About the Museum

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to speak about new book at Bullock Museum
Public invited to free lecture and book signing with former U.S. senator from Texas

May 8, 2013 (Austin, TX) - A pioneer in Texas and national politics, former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison will talk about her latest book, Unflinching Courage: Pioneering Women Who Shaped Texas, at the Bullock Texas State History Museum May 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the Spirit of Texas Theater.

Sen. Hutchison will introduce the stories of brave and resourceful women who have influenced Texas history — from mothers and daughters who claimed a stake in the land, to the wives and sisters who contributed to the Texas Revolution and statehood, to ranchers and entrepreneurs who have helped Texas thrive. 

The public is invited to meet Sen. Hutchison, a contemporary figure who has made her own mark on the history of Texas and the nation. She will sign copies of her book at the Bullock Museum, located at 1800 N. Congress Ave. in downtown Austin.

This program is free and open to the public, but reservations are required by calling (512) 936-4649.

 Download the press release for Kay Bailey Hutchison (34.25 kB)

Capitol to mark 125 years as testament to the Lone Star spirit
Ice cream social planned May 18 to celebrate building's Quasquicentennial

May 10, 2013 (Austin, TX) - The Texas Capitol was formally dedicated on May 16, 1888, and 125 years later, it still stands as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people of Texas. This year marks the building's Quasquicentennial, and the State Preservation Board invites the public to help celebrate the Lone Star spirit during a free ice cream social on the south Capitol grounds Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 3 p.m.  

"I hope that visitors to the Capitol will help us celebrate the historic significance of this majestic building and enjoy some ice cream just as they did 125 years ago when the Capitol was dedicated," stated John Sneed, Executive Director of the State Preservation Board.

On Saturday, May 18, visitors will enjoy music at the Capitol's south steps provided by the Lost and Nameless Orchestra and four flavors of ice cream generously provided by Blue Bell Creameries.

The Texas Capitol is an extraordinary example of late 19th-century public architecture and is widely recognized as one of the nation's most distinguished state capitols. The 1888 Texas Capitol is one of the largest in gross square footage of all state capitols. Like several other state capitols, the 1888 Texas Capitol surpasses the National Capitol in height, rising almost 15 feet above its Washington, D.C. counterpart.

The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 for its "significant contribution to American history." Throughout the rapid growth of the population of Texas, many changes to the structure, a fire and a restoration and expansion project, the Capitol continues to evolve and serve the needs of Texans while preserving its historic significance.

Initially, the building was meant to house about 350 workers. Within a century, more than 1,300 people worked in the Capitol. Major aesthetic and structural changes were necessary to accommodate central air, electrical, plumbing and public safety. Throughout the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, spaces were converted to offices to meet the needs of the building’s occupants. While these changes were necessary, they were also damaging to the original structure and architectural appearance. Much of the grandeur of the 1888 Capitol was lost and it would be 40 more years before the building was restored.

In 1983, a television sparked a fatal fire in the lieutenant governor's apartment, causing one death and substantial damage to the Capitol’s East Wing. Immediate repairs were needed, and a push for preserving the building as an historic landmark began. Later that year, the State Preservation Board was established to preserve, maintain and restore the Texas Capitol. The building now had a steward and a master plan for restoration. A 665,000 square-foot Capitol Extension was built to solve the over-crowding problem and to accommodate growing needs.

The restoration of the building began in 1991 and by 1993 the underground Capitol Extension was completed to the north, more than doubling the available square footage and providing improved functionality. The comprehensive interior and exterior historic Capitol restoration was completed in 1995. Finally, in 1997, the park-like grounds surrounding the building were given a major restoration. Today the Texas Capitol welcomes over one million visitors a year. For more information, please visit www.tspb.state.tx.us.      

 Download the press release for the Capitol Celebration (78.83 kB)

'Buffalo Symphony' a unique Texas experience
Texas actor Barry Corbin to narrate Lone Star story during symphonic journey

April 26, 2013 (Austin, TX) - What do an ancient archeological site, a Lone Star symphony and Texas actor Barry Corbin have in common? They are the elements of a one-of-a-kind Texas experience in music and words that comes to the Bullock Texas State History Museum June 2.

