Bullock Museum to Celebrate Namesake's Birthday with Free Public Event

JULY 5, 2023 (AUSTIN, TX) — The Bullock Texas State History Museum will celebrate Bob Bullock's 94th birthday with a free public event this Sunday, July 9 starting at 10 am. The event will honor the Museum's namesake with free exhibition admission, family-friendly activities, and sweet treats.

“The Lt. Governor would have loved seeing everyone enjoying all the wonderful experiences the Bullock has offered through the years,” said Margaret Koch, Director of the Bullock Museum. “We are so happy to be able to continue to honor his legacy and vision for a place committed to sharing Texas’ incredible history, and we invite visitors of all ages to celebrate with us.”

Robert "Bob" Douglas Bullock, Sr. (1929 - 1999), a native of Hillsboro, Texas, served as the 38th Lieutenant Governor of Texas. In a political career that spanned nearly 40 years, Bullock is credited as being the principal architect of modern Texas government. Bullock championed the preservation and exhibition of Texas history and began discussing the idea of a state history museum while serving as lieutenant governor. Plans were approved and funding was secured from the legislature in 1997, and Bullock was the guest of honor at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum shortly before his death in 1999. Opened in 2001, the Museum honors his vision and shares the stories of Texas with visitors from around the world.

The Bob Bullock Birthday Bash event will feature free exhibition admission from 10 am until 5 pm and includes access to all galleries. In addition to three floors of Texas History Galleries, visitors can explore The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper, a special exhibition highlighting the rich history of Black art in America through watercolors, etchings, screen prints and more from the 20^th century to the present.

The celebration also includes interactive activities for all ages until 2 pm. Visitors can create colorful birthday prints, play horseshoes and other Texas-inspired games, and dress up as a cowboy or cowgirl and pose at a photo booth. At 11 am and 1 pm, visitors can sit down for a storytime with Bullock’s favorite children’s book, The Little Red Hen. Free sweet treats will also be available.

The Bob Bullock Birthday Bash event will take place at the Bullock Museum on Sunday, July 9. Activities are available from 10 am to 2 pm, and exhibition admission is free from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, visit TheStoryofTexas.com.

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Bob Bullock Birthday Bash is made possible by the generosity of Carolene English.

The exhibition The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA.
Sponsored by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall Fund.

The Bullock Museum, a division of the Texas State Preservation Board, is funded by Museum members, donors, and patrons, the Texas State History Museum Foundation, and the State of Texas.

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​​The Bullock Texas State History Museum, a division of the State Preservation Board and an accredited institution of the American Alliance of Museums, creates experiences that educate, engage, and encourage a deeper understanding of Texas. With dynamic, award-winning exhibitions that illuminate Texas history, people, and culture, educational programming for all ages, and an IMAX® theater with a screen the size of Texas, the Museum collaborates with more than 700 museums, libraries, archives, organizations, and individuals across the world to bring the Story of Texas to life. For more information, visit www.TheStoryofTexas.com or call (866)369-7108.