One of Tyler's favorite and most beautiful attractions is the Tyler Rose Museum, which has entertained thousands of visitors from the United States and around the world. The Museum is a unique concept that allows the visitors to participate in an unfolding story that chronicles the events of the Festival's history and the agricultural industry it honors.

Developed to preserve and display the unique history of Tyler's long-lived and heralded involvement with field-grown roses and the Texas Rose Festival, the Tyler Rose Museum reflects the history of Tyler itself. Proudly told through videos and photographs, the hardships and successes of the rose-growing industry and the pageantry of the Texas Rose Festival evolve.

The excitement of the annual Festival is captured by the Tyler Rose Museum for visitors to enjoy year-round, through spectacular displays and interactive exhibits. As visitors enter the 7,500 square-foot Museum, they discover displays of memorabilia and hand-sewn, jeweled costumes dating as far back as 1935.

Theater presentations and video highlights entertain and educate, as the "Festival of Roses" is celebrated rain or shine. Vignettes of past Festival scenes bring history to life, as the recorded voices of former Rose Queens recall behind the scenes happenings of years gone by.

In "The Attic," where antiques and collectibles from Tyler's past are nestled, a delightful collage of memories becomes animated to music and audio with the push of a button. Lively marching music beckons visitors to the Parade Room, where a near life-sized float replica and colorful clown herald the arrival of the Rose Parade.

The Rose Growers' Theater tells the meaningful story of the rose industry in East Texas and pays tribute to the real heroes-those pioneers who made Tyler a place where everyone comes to "smell the roses." Surrounded by authentic "tools of the trade" hanging from the raftered ceiling, rose growing and processing are explained in fascinating detail by those who know it best--the area rose growers themselves.

Serious rosarians and amateur gardeners appreciate the computerized Video Rose Catalogue featuring 250 rose varieties. It is an easy-to-use system that provides a color picture and description of each rose selection.

The many Museum exhibits, including a rose bloom stand and an antique tractor, fascinate visitors of all ages. With quarterly costume changes, the Museum proves to be a source of information and entertainment throughout the year. To accommodate exhibit changes, the Museum is closed quarterly, so please call in advance.

Admission fee required.