Skip to Main Content

Midland, Texas: Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Walk 30 feet "under water" in a Permian-age sea. The 1975 displays in this pro-oil showcase were gutted and replaced in 2016, but the underwater part was preserved. Outdoor displays include pump jacks and an oil derrick.

Address:
1500 W. Interstate 20, Midland, TX
Directions:
I-20 exit 136, then west along the frontage road on the north side.
Hours:
M-Sa 10-5, Su 2-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
432-683-4403
Admission:
Adults $12.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Visitor Tips and News About Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

The Oil Patch exhibits.

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

The story goes that Texans have to do everything big and grandiose; this museum is definitely an example. It displays many examples of large drilling and production equipment, historic and modern, in a 40-acre outdoor setting known as The Oil Patch. Then there's what's under the roof in the museum building, including paintings and interactive exhibits. It is one awesome thing to see.

[Gerald D Massey, 07/27/2012]

The Oil Patch in back of the museum is indeed impressive, though it can be a rough spot to linger on a blistering summer afternoon. What impressed us most were the museum's cool indoor exhibits, which don't appear to have been modified at all since it opened in 1975. We loved it.

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Located in Midland, Texas, on I-20. Words can not do justice to this place, which offers stimuli to all senses. My heart goes pitter-patter just thinking about its insanity. Be sure to sit through the entire "multi-media" slide show (in a heavenly circular room, carpeted from floor-to-ceiling in 70s shag) for the full politically-skewed and dated diatribe. Museum features Starsky & Hutch-style soundtrack.

[Lisa Rawlinson, 08/24/1999]

The travel lit says: "Step back 230 million years and walk 30 feet 'under water' in a Permian-age sea. Stand amid a wrecked drilling rig and experience a simulated wild west blowout."


Nearby Offbeat Places

Giant Cattle SkullGiant Cattle Skull, Odessa, TX - 12 mi.
Giant Bass in a Pickup TruckGiant Bass in a Pickup Truck, Odessa, TX - 13 mi.
Permian Basin StonehengePermian Basin Stonehenge, Odessa, TX - 15 mi.
In the region:
World's Largest Jackrabbit - Former, Odessa, TX - 19 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Save Cool Vacation Destinations! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Texas Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings