3 Best Sights in The Hill Country, Texas

Dedicated solely to telling the story of the Pacific battles of World War II, this museum is the only one of its kind in the nation, making it a popular attraction for history buffs and veterans alike. Opened in 1967, the museum was originally named the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Memorial Naval Museum, after the admiral famous for successfully halting the Japanese advances following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Today, the museum has been expanded to include an Admiral Nimitz Gallery and a George H. W. Bush Gallery in addition to a number of memorials, and it also houses the Center for Pacific War Studies. In its more than 45,000 square feet of exhibit space, the museum exhibits both Allied and Japanese airplanes, tanks, and guns among its numerous displays.

Those looking to dig a little deeper into the history of this area may find some answers at the Pioneer Museum Complex, which also encompasses the Vereins Kirche Museum. Both museums offer permanent exhibits with collections of woodworking tools, textile pieces, furniture, paintings, and a number of domestic artifacts from the area. Other historic buildings in the complex include a pioneer log cabin, an old First Methodist Church, and a smokehouse. Also on the premises stands a typical 19th-century "Sunday house" that catered to farmers and their families who traveled long distances to attend church services and had to stay the night.

Dedicated to preserving the authenticity of America's Western heritage, this museum not only showcases Western art from past and present artists, but also shares the rich and complex history of Native Americans, settlers, mountain men, cowboys, and tradesmen in the West through educational programs. Interactive seminars give youngsters a chance to build their own "home on the range" and see how difficult life was on the open frontier.