Fort Bend Museum
Fort Bend Museum
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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36 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
35 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
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markandkarenbrown
Arlington, TX222 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
This is an area with a very rich local history. Most small time museums are very amateurish but this is a very professional local museum. It is actually three buildings. The first is a modern building with a traditional museum approach with lots of photos and beautifully kept artifacts. The second house had artifacts from Jane Long, the Mother of Texas and is the burial site of Deaf Smith, Texas Revolutionary War Scout. The third is a beautiful mansion from the Moore family who served as judges, congressman and mayor. Our tour was privately guided by excellent staff. The museum is well worth a visit. Also, we would recommend visiting the Morton Cemetery which is five minutes away and is the final resting spot for Mirabeau B. Lamar and Jane Long.
Written April 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John B
Houston, TX221 contributions
Oct 2012 • Family
Nice small town museum. Not worth a long trip but fun all the same. The history of the gun battle in town during post civil war Reconstruction period is worth the small admission price. Nice house tour included. Go here and the train museum and the old time soda fountain for anice day in rosenberg texas.
Written January 29, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carys M
1 contribution
Nov 2017 • Business
In History 1301, I learned about the settlement of Texas beginning with Stephen F. Austin. The battles of Santa Anna with the Texans during the Texas Revolution of 1836 were highlighted as well. Further historic events presented in the museum include the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the founding of Sugar Land.
This museum was partially biased toward the viewpoint of white males because there was very limited representation of the Mexican or African American views. Additionally, the role of women during this museum is underrepresented.
While Stephen F. and Moses Austins’ perspectives were presented, the Native Americans’ voices were left unheard. Also, I realized that there was not much information on both African American and the servants who served in the Moore’s home.
The intended audience was older visitors interested in local Texas history. Due to the paucity of technology, younger visitors would be less attracted to this museum. Since there are no child friendly interactive displays, parents would be less inclined to choose this attraction as a family friendly outing.
Most of the museum lacked interaction but there was a map that lit up if different buttons were pressed. It showed the different trails that armies such as Sam Houston and the Texian Army of 800 men took to fight the Mexican Army. Limited Long-Smith and Moore house tours are available at 10AM and 1PM.
Since I have lived in Sugar Land my whole life, the most captivating part of the museum for me was the origin of Sugar Land. It was amazing to read how the Imperial Sugar Mill acquired its name and observe the enormous bowl used for cooking the juice of pressed sugar cane.
I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Moore Mansion and the Long-Smith Cottage. Jane Long, famously known as the “Mother of Texas”, lived there in the mid 1800s. The docent was informative as she stepped back into the time period.
The only other visitors at the Fort Bend Museum were an older couple who had recently moved to Texas and from Colorado. I believe that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves because they were talking about how well organized the museum was compared to the ones in Colorado.
As I read the textbook, I imagine what happened and what different objects looked like but in a museum, I observe artifacts and read specifically about those. I believe a museum gives a person a better understanding of what happened in history because it engages more of the senses. There were obvious discrepancies between the museum and textbook accounts concerning the settlement of Texas. For instance, the museum clearly stated that the original land grant was given to Moses Austin who was the father of Stephen F. Austin. However, the book fully credits only Stephen F. Austin for the settlement efforts. Additionally, the book reported that the Mexicans required US settlers to be of Roman Catholic faith and to be “Mexicanized”. The museum documents omit and information concerning these two stipulations.
I enjoyed my visit because I am a visual person. I value learning in this type of environment. The museum also had a “Draped in Black: The Art of Victorian Mourning” exhibit. It was intriguing to learn the different mourning customs. For example, a widow who just lost her husband would be in different stages of mourning for up to two years after her husband’s death. Ultimately, if a person has a free afternoon and lives in Fort Bend County I would recommend this museum particularly to those who enjoy history.
This museum was partially biased toward the viewpoint of white males because there was very limited representation of the Mexican or African American views. Additionally, the role of women during this museum is underrepresented.
While Stephen F. and Moses Austins’ perspectives were presented, the Native Americans’ voices were left unheard. Also, I realized that there was not much information on both African American and the servants who served in the Moore’s home.
The intended audience was older visitors interested in local Texas history. Due to the paucity of technology, younger visitors would be less attracted to this museum. Since there are no child friendly interactive displays, parents would be less inclined to choose this attraction as a family friendly outing.
Most of the museum lacked interaction but there was a map that lit up if different buttons were pressed. It showed the different trails that armies such as Sam Houston and the Texian Army of 800 men took to fight the Mexican Army. Limited Long-Smith and Moore house tours are available at 10AM and 1PM.
Since I have lived in Sugar Land my whole life, the most captivating part of the museum for me was the origin of Sugar Land. It was amazing to read how the Imperial Sugar Mill acquired its name and observe the enormous bowl used for cooking the juice of pressed sugar cane.
