I really enjoyed the Samurai Collection. Not only was it a free museum it has free valet. I liked that each piece was labeled with the period it came from and a bit of what and how its made. This is definitely a great place to go for a bit in Texas heat to enjoy some nice cool air and history.

Saw this and decided to go in the spur of the moment. Be aware this exhibit is NOT inside the Ann and Gabriel Barbieri Mueller Museum. Its next door, on the second floor above a restaurant. Yes, youll have to walk through the restaurant to reach the museum. No, its not a big deal. The display was more comprehensive than I expected. There is a lot of information provided, along with Samurai history, and often who owned the armor originally. All of the items are hundreds of years old and most are still stunningly beautiful. I highly recommend visiting this place.

Stunning collection of samurai’s armors! Such an interesting place to visit, most of the exhibit is inside of the Saint Ann Restaurant, plus 6 horses and samurais armors inside the building next to the restaurant. Free entrance. A must for museum lovers and visitors to Dallas. So much history, details and beauty.

A wonderful experience of samurai culture hidden away in the heart of Dallas. A bit hard to locate if you dont know where youre going, but my three young children had a great time once we found it!

What a beautiful and meticulously curated collection. The museum is small but substantial and the artifacts, the descriptions and the interactive guides all provide a wonderful window into Samurai culture. This place could charge $10 like some of the other museums about town and it would still be worth it. The fact that it’s free is a bonus, but it is a must-see regardless. Ask for directions - it’s on the second floor of a restaurant.

Fantastic collection of samurai uniforms and artifacts. I appreciate that this is open to the public

A must see if you are in Dallas! The details on the armor are exquisite and I loved all of the pieces and learning about the history behind them.

Very cool place to visit! There is a lot of very interesting historical information here, plus its free!The place is a bit difficult to find if youre not familiar with the area. It is inside of the restaurant. When you walk into the restaurant, the hostess is right there, and you can ask them, or if you just walk forward there is a set of stairs. On the other side of the wall beside the stairs is elevators. The museum is basically the second floor of the restaurant. It was kinda hot in there, be warned, but totally worth it.

Small but wonderfully presented collection of samurai armor and equipment. I expected more samurai swords, but the rest of the collection still satisfied. The museum have great historical context to the artifacts.My favorite order was the tiny pistol, designed to be small enough to fit in a kimono. It was only inches long. I never thought of samurai as gun toters, but there are a few guns in the collection.

Great stop on your trip downtown! While the space is small, the collection is large. My 18 year old daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is a snap shot of what you will see.

This was the most amazing experience! The museum is beautiful and well laid out so that you have an opportunity to take your time and enjoy all of these wonderful pieces. I would definitely recommend stopping here if you are in Dallas!

Cool very little museum above a restaurant. Quick 15 minute stop. Parking free at valet stand next door.

Diverse group of samurai armor, small weapons collection, and some interactive video and audio stations. Educational explanation of what and why the armor and culture was important to feudal Japan eras.

From the exhibits I liked the short barreled pistol, saihai and the armor inside the library. Overall its a nice place to spend time looking at the collection

The Samurai Collection is one of the most unique on-display collections by a Texas family yet not that many people even know it exists!Generously funded by a family whose passion has lead to owning one of the most vast and intentional collections of Samurai warrior authentic armor makes for an eye opening experience.And unlike other Dallas museums, The Samurai has such in-depth stories of each piece that the space is small (meaning, not Texas sized) but very focused and mesmerizing. As you turn each corner you get a unique effect unlike anything you’ve ever seen.I particularly think children will live this museum and they offer periodic educational opportunities for both children and adults.

Excellent exhibit and well worth the time.

This was super cool to check out. The armour was intricate. Wish there were some swords, but overall a great vist.

Although my time was very brief the exhibition pieces were all in great condition and plenty of background information on the subject at hand

As a practitioner of martial arts, being able to come to this part of Dallas and see the samurai collection was an incredible experience. There is authentic armor from different dynasties of feudal Japan, and a must-see for anyone coming from out of state.