Buffalo Altar; A Texas Symphony is a collaboration between composer J. Todd Frazier and writer Stephen Harrigan and was commissioned by The Institute of American Music of The Eastman School of Music and The University of Texas at Austin as a unique musical piece dedicated to the Lone Star state.

Avoiding the pitfalls of producing a stodgy musical documentary, Frazier and Harrigan opted for a symphony that was alive, contemporary and inextricably tied to Texas' rich and complex history. The short story, Buffalo Altar, written by Harrigan, is based on an archaeological discovery of bison bones from a hunt at Caprock Canyons State Park, near Canyon, Texas, which revealed evidence of the Folsom culture, dating signs of civilized life in Texas to over 10,000 years ago.

The storyis told through the voice of a representative Texan, an 81-year old oilman portrayed in narration by actor and Texas native Barry Cobin. Known for his roles in Urban Cowboy and Northern Exposure, Corbin brings to life the oil man's reminiscences of a long-ago morning in a West Texas canyon that changed his life and archeological history.

The June 2 performance of Buffalo Altar; A Texas Symphony at the Bullock Museum will feature Corbin as narrator, Marc Sanders on piano, and Charles Robitaille playing percussion. The performance will be followed by a conversation moderated by Don Carlton, director of the Briscoe Center for American History, and Corbin, Harrigan and Frazier on the creation and future of the piece.

Tickets for the symphonic performance are $45 for Bullock Museum members and $50 for non-members. For more information or to reserve a seat, call (512) 936-4649.

 Download the press release for Buffalo Altar (34.6 kB)

Texas musicians to take center stage at AFM Concert Series
Free concerts every Sunday in May planned on the Bullock Museum's Lone Star Plaza

April 17, 2013 (Austin, TX) - The Bullock Texas State History Museum will once again partner with the Austin Federation of Musicians (AFM) to put on a free concert series kicking off May 5. Every Sunday in May, the Museum will host special AFM performances from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on its Lone Star Plaza featuring a variety of Texas musicians.

In collaboration with the Austin Federation of Musicians, this concert series will feature some of Austin’s finest musical acts, including John Arthur Martinez, Christine Albert and Mady Kaye Quintet Featuring Mitch Watkins; Bob Meyer's Concept Quartet; Rick McRae Quintet and Denny Freeman Trio

Nominated for three Texas Music Awards this year, John Arthur Martinez brings his country stylings to the inaugural AFM concert Sunday, May 5, Cinco de Mayo. Originally from Marble Falls, Martinez's song, "Tennessee Left Texas" (written by Martinez and Rick Bussey), was nominated for song of the year. He also is known for his bilingual cover of Merle Haggard's "Play Me Back Home."
Originally from upstate New York and later Santa Fe, New Mexico, Christine Albert moved to

Austin in 1982. Since that time she has evolved into the consummate “Texas Chanteuse,” combining her musical influences from Texas to Paris, with her musical influences ranging from Merle Haggard to Edith Piaf. Albert will team up with the Mady Kaye Quintet and Mitch Watkins for the May 12 concert. Mady Kaye has been delighting Texas audiences for the last30 years and is recognized for her jazz styling, impeccable phrasing and improvised lyrics.  Hailing from McAllen, just 10 miles from the border at Reynosa, Mexico, Watkins has released five CDs and collaborated on others.  Inspired by Jazz, classical and Rock and Roll musicians, Watkins has played with

Texas favorites such as Lyle Lovett and Joe Ely.
On May 19, the Bob Meyer's Concept Quartet will play the Lone Star plaza, bringing it to life with a Jazz performance. Meyer began his study of music at the age of five and is heavily influenced by classical music, especially chamber music and quartets, from Mozart to Bartok. He first heard Jazz in 1950, especially admiring artists such as Kenny Clarke, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. He is featured on Joe Lovano’s release, "Viva Caruso."

