4 Great Museums Worth the Drive Near Odessa, TX

Odessa, TX has a rich and interesting history involving pioneering era oil rigs, cattle ranching, cowboy culture, and meteors. For an authentic taste of the town’s storied past, it’s absolutely worth visiting a few of Odessa’s top-notch museums. Here’s a brief guide to the best of them. 

4 Great Museums Worth the Drive in Odessa, TX

Parker House Museum

This beautiful Cotswold-style farmhouse is over a century old and offers a fantastic opportunity to learn all about the region’s cattle ranching and trading history. The house is filled with exhibits featuring artifacts, furniture, photos, and stories of famous ranching families, including the locally famous former residents of the farmhouse. 

This museum is a picture-perfect gem to visit, and the surrounding grounds are also wonderful to explore. You can find Parker House Museum at 1118 Maple Avenue. Drive your family there in your brand new 2023 Kia Niro Wave, enjoying the effortlessly smooth handling provided by your car’s adaptable drive modes and all-wheel options. 

Odessa Meteor Crater Museum

The second-largest meteor crater in the US sits right on Odessa’s doorstep at 5599 Meteor Crater Road. The enormous crater is 550 feet in diameter and was formed by a meteorite striking 62,000 years ago. 

Next to the crater, you’ll find a very well-kept museum showcasing all kinds of interesting meteor fragments and educational exhibits. If you or your kids would enjoy learning about the incredible speeds, ranges, materials, physics, and history of meteorites, this is the perfect place to do so. 

The Historic White Pool House

This lovely old building has been standing since 1887 and is a much-loved cornerstone of the town’s heritage. Fully restored to its original state, the house offers a glimpse into Odessa’s pioneering and oil boom days. You can take a guided tour of the house and grounds, soaking up fascinating stories and picturesque scenes reminiscent of that glorious adventurous bygone era. 

The charming, knowledgeable caretaker and guide will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. The historic grounds and various structures are so lovely to look at that it’s a popular place for photo shoots. You’ll find White Pool House at 112 East Murphy Street. 

Presidential Archives and Leadership Library

This museum is dedicated to the late President John F. Kennedy. It was constructed after his assassination in 1963 and contains a variety of displays full of artifacts and educational plaques and videos. 

If you visit, you’ll see campaign buttons, printed mementos, coins, and other memorabilia, and gain a fascinating insight into Kennedy’s life and achievements. 

After enjoying a rich day of expanding your local knowledge at one of these excellent historical repositories, visit Kelly Grimsley Kia. 

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