• The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum
    Experience Texas As It Was

    Walk in the Steps of Cowboys

    The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum | Step Back in Time
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  • The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum
    Portal to the Past

    An Epic Western Adventure

    The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum | Step Back in Time
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  • The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum
    Take a Trip Back in Time

    Local Texas History

    The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum | Step Back in Time
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The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum

Johnson County Heritage Foundation

Along with our large pavilion and unique Engine BBQ Smoker the entire Outdoor Museum makes an ideal setting for your family or corporate outings. We have also had weddings, board meetings and over seven thousand school kids on field trips. We have many groups travel on bus tours visit and spend the day or just a short time with us. Our guest book reveals people from all over the world. We have had schools, senior groups, Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls, military groups, motorcycle groups, church groups, classic car groups and blacksmiths just to name a few.

Entry Fees

  • $8.00 ~ Adults
  • $5.00 ~ Kids and Seniors
  • Strollers Free

**Prices subject to change during Majors Events or Concerts.

Annual membership dues for the JCHF are $20. Membership year begins January 1st each year. There is a yearly membership meeting and dinner during Pioneer Days in November.

The Outdoor Museum is a project of Johnson County Heritage Foundation and is endorsed by Cleburne Chamber of Commerce and Johnson County Historical Commission. JCHF is an all volunteer 501 (c)(3) foundation with the exception of the Big Bear Native American Museum.

Volunteer Docents Needed

We are looking for volunteer docents to give tours and answer questions as tourists visit this historic site. If you would like to become involved with the museum, ask one of our volunteers for more information or call our On-Site Director, Carrie Reynolds at (254) 998-0261.

Outdoor Museum at Lake Pat Cleburne

See What It Was Like To Live In The Wild West

The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum sits on the Chisholm Trail which was a trail used in the late 19th century to drive cattle overland. The museum includes a life size cattle drive silhouettes, Johnson County's original courthouse, a working blacksmith shop, a stagecoach station, teepees and more.

The museum attractions sit close to and overlook the banks of Lake Pat Cleburne. With beautiful Texas skies and amazing views of the lake, you'll actually start to feel like the pioneers did when they came across this beautiful spot. 

The Big Bear Native American Museum featuring a collection of Native American artifacts donated by Leonard “Big Bear" Beal and additional artifacts supplement his collection to provide a complete overview of Native Americans in North America from their arrival over 13,000 years ago to the present.

Accessible by the public, the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum is an open area where visitors can learn about how the cattle drives along the trail impacted life and the history of the first county seat of Johnson County, Texas.

Come check out the original courthouse, a stagecoach station, a blacksmith shop, and many more attractions on the banks of Lake Pat Cleburne on the Chisholm Trail. Be sure to check out the many Historical Markers along the Chisholm Trail for a fun driving adventure.

A Fantastic Outdoor Museum Experience For All Ages

Multiple Museum Attractions Available!