During the May 26 concert, the Rick McRae Quintet and Denny Freeman Trio will join forces to entertain audiences on the plaza. Born in San Antonio, McRae decided early on to become a guitarist. Inspired by such country greats as Bob Wills, Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, he discovered jazz guitar in 1968 after hearing, "Color him Funky," by Howard Roberts. Other Jazz guitar heroes include Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Wes Montgomery, Les Paul and others. As a young teen in Dallas in the late1950s, Denny Freeman heard on the radio the radical new sounds of people like Little Richard, Fats Domino,

Ray Charles, and Chicago and Louisiana blues artists like Muddy Waters and Slim Harpo. A guitar and piano player, Freeman played in the Bob Dylan Band from 2005 to 2009, and plays on the Bob Dylan album, "Modern Times." He released "Diggin' on Dylan" last October.This free concert series is organized by the Austin Federation of Musicians, which is the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians. It  has assisted local musicians in resolving issues related to wages, working conditions and other  employment concerns. AFM represents more than 500 local musicians and provides benefit programs, such as equipment insurance, geared toward the needs of musicians. More information may be found online at AustinMusician.org.

The Bullock Museum is located at the corner of MLK Jr. Boulevard and Congress Avenue — right across the street from the University of Texas and just north of the Texas Capitol Building. With its IMAX Theatre and award-winning exhibits, the museum attracts 500,000 people annually.

All shows that are part of the AFM Concert Series are free and open to the public. For more information, call (512) 936-4607.

 Download the AFM Concert Series Press Release (37.25 kB)

What does the future hold for poetry in Texas?
Five female Texas poets to read their works and discuss the future of the arts in Texas

April 11, 2013 (Austin, TX) - The Bullock Texas State History Museum welcomes some of the state's leading poets for An Evening of Poetry April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Texas Spirit Theater.

Enjoy a special evening of poetry readings and discussion about the arts in Texas. Distinctive guest poets will present their own poetry works, discuss the influence of Texas on their art, and converse about what the future holds for poetry and other art forms in Texas.

Featured poets include Jan Epton Seale, who was appointed by the Texas Legislature as the 2012 Texas Poet Laureate. Her work is published nationally in such venues as The Yale Review, Texas Monthly, and Newsday. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Creative Writing, and her publications include Homeland: Essays Beside and Beyond the Rio Grande (1995); Airlift: Short Stories (1992); The Nuts & Bolts Guide to Writing Your Life Story (1998); and six books of poetry.

Other leading poets who will recite works and engage in discussions are Celeste Guzman Mendoza, co-founder of CantoMundo, a master writer's workshop for Latina/o poets; Ebony Stewart, a spoken word artist who creates visual and performance pieces with words; Sarah Cortez, a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, the author of an acclaimed poetry collection, How to Undress a Cop, and winner of the PEN Texas literary award in poetry; and Carrie Fountain, a fellow at the University of Texas’ Michener Center for Writers whose poems have appeared in Crazyhorse, AGNI, and Southwestern American Literature, among others.

An Evening of Poetry is part of the Bullock Museum's "In Their Own Words" lecture series, featuring Texas women describing their impact on the state in their own words. The series will cover the fields of education, preservation, business, and the arts. Each program will feature strong Texas women who have shaped and continue to shape the state of Texas.

The series is presented in conjunction with the special exhibition, Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century, on display through May 19 in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall of Special Exhibitions at the Museum. It is the first major exhibition in 30 years to tell the story of the critical role of Texas women in forging our state's development. An Evening of Poetry is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are appreciated by calling (512) 936-4649.

 Download the An Evening of Poetry press release (33.82 kB)

Austin, Texas         Explore the warmth, independence, and wit of one of Texas's finest daughters. Michael Gillette, former director of the LBJ Library's Oral History program will present insights into the life of the former First Lady and her lasting legacy on the state of Texas, on April 9, 2013 at 6pm at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. A reception and book signing will follow the lecture.

