Victoria's residents and visitors alike can enjoy the wide array of cultural opportunities the city has to offer. Offering historic monuments and museums, as well as theatrical performances and music-filled festivals, Victoria's cultural scene is thriving.

History Comes to Life in Victoria

Located in the center of downtown Victoria, DeLeon Plaza serves as a park complete with a gazebo and shade trees, and at night, lit trees complement the historic courthouse across the street. The plaza is one of four public squares laid out by colony founder Martin de Leon. Visitors will find six flags that welcome them to monuments, sidewalks, benches, memorials and a bandstand. 

The Trail of Six Flags Monument is a dedication to the explorers, founders and colonists of early Texas. Victoria is in the only county where all six flags have flown over Texas and is the site of the first European colony in Texas.

Home to the Nave House, the Nave Museum is a fine arts museum that is home to traveling exhibits of both classical and modern genres. Past exhibits include pieces by Royston Nave, for whom the museum was built, and world renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Mary Cassatt, Joan Mitchell and Freida Kahlo.

Victoria Preservation Inc. offers Tours of Victoria, which include walking and driving tours of historic properties year round. The company aids in the education and awareness of Victoria's historical significance by preserving, protecting and developing artifacts and properties throughout the city.

Music and Arts Invigorate and Enhance the City

Taking place each June, the Victoria Bach Festival provides a week of intimate concerts, oratorio and symphonic performances, and family-fun outdoor concerts. The festival is the perfect place for local and nationally acclaimed musicians to collaborate, giving visitors an engaging musical experience. Grammy winner Craig Hella Johnson leads a small creative team that shapes the festival's performances.

Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts is owned by Victoria Performing Arts Center Inc. and was dedicated in 2004, beginning the mission of bringing arts to downtown Victoria. Events include live theatrical performances, music, pageants and fellowship assemblies. The resident company, Theatre Victoria, operates the center, which is also available for rentals.

Victoria Symphony Orchestra started in 1974 and continues to provide music lovers with quality concerts including professional musicians from around the world. The orchestra enriches, entertains, educates and inspires the community through concerts and educational opportunities.

The Victoria Ballet Theatre is a nonprofit organization that works, often with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, to offer dance and appreciation of dance to the community. Past performances have included: The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf and Spring Gala. The theater also educates young people, trains dancers and provides a foundation for those interested in pursuing a career in the arts.