Adults
High Noon Talks
First Wednesday of Every Month
Noon – 1 PM
FREE
Come to the Museum on the first Wednesday of every month during the noon hour for engaging conversations in the exhibits! High Noon Talks feature special guests who reveal the interesting and often untold tales that shape the story of Texas.
Texas Characters
Wednesday, February 3
Want to know what it takes to have a personality as big as Texas? Find out about some of Texas's quirkiest characters including the fantastically named Bozo Texino, Madam Candelaria, and Plennie L. Wingo, from Gene Fowler, author of Mavericks: A Gallery of Texas Characters. Book signing to follow.
Download the podcast from an interview with Gene Fowler here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
History of Conjunto Music
Wednesday, March 3
Cristina Balli, Program Director at Texas Folklife, will provide a brief introduction to the history and continuing importance of conjunto music in Texas and Mexican culture. Her presentation will conclude with a screening of the 26-minute documentary The Big Squeeze, which follows a group of extraordinary accordion players and their families on their quest for a spot in the finals of the Accordion Kings and Queens Festival in Houston, Texas.
Selena
Wednesday, April 3
Over a decade after her tragic death, Selena's impact on the world of Tejano music continues to be felt. Join Joe Nick Patoski, author of Selena: Como la Flor, for a discussion of the interweaving of culture and career that led both to her rapid ascension to success and to her
sudden and untimely end.
Reexamining Cinco de Mayo
Wednesday, May 5
On the annual commemoration of Cinco de Mayo, Teresa Palomo Acosta will address the broader cultural reasons Mexican Americans celebrate Ignacio Zaragoza’s victory over the French military in Puebla, Mexico, on May 5, 1862. Acosta’s discussion will link Zaragoza to the ways Mexican Americans celebrate their bicultural ties through their historical contributions to both Texas and Mexico. Her talk will also explore how Cinco de Mayo is an expression of the universal human desire to champion democratic ideals.
Previous High Noon Talks
House of Plenty: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Luby's Cafeterias
Wednesday, January 6
Have you ever considered the story behind the cafeteria line? Join Carol Dawson, author of House of Plenty: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Luby's Cafeterias, for a captivating look at the history of the Luby's name and its long-standing impact on the state of Texas. Book signing to follow.
Download the podcast from an interview with Carol Dawson here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
Wednesday, December 2
Quilts have history sewn into every stitch. Join Marcia Kaylakie, author, collector, teacher, appraiser, and quilt lover, for a few of the stories found in the exhibit A Legacy of Quilts: The Briscoe Center's Joyce Gross Collection. Kaylakie will focus on the quilts of two extraordinary women, Pine Eisfeller and Bertha Stenge, and their lasting impact on the American quilting world.
Download the podcast from an interview with Marcia Kaylakie here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
Wednesday, November 4, 12 - 1 PM
Dr. Loriene Roy, an Anishinabe (Ojibwe) enrolled on the White Earth Reservation, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, and a Professor of Library and Information Science at University of Texas at Austin will discuss her fight against illiteracy within the Native American community through the "If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything" program, a national reading club for American Indian youths. Since its inception in 1999 the program has helped thousands of children in Texas and across the nation. In 2010, Roy will launch "Operation Teen Book Drop" that partners with reservation schools and young adult reading blogs to increase the availability of quality, appropriate reading materials for American Indian children. Professor Roy will be joined by a few members of the "If I Can Read" staff for a discussion on the impact of the program within the community and how community members can take action to help.
Download the podcast from an interview with Dr. Roy here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
Wednesday, October 7
The world of Texas politics in the 1920s was tumultuous. “Hot button” issues such as Prohibition, the Ku Klux Klan, and “Fergusonism” divided the electorate into warring factions. L. Patrick Hughes, Professor of History at Austin Community College, will examine the 1924 gubernatorial battle to the death between the Texas Klan and the husband and wife team of James Edward (Pa) and Miriam Amanda (Ma) Ferguson. The Klan, seeking to consolidate its hold on Texas politics, ran headlong into impeached Governor Jim Ferguson’s effort to return to power via Miriam’s unlikely candidacy. The outcome marked a turning point for both the Klan and the Fergusons and offers a revealing window into Texas politics in the early twentieth century.