Over a span of eighteen years, Lady Bird Johnson recorded forty-seven oral history interviews with Michael Gillette and his colleagues. These conversations, just released in 2011, form the heart of Lady Bird Johnson's intimate story of a shy young country girls transformation into one of America's most effective and admired First Ladies.

Lady Bird Johnson's odyssey is one of personal and intellectual growth, political and financial ambition, and a shared life with Lyndon Baines Johnson, one of the most complicated, volatile, and powerful presidents of the 20th century. The former First Lady recounts how a cautious, conservative young woman succumbed to an ultimatum to marry a man she had known for less than three months, how she ran his congressional office during World War II, and how she transformed a struggling Austin radio station into the foundation of a communications empire. Lady Bird Johnson shares dramatic accounts of pivotal moments in American history and paints rich verbal portraits of scores of personalities including former First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, Mamie Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy and Pat Nixon.

Michael Gillette has been Humanities Texas's executive director since 2003. His former positions include directing the LBJ Library's Oral History Program, director of the Center for Legislative Archives and serves on numerous advisory boards.

 Download the Conversations with Lady Bird Johnson press release (63.03 kB)

MODEL TRAINS ROLLING INTO BULLOCK MUSEUM

Train Day to offer family fun and special screenings of 'Rocky Mountain Express'

March 4, 2013 (Austin, TX) — Hear train whistles blow and axles grind as miniature locomo- tives chug along tiny rails set in intricate scenes during Train Day at the Bullock Texas History Museum on March 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fun, educational activities include free model train demonstrations produced in conjunction with Tinplate Trackers of Austin, crafts for kids, and special screenings of "Rocky Mountain Express" in the Bullock's IMAX Theatre.

Children will be mesmerized by miniature-sized model train engines whirling around tracks laid out in the museum's lobby. Adults may channel their inner engineers as they talk with model train enthusiasts and view elaborate model railroad scenes, including detailed cities and towns, rural landscapes and a mini carnival complete with a live-action carousel.

Train Day model layouts will include demonstrations that Tinplate Trackers of Austin has designed and members will discuss the origin of their designs.

In the IMAX Theatre, the museum will feature special presentations of "Rocky Mountain Express," throughout the day. The film breathes new life into a remarkable North American railway legend, the Canadian Pacific Railway. Completed in 1885, construction of the railway ranks among the greatest engineering feats of all time. Viewers will discover some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes on earth and the human drama and epic engineering that shaped a continent. Movie tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $6 for children under 18.

The Museum and IMAX Theatre are located in downtown Austin at 1800 N. Congress Ave. at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. between the State Capital complex and the University of Texas campus.

Admission to the model train demonstration is free. Admission fees for entrance to museum exhibitions are: $9 for adults; $8 for college students (with valid ID); $7 for seniors/military (with valid ID); $6 for youth ages 4-17, free for ages 3 and under. Museum members may visit for free. For more information, visit www.thestoryoftexas.com or call (512)936-8746.

 Download the Train Day press release (28.17 kB)

February 6, 2013  Austin, TX         Flash floods, tornadoes, hail, and atmospheric mayhem will converge at the Bullock Museum on February 23rd from 10am - 3pm at the second annual WeatherFest event.  Hopefully these phenomena will stay in simulated forms rather than literal but they will indeed be present.

Besides the weather simulations, activities range from demonstrating sophisticated technological advances in weather science and forecasting, educator training, latest storm-chasing vehicles and equipment, to creative activities for kids including art and science projects.

The breakdown of the day is as follows:

10:00am - 3pm (Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor Lobby, Classrooms)
Meet the weather community partner agencies who keep the public safe during storms:

• Austin Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue team (demonstrating a rescue boat)
• US Geological Survey (stream flow and flood monitoring)
• City of Austin's Watershed Protection department (with new flash flood simulator)
• Lower Colorado River Authority (monitoring the Colorado watershed & Highland Lakes)
• CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network)
• Texas Floodplain Management Association with TADDpole (flash flood safety)
• Spotternetwork.org (storm reports & advanced tools for chasing tornadoes)
• CAMM (Connect a Million Minds) program from  Time Warner Cable
• team of meteorologists from YNN Austin’s Weather on the 8s

On the front plaza of the Bullock you'll see the University of Oklahoma's Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching (SMART) radar truck, deployed out front to offer a hands-on tour.  You'll also find today's best storm chasers showing off their high tech chase vehicles in the adjacent parking lot.

