Plan Your Visit
Museum Hours
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 pm - 5:00 p.m. (closed Mondays and major holidays)
Phone number: (409) 880-1750
Email: gladyscity@lamar.edu
Last admission time is 4:00 p.m.
Admission
Adults: $5Seniors (60+): $3
Children (6-12): $2
Children (5 and younger): Free
University discount: Students, faculty, staff, retirees and alumni of Lamar University or LIT are admitted free with valid ID.
Military discount: Active military personnel, including Reservists & National Guard members, receive free admission year-round with a current military ID. During the annual Blue Star Museums program (Memorial Day to Labor Day) sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the immediate families of active duty military also receive free admission.
Though there is much outdoors to our museum, we do not allow pets except for service animals.
Tours
Groups of 10 or more
Tuesday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Sunday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Guided tours are given when a tour guide is available; otherwise, it is a self-guided tour.
Special rates for adult groups are $3 each for Adults, $2 each for Adults 60+. Much of the museum complex is wheelchair accessible and benches are provided on the porches of several buildings.
Youth Tours
Includes public and private schools, home school groups, and scout troops
September-May (during school year) - free for all youth and one chaperone for every ten students.
Additional chaperones pay the regular adult tour admission fee of $3. Admission for youth tours during the summer (June-August) is $1 per person, including youth and adults.
Adult Tours
Senior Citizens and youth apply to groups of 10 or more and have called the museum at least 2 weeks in advance. Due to the nature of our events, regular admission prices will apply to event days.
Gladys City can accommodate up to 150 children in one tour. It is requested that large groups have at least one chaperone for every ten children.
To book your tour, call (409) 880-1750 or use this easy, online form.
Ask about the "Lucas Gusher Re-Enactment" when booking your tour! (Please note: The Lucas Gusher Re-Enactment is not always available on weekends.)
Activities
Here at the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum, we understand the importance of educating our students on local and state history. On this page, we have prepared educational resources to assist parents and teachers in teaching their students about the history of Spindletop and its importance to the Southeast Texas region. We give full permission to edit these activities as you see fit.
Children Activities
Crossword Puzzle and Answer Key
Educational Activities
Facts About Gladys City Boomtown and Kahoot!
The Story of Spindletop and Gladys City Worksheet
WebQuest - High School & Middle School Levels
The Texas Oil Boom Lesson Plan
The Story Of Texas Educator Guide - Oil Changed Texas Chapter and Activities
Gusher Re-Enactment
Price: $50
Make your tour even more memorable with a re-enactment of the historic 1901 Lucas Gusher on Spindletop. Your group will be amazed as a plume of water soars 100 feet above our 65-foot derrick.
Note: If you do choose to pay to have the gusher go off during your tour, please understand that other guests who are visiting the museum will also be invited to watch.
Gladys City Gift Shop
Visit the Gladys City Gift Shop to take home a Spindletop souvenir - coffee mugs, magnets, postcards, T-shirts. Plus we carry a fine selection of books, men's and women's gifts, posters, prints, maps and a wonderful array of fruit preserves, savory dips and pickles. Shopping at Gladys City is fun any time of the year! Please be aware that the Gift Shop closes at 4:30 p.m.
Visiting Beaumont?
Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau has other good ideas for things to see and do in Beaumont!
Location and Directions
Gladys City is located on the Lamar University campus at 5550 Jimmy Simmons Blvd (formerly University Drive), Beaumont, Texas 77705 (Jimmy Simmons Blvd & E. Cardinal Drive along Hwy. 69N).
Please use the directions provided below to find the museum. Your personal GPS may or may not locate the museum properly.
From Interstate 10 (eastbound or westbound), take the Port Arthur/Highway 69/287/96 exit heading south. Exit the "M.L. King Pkwy/Spur 380" exit and proceed down the service road. At the U-turn, turn left under the highway and turn left at the stop sign. Proceed northbound approximately a quarter mile to Jimmy Simmons Blvd. and Gladys City.
Northbound on Hwy. 69, from Port Arthur, exit Highland Avenue and watch for Jimmy Simmons Blvd. immediately on your right.