Thursday's Best Bet: Area Museums

Ok, I'm back on line with Thursday's Best Bets.

Again, the reason I started doing this is to show that there really is a lot of quality entertainment and attractions in Amarillo.

So if I make a suggestion and you attend and don't like it, I'll give you your money back - in the form of a newspaper subscription credit!

There aren't a lot of events in the upcoming week, so I thought I would remind you that we have some tremendous museums in the area.

Many people are aware of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. It's the largest museum in the state devoted to Texas history. And it's first class. A friend of mine from Washington, D.C., recently visited and commented on the quality of the museum - and in case you didn't know, Washington has some pretty good museums as well.

Perhaps a lesser-known, but equally fun museum is the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum. The recent renovations include some great interactive exhibits for the children and the upstairs exhibit on the Hall of Fame members gives an excellent background not only on the quarter horse, but American history as well.

And although I haven't visited the Citadelle Art Foundation in Canadian, I hear that is worth the trip as well.

Here's a list of other museums in the area that comes from our weekly Get Out entertainment section published on Friday's and online.

Amarillo College Natural History Museum Ordway Hall, Room 116, 22nd Avenue and Washington Street. 9am-5pm Mon.-Thu. or by appointment. 806-371-5081.

Amarillo Museum of Art 2200 S. Van Buren St. 10am-5pm Tue.-Wed. and Fri., 10am-9pm Thu., 1-5pm Sat.-Sun. Free. 806-371-5050, 806-371-5392 weekends, www.amarilloart.org.

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum 2601 E. Interstate 40. 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat. Admission fee, AQHA members free. 806-376-5181, www.aqha.com.

Amarillo Railroad Museum 13000 E. U.S. Highway 60, past the airport before Highland Park, First Thu. of month, 7:30pm, second and fourth Sat., 10am-3pm Appointments are available. 806-335-3333. www.amarillorailroadmuseum.com.

Buttel Railroad Museum One mile south of Amarillo city limits. Rail cars include a caboose, box car and ice box reefer. Call for an appointment. 806-670-1314.

Harrington House 1600 S. Polk St. Tours 10am-12:30pm Tue. and Thu., June-Dec. Free; reservations required. 806-374-5490.

Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian and Performance Center 9151 E. Interstate 40. Noon-5pm Thu.-Sat., 1-5pm Sun., open until 10pm show nights. $3 adults, $1.50 children. 806-335-3175. www.kwahadi.com.

Texas Pharmacy Museum 1300 S. Coulter St., inside Texas Tech University School of Pharmacy. Guided tours 1-4pm Mon.-Fri., or by appointment. Free. 806-356-4000, ext. 268.

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum 2503 Fourth Ave., Canyon. 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 1-6pm Sun. $10 adults, $9 seniors, $5 children ages 4-12. 806-651-2244, www.panhandleplains.org.

Armstrong County Museum 120 N. Trice St., Claude. Noon-4pm Tue.-Sat. Free. 806-226-2187. Art gallery features works by local and area artists. www.armstrongcountymuseum.org.

Carson County Square House Museum Texas Highway 207 and Fifth Avenue, Panhandle. 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 1-5pm Sun. Free, donations accepted. 806-537-3524. www.squarehousemuseum.org.

The Citadelle Art Foundation 520 Nelson, Canadian. 11am-4pm Thurs.-Sat., 1-4pm Sun. $10 for adults, $5 for ages 65 and older, free for younger than 18. 806-323-8899. www.thecitadelle.org.

Collingsworth County Museum Art Center 824 East Ave., Wellington. 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., or by appointment. 806-447-5327.

Coronado Museum 567 Cedar, Liberal, Kan. 9am-5pm Tue.-Sat., 1-5pm Sun. 620-624-7624.
Deaf Smith County HistoricalMuseum 400 Sampson St., Hereford. 10am-noon, 1-5pm Mon.-Sat. Free; donations accepted. 806-363-7070.

Devil’s Rope Museum 100 Kingsley St., McLean. 9am-5 p.m Mon.-Fri., 10am-4pm Sat. Closed Sun. Free; donations accepted. 806-779-2225, barbwiremuseum@centramedia.net.

Eastern New Mexico University Museums Blackwater Draw Museum, Roosevelt County Historical Museum, Natural History Museum, Miles Mineral Museum, Miles Anthropological Museum. Hours vary. ENMU campus in Portales, N.M. 575-562-2202, 575-562-2592, 575-562-2174, 575-562-2103, www.enmu.edu.

Floyd County Historical Museum 105 E. Missouri St., Floydada. 10am-5pm Mon.-Fri., or by appointment. Free. 806-983-2415.

Freedom Museum USA 600 N. Hobart St., Pampa. Noon-4pm Tue.-Sat. Free; donations accepted. 806-669-6066.

