Sophienburg Museum and Archives

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Sophienburg Museum and Archives The Sophienburg Museum documents German immigration, settlement, and community development in Texas from the 1800s to the present.

The Sophienburg Museum & Archives, established 1933, sits on the historic site claimed by founder Prince Carl of Braunfels, naming a fortress for his bride Sophie. Today, the collection continues to expand as we document the many diverse cultures that embody New Braunfels and Comal County, as well as throughout Central Texas. The Sophienburg serves as a repository of one of the nation's greatest collections of German cultural heritage and history, which chronicles life and settlement in America. The extensive collection includes cultural artifacts, newspapers, photographs, manuscripts, letters, maps, monographs, audiotapes, municipal records, and periodicals. Through its museum division, the Sophienburg seeks to fulfill the role of celebrating public history through exhibits, community outreach, traveling trunk programs, public lectures, and other events. The archives division preserves, processes and makes available for research the collection of documents, historic papers, photographs, and the oral history program Reflections. With hundreds of donors, both collections provide an incomparable resource for any student, scholar, writer, or historian of Central Texas settlement, culture, language, and history.

Step into the story of Prohibition at the grand opening of A Funeral for Lady Liberty, a new exhibit at the Sophienburg ...
10/15/2026

Step into the story of Prohibition at the grand opening of A Funeral for Lady Liberty, a new exhibit at the Sophienburg Museum & Archives exploring this fascinating era in American and local history.

Join us on October 21 from 6–8 PM as we celebrate the exhibit’s opening and launch History on Tap, our new quarterly lecture series.

The first lecture, “Pre-Prohibition and Brewing in New Braunfels,” will be presented by Travis Poling, author and co-author of books on Texas b**r culture and alcohol history.

Tickets are $25 for the general public and $15 for Sophienburg Members. Seating is limited.

Ticket links in comments.

Thank you to our friends at The New Braunfels Smokehouse & New Braunfels Brewing Co. for sponsoring this event.

We're throwing back fifty years ago on Archives Anonymous this week! We have a 1976 photo of four costumed kids performi...
10/14/2026

We're throwing back fifty years ago on Archives Anonymous this week! We have a 1976 photo of four costumed kids performing in a skit titled: "Our Ancestors". We don't have any of these kids identified, and we're not sure if this was part of a school activity, or some other noncurricular group.

Recognize anyone in this photo? Have any memories to share? Let us know in the comments! Or, you can email us at [email protected], or call us at (830) 629-1572. Thanks again!

🇩🇪 Zicke Zacke, Zicke Zacke… HOI! HOI! HOI! 🇩🇪Wurstfest is quickly approaching, and it’s time to get into the spirit at ...
10/13/2026

🇩🇪 Zicke Zacke, Zicke Zacke… HOI! HOI! HOI! 🇩🇪

Wurstfest is quickly approaching, and it’s time to get into the spirit at Sophie’s Shop at the Sophienburg Museum!

Shop our thoughtfully curated collection of New Braunfels and Wurstfest-inspired favorites, perfect for celebrating the traditions, culture, and history that make our town so special!

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find:
🕯️ Custom-curated candles made exclusively for Sophie’s Shop
📚 New Braunfels & Wurstfest books to discover our local history
🍺 A small selection of steins, mugs & hats
🎁 Unique gifts and New Braunfels-inspired treasures

*A little heads-up for all our hat lovers! Our authentic German hats will have their largest selection of styles and sizes exclusively at the Sophie’s Shop–Sophienburg Museum Booth at Wurstfest!

We have a few sizes available in the shop, but for the full hat-shopping experience, come find us at Booths C3–C4 in the Marketplatz, by the bricks & the main wursthalle entrance!

📅 Wurstfest | November 6–15, 2026

Stop by Sophie’s Shop before the festivities begin, then come say Hello to us at Wurstfest! Prost! 🍻

Meet Melissa, our amazing 3rd Thursday Yoga @ The Sophie teacher! Melissa has over 15 years of experience teaching yoga ...
10/11/2026

Meet Melissa, our amazing 3rd Thursday Yoga @ The Sophie teacher!

