I am always up for exploring a new landmark or museum, so I made my way to the Umlauf. I didn’t know what to expect, or even what/who Umlauf was, so it’s safe to say I learned and discovered a ton about this Austin sculpture garden!

If you like art or are looking for unique things to do in Austin, definitely check out the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum. You’ll take in this local artist’s most impressive sculptures under an open Austin sky.

Who was Charles Umlauf?

First of all I wondered, who is this Charles Umlauf fellow? As I learned, he was an artist who moved to Austin to teach at the University of Texas, where he was an art professor for 40 years. He lived in Austin the rest of his life and, in 1985, donated hundreds of his sculptures—along with his home and studio—to the city.

The Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum sits on four acres of land that Umlauf and his wife donated. Although their home isn’t yet part of the museum, it is working on plans to open it to the public.

In the meantime, you can wander the grounds of this Austin sculpture garden and appreciate the diversity of Charles Umlauf’s sculptures.

Visiting Austin’s Umlauf Sculpture Garden

The Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, a few minutes away from Austin’s Zilker Park, is an outdoor destination in its own right. Paths wind through the sculpture garden, leading you on a peaceful art walk.

Sculptures dot the garden so that every few feet, you come across another emotive piece of art. And the landscape design means you’ll see each sculpture from different vantage points as you walk through this sculpture garden in Austin.

I was surprised by the variety of bronze sculptures at the Umlauf. Much of the art focuses on people and their relationships, but then there are others—like the quirky animals—that show Umlauf’s many interests.

Sculpture garden in Austin: Art for all

The Umlauf Sculpture Garden makes this art accessible, even to people who might not typically feel comfortable in an art museum.

First of all, the outdoors setting makes you feel as if you’re just taking a stroll through a particularly artistic park. If you like walking outside, you’ll definitely enjoy the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum.

Secondly, there’s pretty much no wrong way to enjoy this sculpture garden. Some people don’t love traditional museums because they’re so hushed, with security guards keeping an eye on everything and everyone. (I know a lot of fellow parents feel this way!) The Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, on the other hand, makes it clear you can explore the garden how you like—as long as you’re respectful of the art and other visitors, of course.

Finally, you get to interact with the art in a more personal and direct way. I loved getting up close to the sculptures, noticing tiny details and even evidence of the sculptor’s technique in crafting the figures. I circled the art, seeing it from every angle. And you’re even allowed to touch the sculptures. In fact, the rhino’s horn has been rubbed so often that it turned golden instead of the dark blue of the other metal!

More art at the Umlauf

Almost all of the art at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum was created by Umlauf himself. That said, the museum features works by other artists, too.

In the sculpture garden, keep an eye out for several sculptures that differ from the rest in style and materials. While we visited, I saw a large installation that was made from PVC pipe and lights—quite different from the traditional bronzes Umlauf is best known for!

Inside, a gallery room features shows from different featured artists. Unfortunately, we came at the tail end of one show, but I’d definitely want to go back to see what the museum has in store next.

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum: Details

Here’s what you need to know to visit this sculpture garden in Austin.

Admission: $7 for adults, $1 for youth 13-17, and free for children 12 and under and veterans

Hours: Closed Mondays. Tuesday – Friday 10am – 4pm, Saturday – Sunday 11am – 4pm.

Pets are not allowed in the sculpture garden.

More details on the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum site

Unique thing to do in Austin, TX

Even if you’ve never heard of Charles Umlauf, this Austin sculpture garden is definitely worth a visit. I loved seeing so much art in such a small place—the garden is absolutely filled with stunning bronze sculptures. And the sculpture garden showcases art in a totally different way than a traditional museum: You get to enjoy art in the outdoors, under the Austin blue sky.

Do you ever visit outdoor museums?

PS – Do you love unusual museums? Then you’ll love my post on off-the-beaten-path museums in NYC.

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If you’re looking to travel Texas and want a destination with history, creativity and enough attractions to keep you wanting more, Austin is your ticket.

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My second first time in Austin

When I traveled to Austin for the travel blogging conference TravelCon, people often asked me if it was my first time there. I had to answer, “Sort of.”

You see, I’d been to Austin once before, but I was like 8 months pregnant and working all day. When other people were enjoying all the things to do in Austin—gorging on BBQ or listening to live music, for example—I was back in the hotel room, resting my sore back and eating take-out.

So when I traveled to Texas again, I was ready to rediscover the city, get out and see what it had to offer, and explore like a first-timer. I wasn’t disappointed.

I found so many unique things to do in Austin that I wanted to share them with you!

11 things to do in Austin

Discover street art—then make your own

Stumbling upon great street art is one of my favorite things to do in a new city, and Austin was no different.

What was different is Hope Park, where anyone can tag the walls of the remains of an abandoned building. Even if you don’t feel artistic, come to Hope Park anyway to see the latest left on these walls.

Level 10 travel tip: Want to leave your mark but you (gasp!) forgot to BYOSP—bring your own spray paint? Some of the artists who set up at Austin’s Hope Park will throw in a free can of spray paint when you buy one of their pieces.

To see the most street art possible, stay downtown: There are oodles of murals within walking distance! And don’t forget to book your hotel—you’ll want to compare prices and locations to make sure you get the best deal.

Get around on two wheels

Austin is one of the early adopters of bicycle share programs, and you can pick up one of the red bikes all over the city. Red bikes, though, are outnumbered by electric kick scooters.

