and one of the first painted homes in the area. The John Jay French Museum demonstrates the life of a prosperous Texas pioneer family from 1845-1865. The historic pioneer settlement, built by John Jay French, tanner and merchant, is replete with antique furnishings, clothing, and pioneer household utensils. Outbuildings on the grounds include a blacksmith shop, tannery, privy, and smokehouse.

Located in downtown Beaumont, Texas, just beyond the bustling traffic of Interstate 10, people find a Texas-sized surprise when they visit the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. There's always so much to see with rotating art exhibits, exciting educational activities and fun-filled family events. AMSET's exhibitions focus on 19th through 21st Century American fine and folk art with an emphasis on regionalism. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

History and science museum that tells the colorful story of Texas oil. Discover petroleum science from geological formation in ancient seas to modern day refining. Experience the saga of the Spindletop oil field in 1901.