Explore Nearby Museums
 Updated: 3/19/2013 
Mayborn Museum Complex, Baylor University
Waco, Texas
Description

The Sue & Frank Mayborn Natural Science and Cultural History Museum Complex at Baylor University includes the Harry & Anna Jeanes Discovery Center, the Gov. Bill & Vara Daniel Historic Village (closed for renovations until May 2012), and the Strecker Museum Collection. The Mayborn Museum Complex brings together in one location the resources of hands-on discovery rooms and interactive natural science and cultural history galleries, including outdoor exhibits. This unusually rich combination provides a wide spectrum of engaging learning opportunities for all types of learners and visitors of all ages. The exhibits and education programs encourage families to learn together as they make choices and design their own museum experience.

The multifaceted Museum Complex also serves as a learning laboratory for Baylor University students in the Department of Museum Studies, as well as many other disciplines across campus.

History

The John K. Strecker Museum is one of the oldest museums in the Southwest. Its origins can be traced back to Independence, Texas in 1856 when the Science Department at Baylor University began a collection of minerals and scientific curiosities to supplement instruction. In 1893, university officials announced that the collections would become a museum. In 1940, the museum was named after John K. Strecker, Jr., who had served as curator from 1903 to 1933 and helped the museum receive national and worldwide recognition. His curatorship was marked by expansion of the museum, a great amount of field work, and the publication of scientific studies by the museum staff.

The Strecker Museum was housed in the Sid Richardson Science Building from 1968 until 2004. Its collections were then moved to the new Mayborn Museum Complex and are now on display as part of the "Waco at the Crossroads of Texas" exhibit. The Harry and Anna Jeanes Discovery Center was first started as the Youth Cultural Center in 1962 by the Waco City Council PTA. It was created to give children "a place to look, think, and learn." The center's name was changed to the Ollie Mae Moen Discovery Center in 1994 in honor of Mrs. Moen who helped found and run the center until 1982. In 2004 the center was closed and its collections were moved to the Mayborn Museum Complex and can now be seen in the discovery rooms.

The Mayborn Museum Complex also includes the Governor Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village. The 15 wood frame buildings of the village were originally located north of Houston on the Plantation Ranch of Governor Daniel. The buildings and approximately 6,000 artifacts were donated by the family and moved to their present location in 1986. Today, they offer visitors a chance to understand Texas? agricultural heritage and what it was like to live in a cotton-farming community in the late 1800s.

Artifact Collections

Biology collection includes world-wide holdings of invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, bird skins, eggs, and nests and mammals. Archaeology collection numbers approximately 25,000 and includes basketry, lithic material, and projectile points, from Texas, the Southwest, and Mexico.

History/Ethnography collection numbers approximately 35,000 and includes a variety of materials from around the world, with large concentrations of holdings representing India, the Far East, and Africa. Historic materials are largely 19th-century artifacts, representative of those found in Texas and the Southwest.

Paleontology collection numbers approximately 15,000 specimens and includes holdings from much of North America with a concentration in Cretaceous age Texas. Rocks and Minerals collection numbers approximately 5,000 specimens.

Programs

The museum offers a wide variety of school programs that complement Texas school curriculums. Guided group tours are available with advanced request. The Jeanes Discovery Center also offers discovery boxes containing teaching materials for a wide range of subjects. These boxes may be checked out by both teachers and the general public. The museum also works with other community groups to offer lectures and activities. Please check our website for more information.

Facilities
Auditoriums
Lecture Halls
Performance Areas
Library

Access: Students

Appointment required: False

Services
Museum Store

The Mayborn Museum Store is the perfect place to end your day at the museum. You can look through so many toys and games, novelty items, gems and minerals, jewelry and tons of books. Children will love our pick-your-own rocks assortment, as well as letting the store staff crack open a carefully chosen geode. Kids of all ages will love wandering through over 2,000 square feet of fun! Come in and see why we were voted "Best Museum Store in Waco"!

Don't forget, museum members receive a 10% discount in the Museum Store

Membership

The Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University is designed for people of all ages and learning styles to visit again and again. For a very affordable way to visit often, consider a membership to the museum so you can Engage ~ Explore ~ Enjoy to your heartÆs content. Discover a new experience each time you visit. For membership information call or email Misty Thornton at (254)710-1180.

Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours
Street Address
1300 S. University-Parks
Waco, TX 76706
Mailing Address
One Bear Place 97154
Waco, TX 76706
phone: 254-710-1110
fax: 254-710-1173
e-mail: Mark_E_Smith@Baylor.edu
home page: www.maybornmuseum.com
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Hours of Operation
Monday - Wednesday, Friday - Saturday10 AM - 5 PM
Thursday10 AM - 8 PM
Sunday1 PM - 5 PM
Admission

Adults: $6
Seniors (over 65): $5
Members: free
Children (18 mo - 12 yrs): $4

Museum Type(s)
Children's
History
Natural History
Science
University
Staff
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

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Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

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Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

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Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

April 5 - 8, 2025

Ithaca, New York

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

Saturday, April 5 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

Ithaca, New York

Hosted by: Museum Association of New York

Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Ou

Who are the members of our communities? How can we evaluate our internal structures to help us better understand our organization, define our audiences, and serve our communities? How do we bring all communities together to support our field? How can we support and develop our internal community of staff, volunteers, and board members? How can we advocate for funding that meets operational capacity needs and includes equitable staff support? What changes do we need to make to prioritize the health and well-being of our museum workforce that will support the longevity and sustainability of our institutions and strengthen our ability to build meaningful community relationships

MANY presents conference sessions, workshops, panel discussions, facilitated discussions, and peer-to-peer learning experiences focusing on our 2025 conference theme, Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Out. We will be gathering in Ithaca, in the Southern Tier Region of our state, located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ (the Cayuga Nation)

MANY’s annual conference helps museum professionals build a network to share perspectives, tools, and skills that develop excellence across the field. Our goal is to nurture a community of practice, advance institutional change, and create an inclusive and expansive New York team of collaborators who learn together.

Nebraska Museum Association 2025 Conference

April 6 - 8, 2025

United States

Nebraska Museum Association 2025 Conference

Sunday, April 6 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Hosted by the Knight Museum in Alliance, Nebraska

United States

Hosted by: Nebraska Museums Association

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Hosted by the Knight Museum in Alliance, Nebrask

Museums inspire learning with family and friends and open the mind to new worlds, concepts, and ideas. The Nebraska Museums Association encourages you to visit the museums in Nebraska and experience the wonder that only museums can create.

Join us for our annual learning and sharing time together.

For more information, please email communications@nebraskamuseums.org.

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