Museums

The City of Cleburne manages the Layland Museum of History and the Cleburne Railroad Museum. Each Museum offers different activities and programs throughout the year. 

  1. Carnegie Building
  2. Smith History Center
  3. Studio
  4. Railroad Museum

The Carnegie Library building houses the museum gallery and office spaces. 


History 

In 1900, the Women’s Club of Cleburne contacted steel industrialist Andrew Carnegie for assistance in building a library for the community. Carnegie, a champion of libraries, contributed $20,000 to the project, which the community then matched. The building opened on May 25th, 1905.

The building is a Greek Revival style that was popular in the era. The front entrance and main room feature ionic columns with ornamental necking. There are various styles of plaster decorating both interior and exterior features. The structure is largely unchanged from its original construction, though interior furnishings and finishes were changed through the years to match the latest trend. The restoration of the building to its original state is ongoing.