You’re not going to encounter too many other museums like the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum (100 Texas Ranger Trail, 254/750-8631, www.texasranger.org, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sun., $6 adults, $3 children). Stephen F. Austin introduced these legendary hired hands to the state’s lexicon in 1823 when they were brought on board to help protect settlers against Native Americans along the westward-expanding frontier.

They played significant roles in Texas’s history—participating in the revolution against Mexico, bringing down Bonnie and Clyde—but by 1935, the state government roped them in under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Public Safety, where their primary role has been to focus on special investigations.

Although they currently number only about 100 members, the Rangers remain famous for their sharp skills, and are considered some of the elite law enforcement officers of the modern era. The museum showcases their legacy through exhibits featuring documents, artifacts, dioramas, and even Bonnie and Clyde’s shotguns and the firearms used during the Rangers’ ambush.

The Hall of Fame honors the most distinguished Rangers in history, and the research center contains archives, books, original clippings, genealogies, and photographs.