Mayborn Museum Complex welcomes its 2 millionth visitor

On September 30, Baylor’s Mayborn Museum Complex welcomed its 2 millionth visitor! The honor went to Rose Eastland and her family, who received an annual membership to the museum.

It took the Mayborn nine years to reach its 1 millionth visitor, back in 2013, but only six years to get from 1 million to 2 million visitors. That growth in annual attendance mirrors both Waco’s increased tourism numbers and the improved programs and exhibits the museum has offered in recent years (like last year’s Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition). Last spring, the museum was officially accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest honor an American museum can get — and it’s easy to see why.

You could spend an entire day at the Mayborn roaming their permanent exhibits alone. The Natural and Cultural History Exhibits emphasize what the land and life in Texas once looked like. The Governor Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village is a recreation of Texan life in the 1890s. The Jeanes Discovery Center is chock full of hands-on activities like giant bubbles, a walk-on piano, and so much more. And the Design Den encourages visitors to slow down and engage in the art of creating.

On top of all that, the museum regularly welcomes spectacular traveling exhibits. The Mayborn’s two current special exhibits? “Doc McStuffins: The Exhibit” uses the Disney Junior show’s characters to teach health and wellness, and “SpaceX: Now This is Rocket Science,” which offers education on the literal rocket science being done by SpaceX in neighboring McGregor, Texas.

Finally, the museum is constantly hosting educational events for the community. Events like Portal to the Public, for example, feature the Mayborn and Baylor science departments teaming up to teach kids about science. And in another community collaboration, the museum very recently welcomed a new Common Grounds location into their gift shop area!

We’re so thankful to have the Mayborn as part the Baylor and Waco community. We can’t wait to see all the exhibits and events that will eventually bring their 3 millionth visitor!

Sic ’em, Mayborn Museum!