Atomic Robot: The Texas Traveler - The Naranjo Museum of Natural History in Lufkin

The Texas Traveler - The Naranjo Museum of Natural History in Lufkin

Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey

During one of our journeys west from our home in central Louisiana, we ventured into the Lone Star State and explored the city of Lufkin. While Lufkin may be on the smaller side with a population of 34,074, it boasts a variety of attractions, including some impressive museums. After considering our options, we chose to spend the afternoon at the Naranjo Museum of Natural History, and we were genuinely amazed by the size and quality of the exhibits.

The Naranjo Museum features everything from a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex to fragments from the ancient Roman Coliseum, along with artifacts that have actually been to the moon. As history enthusiasts, my wife and I felt as though we had stepped into paradise. It's almost unbelievable that all these wonders come from one person's private collection. Having visited the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, I can confidently say that this collection stands tall, even if it's on a slightly smaller scale.

From the museum website:

Dinosaurs roamed the Earth for 165 million years, larger than life and dominating the landscape. Then, in an instant, they vanished.

Though they became extinct over 65 million years ago, dinosaurs continue to fascinate us with their habits, size, and power.

Unfortunately, much of their history is obscured by physical elements and remains buried, yet their story deserves to be told and shared.

In 1960, Dr. Neal Naranjo began a lifelong quest to discover and preserve dinosaur bones. Each new fossil he collected contributed to the foundation of the Naranjo Museum of Natural History.

Today, the Naranjo collection contains several thousand fossils and is both comprehensive and diverse. Highlights include a 26-foot tall Hadrosaur, a four-inch-long Coelacanth, a nurturing Einosaur mother with her child, a life-size replica of a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex, a fully grown Woolly Mammoth, and multiple unhatched dinosaur eggs.

With a keen eye for rare finds, the Naranjo family has built a collection that rivals those of many urban museums.

I wholeheartedly encourage anyone to visit this incredible ‘Jurassic Park’ in the delightful city of Lufkin. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as we did. The Naranjo Museum of Natural History is located at 5104 S First St, Lufkin, TX 75901, and you can reach them at (936) 639-3466.