Download the podcast from an interview with Dr. Hughes here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, September 2
In the late 1890s some observers thought that Galveston's port proved so vital to the nation's economy that the city would soon be known as the "New York of the Gulf." However, the hurricane that slammed into the island on the night of September 8, 1900 changed Galveston's fortunes forever and left dramatic impressions that its survivors would never forget. Join Richard Eisenhour, a Galveston native and descendant of the 1900 Storm, for a multi-media presentation on the history and impact of the hurricane.
Download the podcast of an interview with Richard Eisenhour here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Wednesday, August 5
How have immigrants contributed to the larger mosaic of Texas music? Dr. Gary Hartman, Director of the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University, will present audio clips and speak about the development of music in Texas with the arrival of immigrants to the state during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Hartman here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Wednesday, July 1, 12-1 PM
Join Dr. Thomas Barnes, Senior Research Scientist at the McDonald Observatory, for a fascinating look at the history of the McDonald Observatory, in recognition of the International Year of Astronomy. Initiated by UNESCO and the International Astronomical Union, 2009 is a world-wide celebration honoring the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first use of the telescope. Closer to home, McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Barnes will present the history of the observatory, give a visual tour of the mountain-top facility in West Texas, and describe the plans for another 70 years of science excellence.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Barnes here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, June 3, 12-1 PM
Join us to rejoice and reflect on Juneteenth, a day commemorating African American freedom. In conjunction with the special exhibit, Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America Through Galveston Island, Dr. Dwight Watson, Associate Professor at Texas State University in San Marcos, will share the history of Juneteenth and Galveston's role in its creation. Watson will also vividly recall the struggle and triumph of slaves and how the influx of European immigrants to Texas impacted their lives as newly emancipated people.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Watson here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, May 6, 12-1 PM
Dr. Evan Carton, Director of the Humanities Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, will present four poems from the collection, Americans' Favorite Poems, compiled at the turn of the 21st century by former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. Composed over a span of more than 100 years and exploring different moments and moods in the history of immigration and the lives of immigrants to the Americas, Carton will read "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, "Refugee Blues" by W.H. Auden, "Prospective Immigrants Please Take Note," by Adrienne Rich, and "A Far Cry From Africa" by Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Carton here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, April 1, 12-1 PM
Join us for a lively lecture by Charles Ramírez Berg, Author of Latino Images in Film: Stereotypes, Subversion, and Resistance, and a University Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Radio-TV-Film at the University of Texas at Austin. An expert on both Mexican cinema and images of Latinos in American cinema, Dr. Berg's lecture will include associated film clips that illustrate a variety of aspects of Latino experience in Texas through the medium of film.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Berg here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, March 4, 12 - 1 PM
Join Irwin Tang, editor of Asian Texans: Our Histories and Our Lives, as he guides the audience along the journey of an imaginary Chinese Texan landing on the shores of Galveston in 1870. The Chinese Texan, named "John,"
helps to build the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, works as a sharecropper in East Texas, witnesses the general strike of Galveston in 1877, runs an Opium Den in El Paso, and escapes the Mexican Revolution with the help of legendary General John J. Pershing in 1916. This journey is based on the wild and convoluted true history of Chinese Texans.
Download the podcast from Irwin Tang's High Noon Talk here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Calendar of Public Events
Click here to see a complete calendar of Public Events.
Admission to the Museum’s exhibits, including the special exhibit in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall of Special Exhibitions: $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors/military/college students (with valid ID), $4 for youth ages 5-18, free for ages 4 and under. The Museum is located at 1800 N. Congress Ave., at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in downtown Austin. For more information, call 512-936-TSHM (512-936-8746).
