Exhibits and Programs

The Layland Museum is comprised of multiple buildings located on Caddo St. and Main St. in downtown Cleburne. The museum’s gallery is located in the Carnegie Library building. The Smith History Center holds the research library and kitchen classroom. Many of the museum’s public programs will place in the Studio, located in the Cleburne Railroad Museum.

  1. Exhibits & Collections
  2. Programs & Education
  3. Research

Permanent Exhibits

The museum’s study of regional home and family life is presented in three galleries, each centered by a hearth, the traditional feature around which home life revolves. Shelter, food ways, clothing, art and craft, transportation, and leisure are topics discussed in exhibits of artifacts, graphics and text.

  • First Peoples Gallery: Displays 300 Years of Native American life in our region. Many of the objects in this gallery are part of the original W.J. Layland collection.
  • Settler’s Gallery: Interprets the 1840-1900 frontier period in Texas.  Visitors will learn about the process of setting up a homestead and life on a frontier farm.
  • 20th Century Gallery: Gives a look into the transition into urban life in Cleburne.  It delves into many aspects of life in the 1900s including home furnishings, transportation and the effect of global events on local residents.

Changing Exhibits

The museum offers several temporary exhibits each year, generally lasting between 1-3 months and featuring objects loaned by other institutions or private collectors, as well as objects from the museum’s permanent collection.   

Temporary and traveling exhibits enhance the visitor’s experience. Short-term loans from other institutions or private collectors and objects from the museum’s permanent collection offer additional enrichment opportunities. Contact the museum to see what the latest changing exhibit is!