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The Texas Confederate Museum, largest collection of artifacts from the War Between the States west of the Mississippi River, was located on the first floor of the Old Land Office Building on the southeast corner of the State Capitol grounds in Austin.

The State Capitol was completed December 8, 1888, of granite given gratis by Confederate veterans Colonel N. P. Norton, S. W. Lacey, and W. H. Westfall from their quarry with the condition there be a Confederate museum at the Capitol.

The Texas Division United Daughters of the Confederacy, was organized May 15, 1896, by Katie Cabell Muse. The Daughters in Austin organized the Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter #105 May 12, 1897. They started collecting relics pertaining to the history of the South and the period of 1861-1865. The Daughters needed space to display their collection and Colonel Norton, Mr. Lacey and Mr. Westfall asked the Legislature to designate their room for the Daughters' use. This request was granted by a Legislative act in April 1903. The museum opened under the management of the Texas Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy.

In 1904, the appeal for relics as loans or gifts, "anything from an Indian Arrow head to a Gatlin gun to the ragged bullet ridden jacket of the Private to the uniform of his General," met with a hearty response. Some relic cases still in use were donated by Austin merchants in 1907.

In 1917, the Old Land Office building was empty and was rumored it would be torn down. The people appealed to Governor James E. Ferguson to give the building to be maintained by the Daughters of the Confederacy and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. As a result Senate Bill 474 and House Bill 831 passed March 1917, and Governor Ferguson signed it April 9, 1917, giving the Daughters permanent quarters.

In 1988, the State ordered the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) and United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) to vacate. Thus, the museum was looking for a new home. In 1990, it was located at the Helen Marie Taylor Museum in Waco. On August 15, 1994, the museum signed a 50-year loan to the Hill College, Hillsboro, Texas.