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Uniquely Austin and Free

Waiting for your next paycheck to arrive doesn't have to mean staying at home twiddling your thumbs. Austin has a wide variety of things to see and do that don't cost a dime. Options are available to satisfy just about every taste, including music, museums, and outdoor activities.

The Live Music Capital of the World wouldn't be complete without a few free shows here and there. A great way to catch some of the top name acts appearing in Austin is to attend a taping of Austin City Limits, which is recorded in the KLRU studios on the University of Texas campus.

Getting tickets to an Austin City Limits taping is no simple matter however. Start by checking the KLRU Hotline at (512) 475-9077 to find out about upcoming performances and what radio station to listen to for the ticket giveaway announcement. Once the tickets are announced, get to the giveaway location as quickly as possible, since tickets are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

Arrive early for the taping, since a ticket doesn't guarantee admission. Extra tickets are handed out to ensure a full house for each taping. More details are available on KLRU's website, http://www.pbs.org/klru/austin/. All the hassle of getting tickets can pay off though, with performances by artists such as Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett, and Ozomatli.

Another great place to enjoy free music is Waterloo Records regular instore performances. Most performances get underway at 5pm and include free refreshments. If you do decide to splurge and purchase a CD, many appearances also include autograph signings by the artists. Previous performances include Pat Green, Ben Harper, and The Polyphonic Spree. Upcoming shows are listed on the Waterloo Records website, http://www.waterloorecords.com/.

Several free museums are scattered around the University of Texas Campus. UT's flagship museum is the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. The museum offers a variety of changing exhibitions, as well as a permanent collection of LBJ memorabilia, including a Presidential limousine and a seven-eighths scale replica of the Oval Office as it was during Johnson's presidency.

The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art offers both permanent and changing exhibitions of fine art. The collection includes European and Latin American work from antiquity to contemporary art. The museum is scheduled to move into a larger facility near the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in 2006.

A natural science museum, called The Texas Memorial Museum, is also housed on the UT campus. In early 2004, the Texas Memorial Museum reopened several renovated exhibits, which include fossils, dinosaur remains, and geological displays.

Budding scientists may also be interested in the public viewing nights at two of the University of Texas campus telescopes. On Friday and Saturday nights between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., weather permitting, a 9-inch telescope built in the 1930s on the top of Painter Hall is open for viewing by the public. A more modern 16-inch telescope on the top of the RLM building is open to the public between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday nights. Typical viewings can include planets, binary stars, or even nebulae.

During the warmer months of the year, another natural wonder to catch is the nightly flight by the more than one million bats living under the Congress Avenue Bridge. A crowd begins gathering on the bridge just before sunset to watch as the Mexican free-tailed bats emerge like a black cloud to feed on insects. The bats call Austin home from mid-March to early November.

Nature lovers may also enjoy a free stroll through the serene scenery of the Zilker Botanical Garden. Located just minutes from downtown, the 31 acre grounds include a Japanese garden, fountains, and even a demonstration "green garden" featuring xeriscape techniques designed to thrive in the Central Texas area with little watering.

On a clear day, consider visiting Mount Bonnell for a panoramic view of the Austin skyline and the surrounding hill country. Located just minutes from downtown by car, Mount Bonnell is also an ideal spot to picnic. Be sure to wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes, as there are about 100 stone stairs leading up to the lookout.

Several of Austin's historic attractions are open free to the public, most notably the Texas Capitol building. The Capitol Visitors Center, located in the 1850s era General Land Office building, offers exhibits about the Capitol. The Visitors Center also offers guided group tours, which require advance reservations.

Located near the Capitol building, the Governor's Mansion of Texas also offers free tours. The mansion is a national historical landmark and predates the Capitol building by 32 years. Tour times vary and are available on a 24-hour recorded message by calling (512) 463-5516 and reservations must be made by calling (512) 463-5518.

Even getting from one free attraction to another can be accomplished without breaking open your piggy bank. Most of the attractions above are on or near one of Capital Metro's free Dillo' trolley bus routes. Check the Capital Metro website, www.capmetro.org, as routes and schedules vary.

With so much to see and do for free, there is no excuse for sitting home and watching reruns. Even if your pockets are empty, you can still afford to get out and explore the city.

MUSIC

Austin City Limits

KLRU hotline: (512) 475-9077

http://www.pbs.org/klru/austin/

Waterloo Records

600 A. North Lamar

(512) 474-2500

http://www.waterloorecords.com

UT MUSEUMS

LBJ Library and Museum

2313 Red River St.

(512) 721-0200

http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu

The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art

23 & San Jacinto

(512) 471-7324

http://www.blantonmuseum.org

Texas Memorial Museum

2400 Trinity St.

(512) 471-1604

http://www.tmm.utexas.edu

SCIENCE/NATURE

UT Astronomy Department Telescopes

(512) 232-4265

outreach.as.utexas.edu/public/

Congress Avenue Bridge Bats

Bat Hot Line: (512) 416-5700 (Category 3636)

http://www.batcon.org/discover/congress.html

Zilker Botanical Garden

2220 Barton Springs Rd

(512) 477-8672

http://www.zilkergarden.org

Mount Bonnell

3800 Mount Bonnell Rd

HISTORICAL

The Texas Capitol Visitors Center

112 East 11th Street

(512) 305-8400

http://www.texascapitolvisitorscenter.com

The Governor's Mansion of Texas

1010 Colorado

Tour information: (512) 463-5516

Tour reservations: (512) 463-5518

http://www.txfgm.org

TRANSPORTATION

Capital Metro Downtown 'Dillo

http://www.capmetro.org