I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Moore Mansion and the Long-Smith Cottage. Jane Long, famously known as the “Mother of Texas”, lived there in the mid 1800s. The docent was informative as she stepped back into the time period.
The only other visitors at the Fort Bend Museum were an older couple who had recently moved to Texas and from Colorado. I believe that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves because they were talking about how well organized the museum was compared to the ones in Colorado.
As I read the textbook, I imagine what happened and what different objects looked like but in a museum, I observe artifacts and read specifically about those. I believe a museum gives a person a better understanding of what happened in history because it engages more of the senses. There were obvious discrepancies between the museum and textbook accounts concerning the settlement of Texas. For instance, the museum clearly stated that the original land grant was given to Moses Austin who was the father of Stephen F. Austin. However, the book fully credits only Stephen F. Austin for the settlement efforts. Additionally, the book reported that the Mexicans required US settlers to be of Roman Catholic faith and to be “Mexicanized”. The museum documents omit and information concerning these two stipulations.
I enjoyed my visit because I am a visual person. I value learning in this type of environment. The museum also had a “Draped in Black: The Art of Victorian Mourning” exhibit. It was intriguing to learn the different mourning customs. For example, a widow who just lost her husband would be in different stages of mourning for up to two years after her husband’s death. Ultimately, if a person has a free afternoon and lives in Fort Bend County I would recommend this museum particularly to those who enjoy history.
Written December 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
texasrepublichistory
Dallas, TX655 contributions
Nov 2013 • Solo
Richmond is situated in part of the original Stephen F. Austin Grant of 1822 and is filled with early Texas history. The Fort Bend Museum is located in a one-story brick building next to the Moore Home, which is often mistaken for the museum building. The museum displays excellent wall exhibits on the Stephen F. Austin Colony and early settlement of the Fort Bend area, and includes displays of early Texas artifacts. The museum complex also includes the Long-Smith Cottage, one of the oldest buildings in Richmond, originally built on property owned by Jane Long, the "Mother of Texas", and owned by the Smith family, containing period furniture and artifacts, and the beautiful neo-classical Moore Home, built in 1883. The grave site of Erastus "Deaf" Smith, Sam Houston's famous scout and spy, is believed to be located near the museum grounds, and a grave stone and historical marker are located near the Long-Smith house. Tours are available for both homes. The museum complex is open Tuesday thru Saturday and a small fee is charged. A variety of educational programs are offered by the museum and group tours are popular. A great place to learn about local history and visit a beautiful historic home.
Written November 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jaasma
Richmond, TX19 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
The small museum before touring the home is worth the visit alone. There was information about people involved in the history of Fort Bend that was unexpected and surprising. The receptionist was very helpful and gave us a tour of the home, even though it was close to closing time.
Written January 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynne Humphries
Richmond, TX160 contributions
Jul 2015 • Solo
This museum may not be modern and beautiful, but it is full of interesting information about the history of Fort Bend County. Fort Bend was one of the first areas in Texas to be colonized. Stephen F. Austin's original 300 families who got land grants settled here. You can also tour the adjoining Moore Home, which is in its original grandeur. The museum is really interesting, though small. They are trying to raise funding for a modern, larger museum in the future. Also, they have wonderful school programs for elementary school age kids. Very worth inquiring.
Written July 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
applestrudel
Montgomery, TX2,382 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
This is for the afternoon tea they held at the Moore House.
Firstly, I loved how they hosted the tea and I thought the two ladies did a great job of hosting (although both gave conflicting information with regards to the house).
The food was pretty awful, but then again it was only $20 in total. The host told us the chef was English, but I do find that very hard to believe as the food was certainly nothing like we eat back in england. The sandwiches were just ok (although plentiful). The scones were NOT scones, these were nothing like a scone. The taste and texture was way off, these were the exact same as a southern biscuit, they were certainly not a scone. The same with the shortbread, these had no taste. They were missing the butter and sugar of a shortbread! The tea was so weak, no taste at all. I really was so disappointed with the tea and food.
The tea took place in the conservatory which was so pretty, along with tea there was a refreshing pink lemonaid or water (help yourself). We only got to see the ground floor of the home. All in all it was a nice afternoon, we got to wear our hats and good value at $20. Just don't go expecting much from the actual afternoon tea!
Firstly, I loved how they hosted the tea and I thought the two ladies did a great job of hosting (although both gave conflicting information with regards to the house).