Huge collection, very informative, posh restaurant and bar below

Very interesting and thorough discovery of this era of the Japanese culture. A wonderful display of amazing artifacts. The video presentation was extensive. Free to the public is a real bonus!

Some really well presented and well maintained Japanese armor from the Edo period. There are a few signs outside for this installation, and I have heard that people have a hard time finding it. I think if you are looking for it - you can find it. It is on the second floor of the Saint Ann Restaurant and Bar. The staff of the restaurant is very friendly and helpful and directed us to the stairs for the second floor right away. Unfortunately the library was closed when we were there, but the lady working at the desk was very knowledgeable about the pieces and really seemed to geek out with us about it. The collection is open to the public and free of charge. If you are in the area, I would really recommend looking at this awesome slice of Japanese history.

Awesome collection of samurai armory! Would definitely recommend to check it out!

We got confused about how to find the entrance at first. We accidentally entered through the back which is the kitchen. One of the employees pointed us to the right direction. You take the stairs inside the restaurant to the second floor. The museum is small but it has a lot of great displays of armor and weapons and lots of detailed information. And the better thing? It’s free. We were pleasantly surprised that this free, small museum was as impressive as it is.

Visited this museum on Thursday, August 8th, 2019 with my 17 year old son. The collection is impressive. I have never seen that many sets of armor in one place. The additional pieces are great as well. If you have an interest in Japanese culture, this place is a must visit. And its free!

Incredible collection of historic Japanese samurai armor. The collection is fantastically curated, cared for, and presented. Cant recommend enough to history fans, and people who appreciate fantastic craftsmanship.

Absolutely exquisite display! In a great historical location and free to enter.

Kind of an obscure gem, but definitely worth seeing. No cost to visit. It is above a restaurant in a standalone building. The address will take you to a hotel/skyscraper. The lobby has some decor with horses and suits of armor and wall art and banners. Theyll direct you to the nearby standalone building. Go there, head upstairs. Anything less than a full suit feels too casual. Very high end feel. Ignore that, though. Desk workers will direct you to head into the museum area.Fantastic collection of armor, helmets, weaponry, artwork, and other artifacts from the region and time period. Im not huge into Samurai history but the information is great and explains time period and uses, among other things. Really cool experience, really unable to find this kind of stuff in the US as far as I know.

Very cool little museum above a very cool restaurant. The installations are professional and impressive. If you want to get a taste, you can see examples of the exhibits in the lobby of the building next door. The first Saturday of each month is free from 1-3pm.

Wicked cool place! Its small but packed with a beautiful collection of everything Samurai. Front desk was made us feel welcomed and excited for what was inside Every piece is well catalogued with dates and special information on the pieces. They had touch screens in some areas for learning. We brought our 10 y/o and he had a great time with the interactive screens as well as a library in the back with books for people of various ages. There were a few drawbacks was like the glare on the around the displays, which did make it a bit difficult to really capture the beautiful collection. Also, finding the place can be tricky, as you must be valet parked(complimentary) by a hotel, then once you walk into the building you must pass through a restaurant and go upstairs/elevator to find the collection.

The exhibit was very well done and the staff was knowledgeable and very attentive.

Small but stunning collection of historical Japanese arms and armaments. Friendly staff. Free parking in the attached parking garage. No cost for admission, great place.

Exciting place. I wanted to read every book they have in the little library.

Awesome museum at a great location!

This was amazing. I took my nephews. They had calligraphy and Japanese writing. The kids made samauri helmets and tried on armor. They were read stories in Japanese. The collection was small but very nice. They also had a scavenger hunt.

