Address/Location: 318 E. Houston Street

Type of Museum: History Museum

Most fun for the adults: Looking at the vintage photographs of famous outlaws in the Gunfighter's exhibit.

Most fun for the kids: The kids loved all the animals, but the game room was of course their favorite part.

Best ages for this attraction: 6+

Price per tickets: About $10.99 Each

The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum really captures the essence of the Old West. It is where Pancho Villa discussed plans for the Mexican revolution of 1901. It is also where Teddy Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders. You can get a drink at the 120-year old bar and image how back in the day cowboys chilled out after a dusty day in the prairie. Founder Albert Friedrich started the curio store; also known as "The Oddest Store in the World", during the prohibition in 1920, since he needed a new way to make some money as the U.S. outlawed the sale of beer or liquor.

When the establishment originally opened in 1881, a standing offer was extended to all patron to "bring in you rdeer antlers and you can trade hem for a shot of whiskey or a beer." Hand-made horn furniture was used for chairs and the world's most unique collection of horns and antler began. In 1891 the offer was extended to include rattlesnake rattlers and the owners wife created signs and artwork from all the rattlers. Stuffed animals of all varieties were put on display and the collection has grown immensely over the years. Several of the museum items are mounted on walls of the saloon, and feel free to take your drinks purchased in the saloon into the other parts of the museum.

The experience begins in the Texas Hall where you will find indigenous Texas wildlife along with rare handcrafted spurs, saddles, firearms and the Toepperwein Gellery, dedicated to the famous husband and wife marksman team. Boone and Crockett Club record-holding whitetail deer adorn the walls, including the '78 Pint Buck' and adorn the wall and the 'Brady Buck'.

Animals from all over the world are on display throughout the rest of the museum. In the African section you will see lions, rhinos Cape Buffalo, giraffes, monkeys and even elephants. Wildlife from Asian, Whitetail Country, Alaska and North American are also represented. The reef and it's "hall of fins" displays fish from the seven seas including sharks, Pacific sailfish, red snapper, sea bass, and more than 200 other animals from under the sea. Birds such as a buzzard, peacock, blue jays, and a variety of ducks and hummingbirds can be found in the Nature in Flight section.

Wax figures in the Hall of Texas History help tell the story of the past 400 years. Scenes are set up depicting life of the Native American Indians, Spanish missionaries, the Alamo, and more. For more details than what is printed about the scene, visitors can press a button at each scene and hear a description.

All in all, the collection contains more than 33,000 square feet of artifacts, more than 1200 trophy mounts an d520 different animal species. Our visit included a special exhibit on Gunfighters with real guns, real pictures andother one-of-a-kind artifacts belonging to key figures of the Old West. There is also a gift shop and a game room on the premesis.

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