The food was pretty awful, but then again it was only $20 in total. The host told us the chef was English, but I do find that very hard to believe as the food was certainly nothing like we eat back in england. The sandwiches were just ok (although plentiful). The scones were NOT scones, these were nothing like a scone. The taste and texture was way off, these were the exact same as a southern biscuit, they were certainly not a scone. The same with the shortbread, these had no taste. They were missing the butter and sugar of a shortbread! The tea was so weak, no taste at all. I really was so disappointed with the tea and food.
The tea took place in the conservatory which was so pretty, along with tea there was a refreshing pink lemonaid or water (help yourself). We only got to see the ground floor of the home. All in all it was a nice afternoon, we got to wear our hats and good value at $20. Just don't go expecting much from the actual afternoon tea!
Written June 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pnkgirl27
Katy, TX3,309 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
I went specifically to see the exhibition of Draped in Black, The Art of Victorian Mourning and it was excellent! There were displays with items that I had heard about but never have seen at any other museum. The postmortem photo album was very interesting to see. The exhibit was small but very well displayed as an education experience. It was well worth the drive from Houston to see it.
Written November 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shoaib A
3 contributions
Apr 2016 • Solo
On April 16, 2016, I visited the Fort Bend History Museum in Richmond, TX. The location is very relevant to its name since it focuses primarily on what happened around the area. It was a miniscule, walkthrough gallery which lasts around 2 minutes if you walked around it in a complete circle. The gallery itself was very effective based on the ability of it to access things easier than any large scattered one. The gallery was mildly extensive in its placement of images, props and setting-based features which helped give an older-era feel about it. The walkthrough galleries represented everything from the 1821 settlement of “Tejas” by Spanish colonists to the Texas Revolution, its causes and the role of Fort Bend County during the Battle of San Jacinto. The gallery also informs us about the plantation period of the mid 1800’s and the importance of the agriculture industry as well as the role of Texans during the Civil War. The intended audience can be anybody who has the desire to enrich their minds of local history, however based on the people around me who I was viewing the gallery with at the time, it seemed to primarily be a target for older people.
While viewing the gallery I noticed that not everyone’s perspective was properly shown, for example, there was a piece dealing with Stephen F. Austin’s hostile encounter with some Native Americans, the piece solely centered around the viewpoint of the Austin and completely dismissed any reasoning that the natives had about their encounter. I also saw that there is less information describing the role of women and African-Americans throughout the museum as well. Other than the mention of Virginia Tennessee Newell, the wife of a plantation owner, and Walter Moses Burton, a former slave turned politician, there really isn’t any knowledge of many historical figures outside the “white man.” The biases solely lie on the limited number of perspectives, however there is no clear indication of any piece trying to persuade you to look one way rather than the other.
The museum itself was not interactive in the sense that I wasn’t able to really do anything physically or touch anything. There was a tour planned, but it was unexpectedly cancelled, and I myself don’t really know the reasoning either. The most effective part of the museum is how simplistic it is in design and placement/presentation, it allows for the viewer to not have to focus on various things and go look at each piece individually one by one. If I had any complaints about the gallery itself, it would be about its minuscule size, I would love to see the director of the museum come and expand the gallery a bit more. Also, coming back to the topic previous, I wish that the director ought to provide some other perspectives and expand his reach/understanding of what both sides of conflict were dealing with.
One interesting thing I found while touring the museum was the piece describing the formation of the city of Sugar Land. After living in this city for pretty much my whole life, I never once thought to learn its history. Seeing this piece talk about it pretty much blew my mind. I had no idea that this place we live in was formally known as Oakland and that Stephen F. Austin's secretary by the name of Samuel Williams, pretty much used to own all of it. There was also a piece talking about the history of The Imperial Sugar Company and how it came to be, I got goosebumps just reading about it because of how close I lived from the mill and how I pretty much saw it everyday on the way to college. I've got to say that that was probably my favorite part of the whole experience I had while visiting.
The museum was very linear as it went to present its pieces in chronological order. I saw a lot of what was covered in the gallery in my HIST 1301 class when we talked about the role of Texas during its inception. However, since the gallery is primarily based on what happened locally, it seemed to be very limited in a broader sense. You can never really know if the information that is presented in front of you is legitimate or not since history, is well, history. But based on my experiences I don’t see any reason to question what is provided by the gallery. Compared to what was taught in class I’d say the information is pretty much spot on. Learning history visually by walking through a museum is completely different than just reading a book, you feel as if you are actually there because of all the different pieces around and how they tie in together, especially if the museum you visit is extremely relevant to your location.
Overall, The Fort Bend History Museum though, not very modern or large-scaled, it is full of interesting information about the history of Fort Bend County and Sugar Land. The area in which we live in today was one of the first areas in Texas to be colonized. I learned that Stephen F. Austin's original 300 families settled here and are responsible for the growth of the local community in the Greater Houston Area and many more things as well. Let me say this, If you are looking for a grand museum filled with loads of information and extensive amounts of interactive pieces, you may not enjoy your visit to this museum. However if you are interested in learning about the county in which you live in or if you are a History geek in general, give this museum a try I almost guarantee that you will enjoy your visit.