10:00am - 11:30am (Austin Room)
Session I - Skywarn Training
Paul Yura from the Austin-San Antonio National Weather Service Forecast Office presents Basic Skywarn stormspotter training.  Skywarn is a national volunteer program.   This workshop is for the general public – anyone who wants to learn about how storms form and move in Central Texas.  Attend this session if you want to learn how to safely identify and accurately report severe weather threats so that watches and warnings can be issued ahead of the threat. 

11:00am – 11:50am
Educator Weather Presentation “Central Texas Weather” (Texas Spirit Theater)
From ice in winter to tornadoes in spring to 100 degree days in summer, Central Texans face a wide range of weather elements throughout the year and many arrive without much notice.   This workshop takes us through a pictorial view of local weather extremes and offers safety tips geared for all ages.  Learn how flash flooding, one of the easiest severe threats to avoid, actually claims more lives than any other storm phenomenon in the Lone Star State.  We’ll also discuss how Austin sees one tornado every year on average.  This session qualifies as one hour of continuing education for educators.

12:30pm
Free Screening of Wild Texas Weather (Texas Spirit Theater)

12:00pm- 1:00pm 
Session II – Storm Chase Videos and Q & A with Storm Chasers (Austin Room)
Storm chasers show off recent chase videos and discuss tactics, equipment, and techniques they employ to get stunning images of some of nature’s most violent moments.  Videos will be limited to five minutes each.  During this session, meteorologists and storm chasers will field questions from the audience.

1:30pm – 2:30pm
Spotter Training Safety Session (Austin Room)
This course offers a “method” to individual safety while storm spotting for both Skywarn and the Spotter Network. The course is designed for both new and experienced spotters. New spotters will learn the hazards they may face and methods for dealing with these hazards. Experienced spotters will find this a great review of how to stay safe in the field.

2:30pm
Free Screening of Wild Texas Weather (Texas Spirit Theater)

Kids' Activities throughout the Day
Creative play stations will be set up for all ages of children for learning about  atmospheric conditions that lead to rain, snow, hail, and thunderstorms. 

 Download the WeatherFest press realease (65.56 kB)

February 4, 2013 Austin, Texas        The Bullock Texas State History Museum has expanded its upper management team under the supervision of Museum Director Joan Marshall. Three new directors have been selected to serve in leadership capacities including the Director of Education, Director of Exhibits, and Director of Marketing. Each will report to Ms. Marshall.

"I am pleased that these exceptionally capable individuals are on board to help guide the museum through its next phase of significant growth in educational impact, exhibition development, and audience outreach," stated Ms. Marshall. "Each one brings a new level of creativity and proficiency that will help the Bullock evolve as the leading authority on Texas history."

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Victoria Ramirez Ed.D. will serve as the museum's director of education. Her responsibilities include overseeing the expansion of educational programs for adults, families, and K-12 students. Her responsibilities include creating stronger partnerships for K-12 education statewide including teacher training, curriculum development and distance learning initiatives. Dr. Ramirez will also oversee the integration of technology throughout the museum, and will be the Museum's primary manager of community outreach initiatives, and adult and family ongoing educational programs.

Austin is the beneficiary of Dr. Ramirez's move from Houston where she worked for the Museum of Fine Arts beginning in 1999. For the past 5 years she served as the museum's education director and managed a budget of $2.5 million and a staff of 20 while securing major funding for the department's activities. She directed all aspects of school partnerships, professional development for educators, and designed curriculum resources. During her tenure with the museum, Dr. Ramirez earned her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Houston.

