Buckhorn Saloon and Museum

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Downtown
318 East Houston St, San Antonio, Texas 78205(210) 270-9400

Category:
Museums, Bars and Clubs
Hours:
Memorial Day-Labor Day, daily 10-6; early Sept.-late May, daily 10-5 Close
Price:
$11.99 (museum)
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Tree Of Life Carving. Photo - Buckhorn Saloon and Museum,

User Reviews

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Buckhorn Saloon & Museum.

by hagnel2

Hamilton, Ontario

June 16, 2006

Best of IgoUgo One good thing about this museum are the Margaritas, they are served ice cold in a frosted pint mug, just the thing to quench the thirst especially when temperatures are hitting the high '90s.The first Buckhorn Saloon opened in 1881 the owners ...Read more One good thing about this museum are the Margaritas, they are served ice cold in a frosted pint mug, just the thing to quench the thirst especially when temperatures are hitting the high '90s.

The first Buckhorn Saloon opened in 1881 the owners Albert and Emile Friedrich traded deer and Antler horns for drinks. Over the years the collection grew and in 1956 the Lone Star brewing company purchased the collection and moved it to their brewery where they ran brewery tours. When the brewery closed in the nineties a granddaughter of the Friedrich’s re- purchased the huge collection and placed it in its present saloon, just a few yards from the original. In fact many of the original furnishings are back in this bar including the bar itself.

We were greeted in the bar by a wild Bill Hickock type with a drooping moustache and dressed in full western duds he urged us to take a look at the museum and as we could wander around with our drinks we did. I am not a fan of mounted wildlife heads and so I stuck to the Wild West section featuring a vast collection of frontier era photographs and artifacts.

Vintage guns used by famous outlaws, official documents and displays fill a large room. The gory death photos of Bonnie and Clyde along with newspaper accounts of their escapades and guns used elicit some discomfort not my scene, Ugh. We wander into The Hall Of Thorns and see a beautiful cathedral made out of 50,000 matchsticks, but beside it is a freak two-headed calf. There are literally hundreds of trophy mounts and animal bodies from Africa and Asia, in fact from all over the world. Neil continued on through the museum and I took myself off to the bar, but I couldn’t escape the mounted wildlife as they adorn every wall in the saloon.

One interesting exhibit was a Thai carving of The Tree of Life. The artist worked 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, over 2½ years, and the detail is astounding. Teddy Roosevelt frequented the old Buckhorn bar his chair fashioned from 62 horns is here. I took a photo of these once popular seats, but they do not look comfortable. I gather Roosevelt’s roughriders drilled by day in a city park and re-grouped at night in hotel bars. Neil told me he saw an impressive Texas Longhorn that had been hit by lightening the horns measured over 8-feet across. Neil proclaimed the museum amazing and if you don’t mind dead animals and enjoy unusual collections you would probably enjoy it.

The gift shop is filled with mostly offshore souvenirs, and we didn’t eat at the restaurant. I doubt they have heard the word vegetarian, and I wouldn’t utter it in there—might end up stuffed, on a wall, and gazing out all day at the people sipping margaritas.

Open daily 10am- 5pm. Admission $10
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From journal Miles To Go Before We Sleep. Part 1 San Antonio

The Buckhorn Saloon

by micintexp

Berlin, New Jersey

March 29, 2005

The Buckhorn Saloon is a sight to be seen. The Buckhorn offers food, music, a saloon atmosphere, a museum, and a gift shop. It is located on a side street in San Antonio not far from the Riverwalk. You won’t be able to miss the building, due to its ...Read more

From journal Fulfilling a Dream in Texas

The Buckhorn Saloon

by chadk78

Blacksburg, South Carolina

February 18, 2005

This place is hard to categorize. It's equal parts saloon, restaurant, historic sight, and museum. Built in the 1880s, it was a favorite hangout of Teddy Roosevelt. Some of his belongings are displayed in the museum, which also features a huge ...Read more

From journal Wild West Saloons, River Cruises, and Spanish Miss

Buckhorn Saloon and Museum

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