Absolutely loved the Samurai Collection. Pretty small, but overall incredible items on display. I would strongly recommend stopping for a visit. Super confusing to find the exact location.. You have to walk through an upscale restaurant, go upstairs and there you are. In the second story of an old, renovated Catholic school. Surrounded by the artifacts of highly respected Japanese warriors. Did I mention, its FREE?!

Interesting museum. I recommend to anyone interested in asian culture. The carving pieces they have are mesmerizing.

Very cool little nugget hidden away upstairs at Saint Ann’s restaurant. A wealth of Samurai history and artifacts. Well worth the stop.

Its a nice informative place. They also have a great selection of books. Their pieces change every once in a while. Also, its free!

A wounderful museum with amazing stafe. You get to see and learn so much. Perfect for a small addition to your day. The museum is free and just a short elevator ride or walk up the stairs from restaurant.

In one word; incredible! There is so much here and the level of detail that the descriptions go into is truly awesome. Any fan of history would enjoy the 30min to an hour it takes to walk through and truly enjoy it all. If your a fan of Samurai history (like myself) though the space is somewhat small, you could spend over an hour taking it all in and then enjoy a book in the library room or perhaps watch the full video they have playing of the entire sword making process using old world methods. Either way, I quite honestly cannot recommend this place enough.

This place is great place. Lots of beautiful displays and open to public for free. There is so much to see. You can literally spend all day here. So glad they did this, a visit is definitely worth it.

It was a nice place. Not big but still just as interesting.

This place is found on the second floor of a restaurant. Its a small treasured spot that not a lot of people go to. I do want to underline the fact that it is small, so if you are expecting big museum like DMA or Perot, then you will be very disappointed.It contains a Samurai collection that rotates every so often based on what the person on the front shared with us and its also part of the travelling collection that goes around globally. The collection is exquisite. Best of all, its free. Ive been there numerous times and every time, it never fails to impress.

Great personal collection

Pretty cool! Not too extensive of a collection, but a neat place to spend an hour if you’re into samurai history.

A very interesting and atypical hidden gem of Dallas--and a great extension to those that may not realize the Crow Museum isnt the only place to have a very in-depth Japanese and Asian history exhibit--though specifically focusing on the Samurai armor (in addition to a few European helmets; which for those in the know the Japanese armor took on some European influences, which the exhibit demonstrates with one, but also you will find some European helmets in the library that are available to look through.)And by atypical, Im not just referring to the exhibit itself, which unless you visit the Saint Ann Restaurant will you likely even know this exists (I almost felt like I was expected to be asked the house password, in which I would respond, Fidelio to someone wearing a tengu mask.) I parked in the parking garage adjacent to Mercat Bistro. When you get inside the 5th floor (or 6th?) doesnt require a reservation to park in, and when you arrive to ground will you notice some impressive full body armor and horse armor (with real taxidermy I might add) on display on the ground floor, with Mercat Bistro right behind it, as well as a service desk. When you step outside you will see that Saint Ann restaurant I was talking about, where when you enter an elevator awaits (or if you walk past the bar a staircase will take you up there,) and an entrance (and a false entrance that will sound the alarm if you try to pry it open, which I didnt) will let you walk through the second floor that is entirely dedicated to this exhibit.)Its worth it (though the parking situation has me a bit confused, as I think I snuck past someone to get in.)

My son found this and wanted to do it. It is through a restaurant (which is kind of weird), but they are use to people going through and even help direct you. It was great.

Fun little stop if you were on a walk about Dallas. I am not sure if it was just my visit but, they did not have any music in the back ground so it was a very quite almost uncomfortable visit.

Laura, one of the event coordinators at the front desk was very helpful! Chad, who was suppose to be our guide and answer questions was zero help. I hope hes a volunteer and not on the payroll? On his phone the entire time....Besides that, this place was a hidden treasure! Very, very detailed. Thanks to the family for sharing their private collection. Laura said its the largest collection outside of Japan.It is tricky to find because it is above an upscale restaurant (go inside and upstairs) as some previously mentioned, which also means parking can be difficult.Definitely worth the time spent!

