By Chip Chandler - Digital Content Producer
Six Amarillo and Canyon attractions will feature special offers Saturday for Museum Day -- part of the kick-off to this year's National Tourism Week celebrations.
Tourism Week — which runs through May 7 — is a national event promoted by the U.S. Travel Association. In Amarillo, it highlights the impact tourist dollars have on the city.
According to 2014 statistics from the Texas Office of Economic Development & Tourism, more than $877 million was pumped into the Amarillo economy by the tourism industry.
Festivities begin Saturday during Museum Day. American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, 2601 E. Interstate 40, will offer half-price admission with the purchase of a full-price admission, as will Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, 2503 Fourth Ave. in Canyon. Bill's Backyard Classics, 5309 S. Washington St., will offer two-for-one admission; so will the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian, 9151 E. Interstate 40. Don Harrington Discovery Center, 1200 Streit Drive, will offer $2 off admission when visitors mention "Museum Day." And Amarillo Museum of Art, 2200 S. Van Buren St., will offer a Georgia O'Keeffe door prize; admission is already free there.
"Why is it cool?" said Eric Miller, director of communications for the Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council. "Because, with special admissions this Saturday, a person can afford to see two, three or four museums in one day. Because it shows how many top-flight museums we have in our area. Because you can cover an incredible variety of subjects."
Celebrations continue May 6 with a Texas Panhandle Travel Rally Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Texas Travel Information Center, Interstate 40 and Airport Boulevard, where visitors can get information about more than 20 Panhandle attractions, then from 5 to 9 p.m. at the monthly First Friday Art Walk at The Galleries at Sunset Center, 3701 Plains Blvd.
National Train Day activities are included on May 7 with visits to the restored Madame Queen locomotive at Second Avenue and Lincoln Street and at Amarillo Railroad Museum, 3160 I Ave. Admission is free at both locations. Amarillo Venom will host Amarillo arts groups before its 7:05 p.m. May 7 game, where they will discuss summer camp opportunities for youth. The game will be held in the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Cal Farley Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St.