Melissa has over 15 years of experience teaching yoga in New Braunfels. Her passion is helping students connect breath and movement to quiet the mind and open the heart.

She earned her 200‑hour certification through Dharma Yoga in Austin in 2011 and also holds certifications in both kids’ yoga and aerial yoga.

One of her favorite ways to give back is through the Sophienburg, where she’s combined her love of yoga and community outreach. In 2022, she launched the popular Flow & Know: Yoga in Historical Places program, and she now leads our monthly Yoga @ The Sophie sessions.

Off the mat, Melissa can be found practicing at studios across Central Texas, paddling the river with her husband Marc and their wild crew of friends, taking long walks with their dog, and exploring local craft breweries.

Join Melissa next Thursday, October 15th for Yoga @ The Sophie!

Link in comments.

Step back in time with us as we share voices from Reflections, our ongoing oral history program that began in 1976 as pa...
10/10/2026

Step back in time with us as we share voices from Reflections, our ongoing oral history program that began in 1976 as part of the nation’s Bicentennial celebrations. Each episode brings you first-hand stories from the people who shaped New Braunfels — their memories, milestones, and moments that made history.

Season 3, Episode 23 is a Wurstfest special. This episode continues the stories of Myron Floren and his years at Wurstfest throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. In Reflections #0706, recorded on November 3, 1992, Tom Purdum interviews Myron Floren and Raymond Baese. Together, they share memories of Wurstfest, the people who made it special, and the good times they enjoyed with the Timmermann sisters. I’m informally calling this one: “Bread Pudding for Everyone!”

Link in Comments.

The Sophienburg Museum & Archives is excited to introduce History on Tap, a new quarterly lecture series celebrating the...
10/09/2026

The Sophienburg Museum & Archives is excited to introduce History on Tap, a new quarterly lecture series celebrating the stories, culture, and history that have shaped New Braunfels.

Join us for the first lecture on October 21 from 6–8 PM: “Pre-Prohibition and Brewing in New Braunfels.”

Our featured speaker, Travis Poling, will share insights from Texas b**r culture and alcohol history. Poling is the co-author of B**r Across Texas: A Guide to the Brews and Brewmasters of the Lone Star State and San Antonio B**r: Alamo City History by the Pint.

This special evening also marks the grand opening of A Funeral for Lady Liberty, a new exhibit exploring the Prohibition era.

Tickets are $25 for the general public and $15 for Sophienburg Members. Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets today:

Reserve Your $25 General Admission Tickets: https://sophienburg.com/history-on-tap-lecture-series/

Reserve Your $15 Member Tickets: https://eventlist.store/sophienburgmuseumarchives/rsvp

Become a Sophienburg Member: https://sophienburg.com/membership/

It is time for Archives Anonymous! This week, we have a 1966 photo of four ladies gathered for an unknown shower party. ...
10/07/2026

It is time for Archives Anonymous! This week, we have a 1966 photo of four ladies gathered for an unknown shower party. We unfortunately have no identification for any of these ladies, so any help in putting names to these faces is as always greatly appreciated!

Recognize anyone in this photo? Have any memories to share? Let us know in the comments! Or, you can email us at [email protected], or call us at (830) 629-1572. Thanks again!

New Braunfels' premiere holiday shopping event is back for 2026! Weihnachtsmarkt is a beloved New Braunfels tradition th...
10/05/2026

New Braunfels' premiere holiday shopping event is back for 2026!

Weihnachtsmarkt is a beloved New Braunfels tradition that brings the charm of Germany’s Christmas markets to Texas (with the bonus of being comfortably indoors).

The market will be open from November 20-22 and you can buy your tickets online now.

https://www.facebook.com/share/19RPaSMLpz/

10/04/2026

The Landa Park Band Shell once hosted live music and Fourth of July celebrations, with the Hi-Toppers Orchestra performing in the 1950s before fireworks and dancing continued into the night. The acoustical band shell, believed to have stood from the 1930s until the late 1960s, was eventually removed as the park was modernized, while the nearby Peninsula Playhouse also served as a venue for local and traveling theater productions.

Address

401 W. Coll Street
New Braunfels, TX
78130

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+18306291572

Website

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