Everything about our visit was wonderful - close convenient FREE parking, the staff at the wrong building we went into first as well as the restaurant staff were all so very kind, the museum was everything we expected and more. The museum staff was knowledgeable and welcoming, clean bathrooms. My only regret was that slivers of light from outside made for few opportunities for quality photos. But that could be lack of skill or proper equipment on my part. Its not large, but they change out items on display twice a year. Beautiful outdoor area for lounging after museum visit as well.

This museum is free. This museum contains objects (samurai armor and related objects) that are hard to find elsewhere, at least in the quantity that they have here. Though small, it is well worth the effort to get to. To access the museum, you must enter through the restaurant that it is located above. To park, uss the parking garage in the building behind the restaurant/museum. You cannot miss the building with the parking garage, but you can easily miss the sign that says that the parking is also for the museum. Excellent museum.

Very cool exhibit. They send someone to lurk over you (I guess so you dont use flash & touch things youre not supposed too) but he just played on his phone and sat in a corner so we felt rushed

We spent over four hours looking through the collection and reading the many informative plaques. Its a lot smaller than I thought it would be but the content was enthralling. Best part is, its free!

They have a very nice collection, some interactive activities for the kids and best of all it’s free!

Loved our time. Seeing things from around the world. Free to the public. Was great

This was a really interesting collection! I love asian culture, particularly Korean and Japanese so it was really interesting learning about one of the most notable warrior types in existence. Also a great place to practice Japanese, if youre learning the language. A lot of plaques and descriptions are in the language so it was fun trying to read it without bad english translations. A very fun date day, I plan to go back on my own soon so I can really take my time studying it in detail.

Very enjoyable displays. With good explanations.

Breathtakingly beautiful exhibit. Its a shame that my son got kicked out of looking at a portion of the exhibit and I had to exchange words with one of the staff just so they could let him see it. I dont know what you need to do to get a tour of the exhibit but they dont voluntarily give them.In short, exhibit= fascinating. Perfect for history buffs and those interested in weapons and armor making. Staff= could be better.Also, the parking area is on the 4th floor of the building beside it as opposed to the 1st floor as the sign in the elevator says.

Yes, it is hard to find and I consider that a virtue as Im not sure such a small space could handle more than a dozen people at once. This is a compact and suitably deferential display of samurai items from a private collection. The layout is coherent and easily managed in 30 minutes, or you can linger a bit in the study and compare the intricate armor youve seen while walking through the collection with the handful of crude European armor from the same time period.

They dont have a lot katanas. I would like to see more katanas in other exposition. First floor you find a good restaurant. I liked it.

Hidden. In the restaurant, up the stairs!!Logo on the building. People dont tell you full directions. Passed it a couple of times.Excited when finally arrived.Employees werent thrilled. Interactive stuff didnt work.Very small...

Downsides: Its hard to find. You have to go through the restaurant to get to it, which is a bit awkward. Its also a bit small, but you can still easily spend an hour or more if you take your time.Upsides: Absolutely fantastic collection, with quality explanations and a lovely atmosphere. You can see just how much effort has been put into researching and displaying this stuff - its phenomenally well done. The free admission is just a nice bonus - Id happily pay to enjoy this place. Its truly a hidden gem, and worth hunting to find.

Loved this place, for a free museum it was great. If you like history and of course Samurais this is a must go to place.

I really enjoyed this collection of Samurai historical items. Its a free museum even though its a private collection and it makes for a very nice hour or so while you are downtown.

Free and short exhibition, it was okay. Plus, you can do two things, theres a nice restaurant below this little museum.

Its not a huge collection, but very nice! Takes about an hour depending on how fast a reader you are to get through everything.

