Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. Texas Ranger Museum, San Antonio

Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. Texas Ranger Museum, San Antonio (must see)

The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum and Texas Ranger Museum in San Antonio offer a unique blend of history, wildlife, and Texan heritage. Located on East Houston Street in downtown San Antonio, this privately run museum originated as a personal collection of Albert Friedrich in 1881. Friedrich, the youngest son of a cabinetmaker-turned-horn-furniture craftsman whose clients included Queen Victoria and Kaiser Wilhelm I, began his collection with curiosities gathered during his hunting trips. By 1896, Friedrich had opened the first Buckhorn Saloon at the corner of Soledad and West Houston streets, enticing patrons with a drink in exchange for a set of animal horns, creating the renowned "Buckhorn Hall of Horns."

The Buckhorn Museum houses over 520 species of wildlife from around the globe, featuring mammals, birds, and fish. Standout exhibits include the 78 Point Brady Buck, a world record 1,056-pound black marlin, an 8-foot-longhorn spread, and the first gorilla ever displayed in the United States. The museum's mirrored bar and firearm displays add to its historic charm. Its connection to history is also storied, with Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders rumored to have frequented the original saloon.

The Texas Ranger Museum complements the Buckhorn with its deep dive into Texan law enforcement history. This museum, established in collaboration with the Former Texas Rangers Association in 2006, features an impressive array of Texas Ranger artifacts such as automatic handguns, badges, and photographs. Highlights include Ranger Town, a turn-of-the-century San Antonio recreation complete with a replica saloon, jail cell, and blacksmith shop. Visitors can also view the infamous 1934 Ford V8 Deluxe getaway car of Bonnie and Clyde fame. The museum pays tribute to legendary Rangers like Joaquin Jackson, Frank Hamer, and John B. Armstrong.

Whether you're drawn by the incredible wildlife displays, the historic saloon atmosphere, or the rich legacy of the Texas Rangers, the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum and Texas Ranger Museum provide a fascinating glimpse into the cultural and historical tapestry of Texas.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Antonio. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. Texas Ranger Museum
Sight Location: San Antonio, USA (See walking tours in San Antonio)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in San Antonio, Texas

Create Your Own Walk in San Antonio

Creating your own self-guided walk in San Antonio is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

King William Historical District Tour

San Antonio鈥檚 first 鈥渟uburb鈥� and the very first historical district in Texas, revitalized during the 1960s, the King William District encompasses 25 blocks south of downtown and east of the San Antonio River.

Back in the late 1800s, it was the most elegant residential area in the city. Settled by German immigrants, the neighborhood was named after Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia and... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles

River Walk Tour

The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del R铆o or simply The River Walk) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of the city. A successful special-case pedestrian street, this walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting major tourist draws and attractions that add to its... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour

San Antonio, one of Texas' major cities, boasts rich colonial heritage. The city was named by a 1691 Spanish expedition for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day is June 13. At the time of European encounter, the area near the San Antonio River Valley was inhabited by Payaya Indians who called it Yanaguana, the "refreshing waters".

In 1709, Spanish Father Antonio de Olivares... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles

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