Prior to joining Houston's Museum of Fine Arts, Dr. Ramirez served as curator of education with the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia where she developed and administered all educational programming including scholarly lectures and symposia, weekly workshop for children and families, educator workshops, and a volunteer docent program.

DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITS

As the Bullock's new director of exhibits Margaret Koch brings to the museum professional knowledge and strategic experience in curatorial design and management, conservation and research. She will lead the museum's efforts in the development of creative and compelling exhibitions designed to attract and engage visitors from across the world. Her efforts in building new partnerships with other museums, universities, and professional organizations will help raise the Bullock's reputation for groundbreaking and innovative programming.

Ms. Koch comes to Austin from the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis where she served as the director of exhibitions and research. She managed a team of 18 professionals and provided oversight for numerous history-based installations each year. Her wide range of responsibilities covered the implementation of community-based projects incorporating cross-cultural development, selection of artifacts, production, and installation. She has experience in virtually every detail of museum exhibitions including research, story line development, focus group and advisory committee reviews, production, and oversight of an annual exhibition budget in excess of $2 million.

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

The third addition to the Bullock's new management team is Laura Hubbard who has been selected as the Director of Marketing Communications. Her role is to broaden the reach and visibility of the museum's brand and to develop, plan and manage the museums marketing initiatives. Ms. Hubbard will oversee all marketing efforts including advertising, public relations, creative services, website development and social media.

Ms. Hubbard comes to the Bullock Museum from Rice University in Houston where she served as the Director of Marketing for the Jones Graduate School of Business. While employed with the Jones School, she was responsible for the development and launch of the school's website, the conceptualization and implementation of world-wide advertising programs in print, broadcast and digital mediums, and the production of collateral materials. She managed creative services including the development of publications, graphic design, photography, and printing. Her responsibilities also included proactive and reactive media relations and the fulfillment of rankings surveys. Her areas of marketing responsibilities while serving the university included the Rice MBA, MBA for Executives, MBA for Professionals and the Rice Executive Education programs.

"Each of these highly experienced professionals has been tapped to move us to our next level of excellence," commented Ms. Marshall. "We have an ambitious five-year strategic plan that will guide us into a decade of growth and success. I believe this team, and the dedicated staff that have brought us this far, will provide the commitment needed to move us forward."

ABOUT THE BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM

The Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, Texas tells the Story of Texas with three floors of interactive exhibits, special effects films in the Texas Spirit Theater and Austin's IMAX® Theatre which features the largest screen in Texas. The museum's education department offers fun-filled educational programming for a wide audience. Former Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock was the force behind the creation of the Bullock Museum which is a division of the State Preservation Board.

 Download the Three New Directors at the Bullock Museum press release (60.55 kB)

Flight of the Butterflies in 3D SOARS ONTO THE IMAX SCREEN AT THE BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM
The Largest Screen in Texas Captures One of the Longest Migrations on Earth and the Inspiring True Story of One Scientist's Stunning Discovery.
Enjoy this film with your kids on Family Fun Day January 26, 2013

AUSTIN, TEXAS January 10, 2013 - Flight of the Butterflies is an awe-inspiring film based on a true story that follows the epic journey of the monarch butterfly beginning in Canada , traveling through the US with destination points in Austin and the Texas Hill Country, and ending in the mountains of central Mexico. One of the most incredible migrations on Earth, scientist Dr. Fred Urguhart spent 40 years trying to discover the mysteries surrounding the monarch's journey and secret winter hideaway.

What began with a small boy daydreaming about where butterflies went each winter became a lifelong pursuit that enlisted the help of volunteers known as "citizen scientists." These dedicated volunteers helped with tagging and tracking the butterflies in a decades-long quest that yielded the ultimate discovery of the monarch's overwintering sites in the peaks of central Mexico.

The first citizen scientist in Mexico was Catalina Aguado who spent two years searching in the mountains west of Mexico City under Dr. Urquhart's guidance before making the discovery of the monarch's destination that graced the cover of National Geographic magazine in August 1976. The only surviving member of the original discovery team, Ms. Aguado who now lives in Austin, Texas will be on hand to introduce the film at the Bullock Museum on January 26, 2013 at 11:30am. She will also be available for questions and answers following the movie.

