Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

Group Tours

Admission to and tours of the Ransom Center are offered free of charge.

Public tours

Regular public tours of Ransom Center exhibitions are offered on Tuesdays at noon and Saturdays at 2 p.m. For groups larger than 12 people, please contact the Center to make arrangements for a private tour.

Contact Information

To schedule a prearranged tour or to alert Ransom Center staff of your visit, click here for a tour request form or contact Lisa Murray, Public Programs Associate, at 512-475-8086 or lisarmurray@mail.utexas.edu.

Tours can be scheduled to take place between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays, and between noon and 5 p.m. on weekends.

Teachers: please view the useful education resources online at the Primary Source Education Modules page.

Procedures

Please contact the Ransom Center's public programs staff at least two weeks in advance to schedule a tour and clarify any questions you might have. The Center may not be able to accommodate unannounced groups.

The Center's docent staff is prepared to enrich group tours and visitor experiences. Should you prefer to make a group visit without the help of a docent, please inform the Center's staff. If capacity becomes an issue, scheduled groups take precedence over unscheduled groups.

Guidelines for tours

• Please allow 1 hour for your visit.
• Be sure to arrive on time. The Ransom Center may not be able to provide full tours to groups that arrive late. In some cases, the Center cannot guarantee admission.
• Cancellations: Please contact the Center's public programs staff at least a week in advance to cancel. The Center's docents are volunteers, who take time out of their schedules to guide groups through the exhibitions. Please be considerate of their time if you need to cancel. Providing advance notice of cancellations may also give another group the opportunity to visit.
• The Ransom Center can accommodate tour groups up to 50 people. If your group is larger than 50, the Center's staff is prepared to offer logistical suggestions for your visit.
• It is very important that there be one adult for every ten students.

On Arrival:

If your group arrives and a Ransom Center representative isn't there to greet you, please have your group wait on the bus or in the Ransom Center's outdoor plaza while a member of your group enters the building to announce your arrival.

Your Ransom Center representative will confirm the number of visitors and review procedures with you. Groups of over 25 will likely be split into two groups.

The Ransom Center does not have a parking facility. There are public and private parking resources within a short distance of the Ransom Center. Groups with buses are advised to load and unload on the 21st Street side of the building; buses must then depart and return later to pick up the group.

Gallery Behavior for students (and adults)

• Docents are experienced at what they do. They are also volunteers, and their time is valuable. Please respect your docent, stay close, and pay attention.
• Your docent has been given the mandate to teach while your group is under his or her guidance. Unruly behavior will not be tolerated.
• Self-guided groups must adhere to the same considerations. Please allow guided groups the right-of-way in the galleries.

Remember:

• No food, drink, or gum is allowed in the galleries.
• Turn off all cellular phones while in the galleries.
• No pens are allowed in the galleries. Please use pencils.
• Keep a safe distance between you and works of art to avoid accidental contact and damage.
• Backpacks, large bags, and umbrellas must be checked at the guard desk in the lobby.
• Walk; don't run.
• The Ransom Center is a library. Please use library voices.

Map

A map of the Ransom Center's location is available here.

Directions and Parking

Directions and parking information are available here.

Note to teachers:

The Ransom Center does have limited stipends for bus fees. For details, contact Lisa Murray at 512-475-8086 or lisarmurray@mail.utexas.edu.