Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas, is a specialist museum dedicated to the history, technology, and science of oil and gas production in the Permian Basin. Its collections interpret exploration, drilling, and production through artifacts, models, and technical displays.

Exhibits include indoor galleries on drilling technology, petroleum history, and regional geology, plus an outdoor display of oilfield equipment such as pumpjacks and other production machinery. The museum also maintains a palaeontology and earth-science section that presents fossils and geological context related to the Permian Basin.

The institution was created to preserve and explain the petroleum heritage of West Texas and to serve as an educational resource for industry professionals, students, and the public. It is located in Midland, near the city’s central area and readily accessible to visitors to the Permian Basin region.

Situated in Midland, the museum sits within the broader Permian Basin of West Texas, an extensive oil- and gas-producing region that spans multiple counties in the state.

• Outdoor displays: The museum documents the regional petroleum industry and includes outdoor displays of working and historic oilfield equipment that are visible from the grounds.
• Educational focus: It is a common educational destination for school groups and visitors interested in the technical, economic, and geological aspects of oil and gas production.

What to See#

• Main exhibit halls: Large indoor exhibit halls covering the history and technology of oil exploration, production, and processing in the Permian Basin region.
• Outdoor equipment display: Outdoor display area with examples of drilling and production equipment, including pumpjacks and other field gear used in the oil industry.
• Paleontology gallery: A palaeontology and earth-science gallery featuring fossils and geology exhibits that contextualize the region’s deep-time history.