High Noon Talks
First Wednesday of Every Month
Noon – 1 PM
FREE
Come to the Museum on the first Wednesday of every month during the noon hour for engaging conversations in the exhibits! High Noon Talks feature special guests who reveal the interesting and often untold tales that shape the story of Texas.
Texas CharactersWednesday, February 3
Want to know what it takes to have a personality as big as Texas? Find out about some of Texas's quirkiest characters including the fantastically named Bozo Texino, Madam Candelaria, and Plennie L. Wingo, from Gene Fowler, author of Mavericks: A Gallery of Texas Characters. Book signing to follow.
Download the podcast from an interview with Gene Fowler here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
History of Conjunto MusicWednesday, March 3
Cristina Balli, Program Director at Texas Folklife, will provide a brief introduction to the history and continuing importance of conjunto music in Texas and Mexican culture. Her presentation will conclude with a screening of the 26-minute documentary The Big Squeeze, which follows a group of extraordinary accordion players and their families on their quest for a spot in the finals of the Accordion Kings and Queens Festival in Houston, Texas.
SelenaWednesday, April 3
Over a decade after her tragic death, Selena's impact on the world of Tejano music continues to be felt. Join Joe Nick Patoski, author of Selena: Como la Flor, for a discussion of the interweaving of culture and career that led both to her rapid ascension to success and to her
sudden and untimely end.
Reexamining Cinco de MayoWednesday, May 5
On the annual commemoration of Cinco de Mayo, Teresa Palomo Acosta will address the broader cultural reasons Mexican Americans celebrate Ignacio Zaragoza’s victory over the French military in Puebla, Mexico, on May 5, 1862. Acosta’s discussion will link Zaragoza to the ways Mexican Americans celebrate their bicultural ties through their historical contributions to both Texas and Mexico. Her talk will also explore how Cinco de Mayo is an expression of the universal human desire to champion democratic ideals.
Previous High Noon Talks
House of Plenty: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Luby's Cafeterias
Wednesday, January 6
Have you ever considered the story behind the cafeteria line? Join Carol Dawson, author of House of Plenty: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Luby's Cafeterias, for a captivating look at the history of the Luby's name and its long-standing impact on the state of Texas. Book signing to follow.
Download the podcast from an interview with Carol Dawson here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
Wednesday, December 2Quilts have history sewn into every stitch. Join Marcia Kaylakie, author, collector, teacher, appraiser, and quilt lover, for a few of the stories found in the exhibit A Legacy of Quilts: The Briscoe Center's Joyce Gross Collection. Kaylakie will focus on the quilts of two extraordinary women, Pine Eisfeller and Bertha Stenge, and their lasting impact on the American quilting world.
Download the podcast from an interview with Marcia Kaylakie here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
Wednesday, November 4, 12 - 1 PMDr. Loriene Roy, an Anishinabe (Ojibwe) enrolled on the White Earth Reservation, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, and a Professor of Library and Information Science at University of Texas at Austin will discuss her fight against illiteracy within the Native American community through the "If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything" program, a national reading club for American Indian youths. Since its inception in 1999 the program has helped thousands of children in Texas and across the nation. In 2010, Roy will launch "Operation Teen Book Drop" that partners with reservation schools and young adult reading blogs to increase the availability of quality, appropriate reading materials for American Indian children. Professor Roy will be joined by a few members of the "If I Can Read" staff for a discussion on the impact of the program within the community and how community members can take action to help.
Download the podcast from an interview with Dr. Roy here. Right click on the link to save the file to your computer.
Wednesday, October 7The world of Texas politics in the 1920s was tumultuous. “Hot button” issues such as Prohibition, the Ku Klux Klan, and “Fergusonism” divided the electorate into warring factions. L. Patrick Hughes, Professor of History at Austin Community College, will examine the 1924 gubernatorial battle to the death between the Texas Klan and the husband and wife team of James Edward (Pa) and Miriam Amanda (Ma) Ferguson. The Klan, seeking to consolidate its hold on Texas politics, ran headlong into impeached Governor Jim Ferguson’s effort to return to power via Miriam’s unlikely candidacy. The outcome marked a turning point for both the Klan and the Fergusons and offers a revealing window into Texas politics in the early twentieth century.