There will be free educational events planned for children that day beginning at 11 am - 3pm including instructions on planting a butterfly garden, creative art activities, storytelling, and much more.

ABOUT THE BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM

The Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, Texas tells the Story of Texas with three floors of interactive exhibits, special effects films in the Texas Spirit Theater and Austin's IMAX® Theatre which features the largest screen in Texas. The museum's education department offers fun-filled educational programming for a wide audience. Former Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock was the force behind the creation of the Bullock Museum which is a division of the State Preservation Board.

 Download the Butterfly Family Fun Day press release (58.67 kB)

The Future of Texas Women's History
Join Top Scholars in the Field for a Moderated Discussion on Important Developments and the Future of Women's History Studies

November, Austin TX -- Important scholars in the field of Women's History will convene at the Bullock Texas State History Museum for a symposium on the future of Texas Women's History on Saturday, December 8 at 2 pm. Drs. Nancy Baker Jones, Judith McArthur, Paula Marks, Cynthia Orozco, Merline Pitre, Rebecca Sharpless, Jean Stuntz, and Elizabeth Turner will participate in the discussion panel, which is open to the public and free with exhibit admission.

"The Future of Texas Women's History" program is held in conjunction with the new special exhibition, Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century, also opening to the public on Saturday, December 8. Exhibition guest-curator Dr. Paula Marks — Professor of American Studies at St. Edward's University — will lead the panel of noted historians in a moderated discussion on the political, economic, and social impact of Texas women and what the future holds for women of tomorrow.

"The Future of Texas Women's History" program, held in the Bullock Museum's Texas Spirit Theater, is free with exhibit admission. No reservations are required to attend this program, however seating is limited so early arrival is recommended. Visit TheStoryofTexas.com or call (512) 936-4649 for further information.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Dr. Nancy Baker Jones is President and Founder of the Ruthe Winegarten Foundation for Texas Women's History. Her book with Winegarten, Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators 1923-1999, won the Liz Carpenter Award from the Texas State Historical Association.

Dr. Judith McArthur is a University of Houston-Victoria adjunct faculty member and the coauthor of Minnie Fisher Cunningham: A Suffragist's Life in Politics, which won the Liz Carpenter Award for Research in the History of Women from the Texas State Historical Association and the T. R. Fehrenbach Book Award from the Texas Historical Commission.

Dr. Paula Marks is an Associate Professor of American Studies at St. Edward's University and prominent author on women's history. Curator of the new exhibition Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century at the Bullock Museum.

Dr. Cynthia Orozco is the chair of the History and Humanities Department at Eastern New Mexico University in Ruidoso, where she teaches U.S. history, Western civilization, and world humanities. Editor of "Mexican Americans in Texas History" and associate editor of "Latinas in the United States, an Historical Encyclopedia", Dr. Orozco is the author of No Mexicans, Women, or Dogs Allowed: The Rise of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement and Mexican Americans in Texas History.

Dr. Merline Pitre is a professor of history and the former Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Behavioral Sciences at Texas Southern University. Two of her most widely noted works are Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares: The Black Leadership of Texas and In Struggle against Jim Crow: Lulu B. White and the NAACP, 1900–1957. Her Black Women in Texas History, co-edited with Bruce Glasrud, won the 2008 Liz Carpenter Award. Dr. Pitre has been the recipient of grants from the Fullbright Foundation, Humanities Texas, and the National Endowment for the Humanities; she was named a Texas State Historical Association Fellow in 2009; is a member of the Speakers Bureau for the Texas Council for the Humanities; and serves on the nominating board of the Organization of American Historians.

Dr. Rebecca Sharpless is an Associate Professor of History at Texas Christian University. Her current research interests focus on domestic workers and women's education in antebellum Texas. Author of Fertile Ground, Narrow Choices: Women on Texas Cotton Farms, 1900-1940 and Cooking in Other Women's Kitchens: Domestic Workers in the South, 1865-1960, Dr. Sharpless' upcoming book project will be on women food entrepreneurs in the American South.