You’ll see these lime green scooters all over town. They’re parked randomly, and you can just leave them on the sidewalk when you’re done. Ride a bike to all the other things to do in Austin, too!

Level 10 travel tip: The scooters go fast. They’re also more likely to slip if the road is wet, so use extra caution if it’s rainy.

Love Austin for its enthusiasm for fitness

Whether you’re running along one of Austin’s hundreds of miles of trails, kayaking on the river or taking a yoga class, you have plenty of options for staying fit.

I took a power vinyasa class at Wanderlust Yoga in downtown Austin and was blown away. The instructor was top notch, and I have never sweat so much in a yoga class—in a good way! I was on an endorphin high for hours.

Also, Austin’s culture of fitness got me a celebrity sighting: When I was walking back to my hotel from yoga, I paused at a street corner during a red light—and realized I was standing next to Penn from the Holderness Families. He was out on a run! I went all weird fan girl and said hi, despite being totally sweaty and red-faced. He was gracious and shook my hand—then literally ran across the street.

Our family tradition of watching their Christmas Jammies video every holiday is going to be even better this year!

BBQ to write home about

I’m not a gigantic fan of BBQ—I don’t eat a lot of meat, much to my dad’s disappointment. (He’s always trying to get me to try the ribs and steak he grills!) I made an exception when I visited Austin, though, because it’s such a local specialty.

Cooper’s BBQ, on Congress, is famous for its by-the-pound approach to BBQ meat: You tell the meat master what you want and how big a portion, then they weigh it to figure out the price. The free beans are seriously delicious, too—I just had to go back for seconds.

The biggest urban bat cave in the world

When I was recently in steamy, semi-tropical Austin, I only got one mosquito bite, even though I’m notorious for getting eaten alive by these buggers. I probably have the 1.5 million bats that call Austin home to thank—after all, they can eat a thousand mosquitoes and other bugs in an hour!

Hundreds of people line up to see the famous bats in Austin every night as they leave their home under the Congress Bridge. At sunset from May to October, they stream out of their nesting spot and fly in a swirling black cloud to get their dinner.

You can watch them from the bridge, from the park on either side of the river or even by kayak. (I watched them from the bridge on this visit but next time I’m renting a kayak so I can watch them from below!)

The urban bat cave is definitely one of the things to do in Austin you do not want to miss.

Level 10 travel tip: If you watch from the bridge, make sure you’re in the front row along the railing—you won’t be able to see them if you’re farther back.

Transcendent art

When I was in Austin, my older sister texted me to tell me the one place she recommended I visit in Austin over everything else: The Ellsworth Kelly Temple of Light on the University of Texas campus.

I took a long stroll to get there, but once I stepped inside the white building, I stood still for what seemed like forever. I stood in awe of this place—I’m still figuring out how to describe the feeling the simple shapes and bright hues gave me.

To visit the Ellsworth Kelly Sanctuary, you’ll need to first buy admission at the Blanton Museum ($12 adults, kids under 12 are free), where you can also view contemporary and historical art. The museum’s blue-walled entryway is worth a visit in and of itself.

Music is a part of life

Austin’s famous music scene draws in tourists and locals alike. You can barely hold a conversation when you walk down 6^th Street at night because just about every bar is blasting live music.

Plenty of other restaurants and businesses embrace music, too: They pump songs out of speakers in front of their storefront, so you’re likely to have a soundtrack wherever you walk.

Kooky bars galore

Over a few blocks on Rainey Street, quirky bars line these blocks shoulder to shoulder. Just walk along the sidewalk, where you can peek inside—and check out the outdoor patios—to find one that suits your fancy.

Looking for a quiet retreat? Prefer a super-instagrammable spot with brightly colored chairs? Or would you rather hang with a 20-foot-high giraffe statue? Rainey Street has you covered.

Tacos tacos tacos tacos

You guys know I love tacos. (Remember my post about the best tacos in LA?) Don’t be surprised, then, that I ate tacos twice a day while I was in Austin.

Tacos are a way of life here, and breakfast tacos are as common on morning menus as scrambled eggs or toast.

My favorite taco in Austin was from Torchy’s, a taco truck that’s more like a taco RV. (It’s giant!) I ordered the fried avocado taco and their generous portion of guacamole (because you can never have too much avo, obvi).

Level 10 travel tip: Torchy’s Tacos has lots of locations in Austin, but the best one is on South Congress, just a few blocks away from the famous Greetings from Austin mural.

Everything really is bigger in Texas—and Austin

Belt buckles and cowboy hats might be bigger in other areas of Texas, but Austin has plenty of other supersized features.

From gigantic stars (see my next thing to love about Austin!) to sausages, Austin is land of the gigantic.

Austin really likes its stars

With a star on the flag and a nickname of the Lone Star State, it’s natural that Texas has a natural passion for stars. Austin is no exception.

Level 10 travel tip: If you travel to Austin with kids, make a scavenger hunt out of finding stars. How many stars can your kids find? What’s the most unusual place they spotted a star?

So much to love about Austin

Whether you’re a music lover, a foodie, a parent, an adventurer or all of the above, Austin is a primo destination. When you do Texas travel, you’ll see for yourself that city has a huge personality and so much to share.

Honestly, I can’t wait to go back. If you’re planning a trip to Austin, don’t forget about lodging! Compare locations and costs of hotels in Austin here:

How about you—do you have even more reasons to love Austin? I’d love to hear about your favorite parts of this Texas city!

PS – I’d love for you to share this post with a friend because I’m pretty sure they’d like it too!

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