Herzstein Memorial Museum South Second and Walnut streets, Clayton, N.M. 10am-5pm Tue.-Sat. Free; donations accepted. 575-374-2977, 575-374-9639, www.herzsteinmuseum.org.

Hutchinson County Museum 618 N. Main St., Borger. 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-4:30pm Sat. Free; donations accepted. 806-273-0130.

J.B. Buchanan Windmill Park Texas Highway 207, south of Spearman. Free. www.spearman.org/windmillhistory.html.

Julian Bivins Museum Old Tascosa Courthouse, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch. 9am-5pm daily. Free. 806-534-2211.

Lake Meredith Aquatic & Wildlife Museum 104 N. Robey Ave., Fritch. Noon-5pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat., or by appointment. 806-857-2458.

McLean/Alanreed Area Museum 116 N. Main. 10am-noon, 1-4pm Tue.-Fri. Free; donations accepted. 806-779-2731.

Mesalands Dinosaur Museum 211 E. Laughlin St., Tucumcari, N.M. 10am-5pm Tue.-Sat. Admission fee. 575-461-3466, www.mesalands.edu.

Muleshoe Heritage Center West American Boulevard, Muleshoe. Mon.-Fri. Free guided tours. 806-272-5873, www.muleshoeheritagefoundation.org.

Museum of the Plains 1200 N. Main St., Perryton. 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat., 1-5pm Sun. Free; donations accepted. 806-435-6400, www.museumoftheplains.com.

No Man’s Land Museum 207 W. Sewell St., Goodwell, Okla. 10am-4pm Tues.-Sat. Free. 806-580-349-2670, www.nmlhs.org.

Old Jailhouse Museum 415 Main St., Silverton. 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri. Free. 806-823-2123.
Old Mobeetie Jail Museum Courthouse Square, Mobeetie. 1-5pm daily, except Wed. Free; donations accepted. 806-845-2028, www.mobeetie.com.

Pioneer West Museum 204 N. Madden, Shamrock. 1-5pm Tue.-Sat., Sun. by appointment. Free; donations accepted. 806-256-2416.

River Valley Pioneer Museum 118 N. Second St., Canadian. 9am-noon and 1-4pm Tue.-Fri; 1-3pm Sat. 806-323-6548, www.rivervalleymuseum.org.

Roberts County Museum 120 E. Commercial St., Miami. 10am-noon, 1-5pm Tue-Fri. Sat.-Mon. by appointment at 806-868-5811. Free; donations accepted. 806-868-3291.

Saints’ Roost Museum 610 E. Harrington St., Clarendon. 1-5pm Wed.-Sun. Free; donations accepted. 806-874-2546, www.saintsroost.org.

Santa Fe Steam Locomotive No. 5000, The Madame Queen available for viewing at Southeast Second Avenue and Lincoln Street. Guided tours are available from the Railroad Artifact Preservation Society. A $25 donation is suggested. Call 806-674-0472.

Stationmaster’s House Museum 30 S. Townsend St., Spearman. 1-5pm Tue.-Sat., or by appointment. Free, donations accepted. 806-659-3008.

Swisher County Archives and Museum 127 S.W. Second St., Tulia. 10am-noon, 1-4pm Tue.-Sat. Free; donations accepted. 806-995-2819.

Tucumcari Historical Museum 416 S. Adams St., Tucumcari, N.M. 8am-5pm Mon.-Sat. Admission fee. 575-461-4201, museum@cityoftucumcari.com.

White Deer Land Museum 112 S. Cuyler St., Pampa. 1-4pm Tue.-Sat. New annex building open to public, featuring the Red River War & Settlement collection. BRA TALK exhibit through Oct. 15. Free; donations accepted. 806-669-8041, wdlmuseum@graycch.com.

Window on the Plains Museum 1820 S. Dumas Ave., Dumas. 10am-5pm Mon.-Sat. Free; donations accepted. 806-935-3113, www.dumasmuseumandartcenter.org.

Woody Guthrie Folk Museum Center of Pampa Jam sessions weekly 6:30-9:30pm Fri. 320 S. Cuyler St., Pampa. 1-4pm Thu.-Sat., or by appointment. Free, donations accepted. 806-669-3241, 806-665-1180, 806-206-2860, www.woodyguthrie-pampatx.org.

Wolf Creek Heritage Museum Texas Highway 305 and Main Street, Lipscomb. 10am-4pm Mon.-Fri., 2-4pm Sun. Free; donations accepted. 806-852-2123, www.wolfcreekheritagemuseum.com.

XIT Museum 108 E. Fifth St., Dalhart. 9am-5pm Tue.-Sat. Free; donations accepted. 806-244-5390, www.xitmuseum.com.