Dr. Jean Stuntz is an Associate Professor of History at West Texas A & M University. The author of Hers, His, and Theirs: Community Property Law in Spain and Early Texas and The Alamo and Zombies, Dr. Stuntz's scholarly interests focus on the Spanish Southwest and women pioneers of the Panhandle.

Dr. Elizabeth Hayes Turner is a professor of History at the University of North Texas. She is the author of Women and Gender in the New South, 1865-1945 and Women, Culture, and Community: Religion and Reform in Galveston, 1880-1920. She has been a Fulbright Lecturer to the University of Genoa, Italy; was awarded a Bill and Rita Clements Fellowship from the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies at Southern Methodist University; and was elected a Texas State Historical Association Fellow in 2011. Her current book project is Juneteenth: The Evolution of an Emancipation Celebration.

Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century is on view in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall of Special Exhibitions at the Bullock Museum from December 8, 2012, through May 19, 2013.Admission to the Museum's exhibits is $9 for adults; $8 for college students (with valid ID); $7 for seniors/military (with valid ID); $6 for youth ages 4-17, free for ages 3 and under. The Bullock Texas State History Museum is located at 1800 N. Congress Avenue at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

For more information, visit TheStoryofTexas.com or call (512) 936-4649.

 Download The Future of Womens History press release (114.88 kB)

Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century
The Bullock Museum presents the first major exhibit on
Texas women's history in a generation

Did you know that women in Texas couldn't serve on a jury until 1954? Or that a married woman couldn't apply for a credit card on her own until 1973? The rights and conveniences enjoyed today were not always the reality in Texas.

Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century, the first major exhibition in 30 years to tell the story of Texas women's impact in the state's development will be on exhibit at the Bullock Texas State History Museum from December 8, 2012 through May 19, 2013.

The story of Texas wouldn't be complete without the many histories of the determined women who stepped up to fight for rights, improve public services, and help create the state that we know today. Women Shaping Texas celebrates the achievements, crusades, and dedication of Texas' women of the past century. This exhibition is guest-curated by Dr. Paula Marks, an Associate Professor of American Studies at St. Edward's University and prominent author on women's history.

Learn the stories of the well-known and unsung women who have shaped Texas and beyond. Re-encounter inspirational Texas women such as pioneering politician Barbara Jordan and athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias Discover the impact of countless other women in business, education, civil rights, healthcare, government, the arts, and their roles in the preservation of both natural and historic landmarks.

See letters written in the 1950s on behalf of African-American opera singer Barbara Smith Conrad as she faced racism at the University of Texas, as well as a first edition of Dorothy Scarborough's anonymously published novel of 1925, The Wind. Relive the fight to preserve the Alamo with Clara Driscoll, Adina Emilia de Zavala, and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Explore the role that Galveston's women played in rebuilding their city after the devastating hurricane of 1900, and delve into the rise of women's sports under Title IX. View handwritten notes from teenagers documenting racism at the Texas State Fair as they worked with Juanita Craft to protest Negro Day. Examine documents from different sides of the Equal Rights Amendment debate in Texas, and see the kitchen stand-mixer that inventor Bette Graham used to mix up the first batch of Liquid Paper.

Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century uses these stories as a touchstone to look at the changing role of women throughout the 20th century, as women moved from the home and into the public sphere to improve life and opportunity in their communities and the state as a whole.

Women Shaping Texas in the 20th Century will be on view in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall of Special Exhibitions at the Bullock Museum December 8, 2012, through May 19, 2013.

Admission to the Museum's exhibits, including Women Shaping Texas, is $9 for adults; $8 for college students (with valid ID); $7 for seniors/military (with valid ID); $6 for youth ages 4-17, free for ages 3 and under.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum is located at 1800 N. Congress Avenue at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. For more information, call (512) 936-4649.

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