Download the podcast from an interview with Dr. Hughes here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, September 2In the late 1890s some observers thought that Galveston's port proved so vital to the nation's economy that the city would soon be known as the "New York of the Gulf." However, the hurricane that slammed into the island on the night of September 8, 1900 changed Galveston's fortunes forever and left dramatic impressions that its survivors would never forget. Join Richard Eisenhour, a Galveston native and descendant of the 1900 Storm, for a multi-media presentation on the history and impact of the hurricane.
Download the podcast of an interview with Richard Eisenhour here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Wednesday, August 5How have immigrants contributed to the larger mosaic of Texas music? Dr. Gary Hartman, Director of the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University, will present audio clips and speak about the development of music in Texas with the arrival of immigrants to the state during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Hartman here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Wednesday, July 1, 12-1 PM Join Dr. Thomas Barnes, Senior Research Scientist at the McDonald Observatory, for a fascinating look at the history of the McDonald Observatory, in recognition of the International Year of Astronomy. Initiated by UNESCO and the International Astronomical Union, 2009 is a world-wide celebration honoring the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first use of the telescope. Closer to home, McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Barnes will present the history of the observatory, give a visual tour of the mountain-top facility in West Texas, and describe the plans for another 70 years of science excellence.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Barnes here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, June 3, 12-1 PM Join us to rejoice and reflect on Juneteenth, a day commemorating African American freedom. In conjunction with the special exhibit, Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America Through Galveston Island, Dr. Dwight Watson, Associate Professor at Texas State University in San Marcos, will share the history of Juneteenth and Galveston's role in its creation. Watson will also vividly recall the struggle and triumph of slaves and how the influx of European immigrants to Texas impacted their lives as newly emancipated people.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Watson here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, May 6, 12-1 PM Dr. Evan Carton, Director of the Humanities Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, will present four poems from the collection, Americans' Favorite Poems, compiled at the turn of the 21st century by former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. Composed over a span of more than 100 years and exploring different moments and moods in the history of immigration and the lives of immigrants to the Americas, Carton will read "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, "Refugee Blues" by W.H. Auden, "Prospective Immigrants Please Take Note," by Adrienne Rich, and "A Far Cry From Africa" by Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Carton here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, April 1, 12-1 PM
Join us for a lively lecture by Charles Ramírez Berg, Author of Latino Images in Film: Stereotypes, Subversion, and Resistance, and a University Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Radio-TV-Film at the University of Texas at Austin. An expert on both Mexican cinema and images of Latinos in American cinema, Dr. Berg's lecture will include associated film clips that illustrate a variety of aspects of Latino experience in Texas through the medium of film.
Download the podcast of an interview with Dr. Berg here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Wednesday, March 4, 12 - 1 PM
Join Irwin Tang, editor of Asian Texans: Our Histories and Our Lives, as he guides the audience along the journey of an imaginary Chinese Texan landing on the shores of Galveston in 1870. The Chinese Texan, named "John,"
helps to build the Houston & Texas Central Railroad, works as a sharecropper in East Texas, witnesses the general strike of Galveston in 1877, runs an Opium Den in El Paso, and escapes the Mexican Revolution with the help of legendary General John J. Pershing in 1916. This journey is based on the wild and convoluted true history of Chinese Texans.Download the podcast from Irwin Tang's High Noon Talk here. Right click on the link to download the file to your computer.
Calendar of Public Events
Click here to see a complete calendar of Public Events.
Admission to the Museum’s exhibits, including the special exhibit in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall of Special Exhibitions: $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors/military/college students (with valid ID), $4 for youth ages 5-18, free for ages 4 and under. The Museum is located at 1800 N. Congress Ave., at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in downtown Austin. For more information, call 512-936-TSHM (512-936-8746).
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