While viewing the gallery I noticed that not everyone’s perspective was properly shown, for example, there was a piece dealing with Stephen F. Austin’s hostile encounter with some Native Americans, the piece solely centered around the viewpoint of the Austin and completely dismissed any reasoning that the natives had about their encounter. I also saw that there is less information describing the role of women and African-Americans throughout the museum as well. Other than the mention of Virginia Tennessee Newell, the wife of a plantation owner, and Walter Moses Burton, a former slave turned politician, there really isn’t any knowledge of many historical figures outside the “white man.” The biases solely lie on the limited number of perspectives, however there is no clear indication of any piece trying to persuade you to look one way rather than the other.
The museum itself was not interactive in the sense that I wasn’t able to really do anything physically or touch anything. There was a tour planned, but it was unexpectedly cancelled, and I myself don’t really know the reasoning either. The most effective part of the museum is how simplistic it is in design and placement/presentation, it allows for the viewer to not have to focus on various things and go look at each piece individually one by one. If I had any complaints about the gallery itself, it would be about its minuscule size, I would love to see the director of the museum come and expand the gallery a bit more. Also, coming back to the topic previous, I wish that the director ought to provide some other perspectives and expand his reach/understanding of what both sides of conflict were dealing with.
One interesting thing I found while touring the museum was the piece describing the formation of the city of Sugar Land. After living in this city for pretty much my whole life, I never once thought to learn its history. Seeing this piece talk about it pretty much blew my mind. I had no idea that this place we live in was formally known as Oakland and that Stephen F. Austin's secretary by the name of Samuel Williams, pretty much used to own all of it. There was also a piece talking about the history of The Imperial Sugar Company and how it came to be, I got goosebumps just reading about it because of how close I lived from the mill and how I pretty much saw it everyday on the way to college. I've got to say that that was probably my favorite part of the whole experience I had while visiting.
The museum was very linear as it went to present its pieces in chronological order. I saw a lot of what was covered in the gallery in my HIST 1301 class when we talked about the role of Texas during its inception. However, since the gallery is primarily based on what happened locally, it seemed to be very limited in a broader sense. You can never really know if the information that is presented in front of you is legitimate or not since history, is well, history. But based on my experiences I don’t see any reason to question what is provided by the gallery. Compared to what was taught in class I’d say the information is pretty much spot on. Learning history visually by walking through a museum is completely different than just reading a book, you feel as if you are actually there because of all the different pieces around and how they tie in together, especially if the museum you visit is extremely relevant to your location.
Overall, The Fort Bend History Museum though, not very modern or large-scaled, it is full of interesting information about the history of Fort Bend County and Sugar Land. The area in which we live in today was one of the first areas in Texas to be colonized. I learned that Stephen F. Austin's original 300 families settled here and are responsible for the growth of the local community in the Greater Houston Area and many more things as well. Let me say this, If you are looking for a grand museum filled with loads of information and extensive amounts of interactive pieces, you may not enjoy your visit to this museum. However if you are interested in learning about the county in which you live in or if you are a History geek in general, give this museum a try I almost guarantee that you will enjoy your visit.
Written May 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I_Gotta_Dash
TX13 contributions
Sep 2015
Step back into the past and learn the interesting history of Fort Bend County. I highly recommend visiting the Candle Light Tour the first weekend in December. It has been a family tradition of ours for over 20 years to kick off the Holiday Season. The Moore Home is beautifully light with candles and decorated with period furnishings. Really gets one in the holiday mood.
Written October 27, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Claim your listingFort Bend Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Fort Bend Museum
- Fort Bend Museum is open:
- Tue - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Sat - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Hotels near Fort Bend Museum:
- (8.49 mi) Houston Marriott Sugar Land
- (2.29 mi) Hampton Inn & Suites Houston - Rosenberg
- (4.84 mi) Sugarland Inn
- (2.86 mi) SpringHill Suites by Marriott Houston Rosenberg
- (7.38 mi) Hilton Garden Inn Houston/Sugar Land
- Restaurants near Fort Bend Museum:
- (0.17 mi) Sandy McGee's
- (0.19 mi) Unwine'd
- (0.21 mi) The Lonestar Saloon
- (0.22 mi) Trough Juice Bar
- (0.23 mi) Joseph's Coffee & Cigars
- Attractions near Fort Bend Museum:
- (0.21 mi) The Lone Star Saloon
- (0.42 mi) Morton Cemetery
- (0.15 mi) Briscoe Manor
- (0.86 mi) Artistic Endeavors
- (7.50 mi) Constellation Field