It was a great experience to witness up to 3,000 year old Premium Samurai Warrior Art collections. Im really happy to know an American Mr Chad who had read the complete Bhagavad Gita and conversed more than hour about India, Hindu culture, religious practices and beliefs. Its was a great conversation with you Sir.

Cool place above the restaurant.

Fun, free and educational Samurai Museum. Its a fairly small exhibit (read most of the displays in under 30 mins), but its still a unique attraction if youre visiting Dallas and struggling to find other things to do.

Like walking back in time to 1870s Japan. Magnificent collection!

I thought it was a little weird that its above a restaurant but overall I had a great experience.

Kind of confusing to find if yiu have never been before, but worth the visit. No access issues with my service dog staff was helpful guiding me to the museum

Getting here is awkward though. We had to literally walk through the restaurant to get upstairs to the museum. Is believe there is another way, if you park underneath the building and take the elevators to the 2nd floor. I mentioned this first so potential visitors may see this info and avoid confusion :pThe museum itself is very nice. Lots of helmets. Its amazing how well they have been taken care of to centuries. Dont miss the library in the back - there were beautiful ceremonial helmets, for weddings in the far left corner. Beautiful

Although small and a bit hidden (upstairs from the restaurant), this is a really great museum with some pretty cool displays. I wish that there were more stories told, but the items they have collected are incredible!

Very interesting, learned a lot and had a great time

The place was great. Small venue which keeps it quiet and intimate. The collection was awesome and very nicley displayed.

Great stuff!

Really fascinating information & polite, resourceful employees!

Beautiful display and great amount of things to learn about Japanese samurai culture. Best of all, its free

Its a small collection but very interesting to see items hundreds of years old.

The museum is free, and the collection is changed from time to time. The exhibit is absolutely wonderful, and the staff is knowledgeable. We went during an after hours cocktail tour. The staff was very friendly and allowed us to view the collection on our own before and after the tour. There is also a library inside where you can study the various books collected there. There is a giftshop, but I didnt get a chance to look. The collection spans from the 11th century to the end of the Edo period for the collection during our visit. It is a great representation of Samurai equipment if youre interested in getting an up close and personal look at it.

Amazing collection of some unique artefacts from samurai era. Couldnt quite understand why it was above a restaurant as this was heaving on a Sunday morning but the museum was empty. Worth visiting anyway.

Nice museum and free

Great bit of history right downtown

You have to go inside the restaurant and go upstair from inside. A bit dark but stilla pretty cool to see the armors up close.

Sensational collection. Small but amazing. Efforts of Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller very commendable. And its free admission. Worth a visit.

The staff are knowledgeable the museum is small and its free year round so small children wont get bored before you finish looking around also there is a restaurant and a coffee shop near by so if you go you can make it a date or just a small family outing

Very nice, but hidden. My kids enjoyed it, but you will be interrupting peoples dinner while cutting through the restaurant.

Difficult to find but once you do, completely worth it!

Pretty sure this place is haunted...

This is only about 10% of the collection! Its located on the second floor of an upscale café restaurant. This museum has FREE admission! The museum and bathrooms is very clean and organized. Many of the artifacts are displayed in glass cases and in mostly pristine condition. Theres even a library with a TV that plays videos about the Japanese lifestyle and culture during the samurai era. I learned a lot. Would definitely come back with more friends and family.

A really fascinating look at the history of the samurai class from Japan in a small museum.

Located on top of a restaurant. Totally worth the visit! Nice collection

Very beautiful, and serene museum. Loved the location.

Excellent exhibit. Definitely worth a stop by!

This is an excellent collection of samurai armors outside of a big museum. It however needs more weaponry.

An unexpected find above a restaurant. definitely worth your time.

A fascinating view of Samurai history with meticulous descriptions, diagrams and x-rays of equipment. Esthetically beautiful scenerio for the engineer mind.

The collection is pretty interesting and informative. Also, it is the only Samurai collection in Texas and it is free. The place is upstairs inside a restaurant, so it can be hard to find.