Southwest Museum of Clocks & Watches
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Welcome to the Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches!

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NEW HOURS:
Friday 10:30AM - 4:30PM
Saturday 10AM - 4PM
Sunday 1PM - 5PM

ADMISSION:
General: $5
Seniors (65+) & Veterans: $3
Children, 12 & under: Free


THANK YOU to everyone who has made the SOUTHWEST MUSEUM OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES in Lockhart a reality. Our volunteers, donors, directors and members have worked tirelessly to design and build a breathtaking space to house and display our collection of timepiece treasures. With your continued support, we plan expand our galleries and bringing in new collections for exhibit. Come see this magnificent museum located on the historic square in Lockhart, TX at
​109 E. San Antonio St.
​We hope to see you soon!

The Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. ​

Our Clock Restorations are Magnificent!

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In addition to displaying our many timepiece treasures at the museum, of our mission of "keeping time" also includes magnificent restoration work. The before and after photos above tell the story the best! 

Museum Featured in AWCI Horological Times Magazine

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The Museum was honored to be featured in AWCI's Horological Times October issue. The piece by Kathy Ortt, entitled "Preserving Venerable Timepieces for Texas and Beyond: The Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches" is available online in PDF form at the AWCI website: ​READ FULL STORY HERE

SW Museum President and Founder, Gene Galbraith Featured in UT's ALCALDE Magazine

Read all about Gene Galbraith, his vision that created the Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches, and the passion that keeps it ticking. Thank you to ALCALDE for the great feature!
​Click here to read the
article: Making Time: Meet the Man watching over the oldest clocks in Texas. 
Photo by Dan Winters
BUSINESS CIRCLE MEMBERS
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The Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches is a proud member of the Lockhart Chamber of Commerce. 


SWMC Press & Awards

Texas Farm & Home Magazine Feature Article on the SW Museum ​of Clocks & Watches

The Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches was featured in Texas Farm & Home Magazine in September of 2015. The article tells the story of the museum, its restoration and preservation work, as well as an introductions to museum president, Gene Galbraith and several dedicated volunteers. Click the image below to read the full article. 
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Download PDF (file size 2.5mb)

SWMC Added to Dutch Directory of Worldwide Clock & Watch Museums

Click Here to see the Directory of Clock Museums in the United States. 
Click Here to see the Directory of Worldwide Clock Museums. 

Texas Historic Commission's John L. Nau III Award for Excellence in Museums awarded to Gene Galbraith

On March 23, 2013, just in time for the museum's 5 year anniversary celebration, the Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches' president Gene Galbraith was honored with the Texas Historic Commission's (THC) John L. Nau, III Award of Excellence in Museums for his expertise in the specialized field of timepiece restoration. He was also honored for his work on the Texas Tower Clock Initiative, which focused on the stewardship, repair, and preservation of historic tower clocks in 15 historic Texas courthouses. In addition, Galbraith was recognized for his public outreach efforts to educate the public about the history of clocks through museum exhibits and other educational events. Read the full story on the Texas Historic Commission's (THC) website.
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SWMC's National Award Winning Thwaites & Reed Tower Clock 

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June 17-21, 2014, The Southwest Museum of Clocks ​and Watches was awarded a blue ribbon and a medal for its Thwaites & Reed Tower Clock Exhibit to the NAWCC (National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors) in a National ​Convention in Milwaukee, WI. The physical exhibit was not moved to Milwaukee, but the story of this great clock was told in a special exhibit. From beginning to end, the restoration was shown in photos and captions displayed in the Convention Hall for NAWCC members from around the world to view. 
 See More >


Tower Clock Initiative

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One of the important Museum initiatives is the restoration of Texas Tower Clocks. The Museum is always busy investigating and repairing historic Texas Tower Clocks, and regularly briefs and works with Texas counties to renovate & maintain their historic clocks. Additionally, the museum tracks, presents, promotes and publishes information on Tower Clocks. See More >

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Watch the Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches' slideshow presentation on the Restoration of the Historic Caldwell County Courthouse Tower Clock in Lockhart, Texas >


If You Love Clocks & Watches, Pass it On! ​

Young Benjamin Galbraith is shown helping his grandfather "Grumpy" Gene Galbraith with clock repairs. The future of the art of clockmaking—repairing and preserving timepieces—is dependent upon sparking the interest of young minds today. The SW Museum of Clocks and Watches plays a vital role in educating and feeding the curiosity of youngsters of all ages. From school field trips to Boy Scout workshops, as well as visitors from all around the country and the world, the Museum strives to ensure that this appreciation and knowledge will live on for generations to come. ​
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Above: Marty Humphrey (age 7) studies how the gears function inside a tower clock exhibit at the museum. 
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Y E A R - R O U N D  E X H I B I T S 

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The SW Museum of Clocks proudly exhibits Horological History throughout its magnificent galleries. Many clocks were made in America during the Civil War Period. Should it matter which side of the Mason Dixie Line they were manufactured as to whether they are worthy of preservation for posterity? Multiracial Americans were involved in the clock-making industry. Which of the clocks shown in the photo were made by African Americans or Anglo Americans? All were made by both African and Anglo Americans, living in the North and the South; Unionists and Secessionists alike; United States of America and Confederate States of America!

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The Caldwell County Clock Tower is reflected in the glass windows of the former museum building, superimposing its image upon the museum's collections.
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The Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches has a beautiful collection of rare and historically significant horological pieces from around the world, spanning three centuries. 
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© 2022 Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches  |  109 E. San Antonio St., Lockhart, TX 78644  | 512-256-3853 | Email the Museum    
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