Past Public Events
Fridays in Focus
September 21 - October 5, 2011
The Museum partnered with St. Edward's University photocommunications professor Bill Kennedy and eight of his students to capture the spirit of football Friday nights through photography.
Kennedy's students spent last fall photographing bands, mascots, cheerleaders, players, fans, and their communities. More than 40 of these images are featured in Texas High School Football: More Than The Game.
The companion exhibit — Fridays in Focus — showcased the portfolios of these photojournalism students and was on display, free to the public, in the Museum's Third Floor Austin Room from September 21 through October 5.
Austin Museum Day
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Museum is proud to participate once again in Austin Museum Day, the annual, free, city-wide rediscovery of Austin museums. Hosted by the Austin Museum Partnership, this free day of exhibits and special programs is attended by nearly 30,000 people each year.
In celebration of Austin Museum Day 2011, the Museum is offering FREE exhibit admission on Sunday, September 25, from Noon to 6 p.m., along with fun family activities, including a puppet presentation of Rumplestiltskin from Austin Public Library's Literature Live! and a special pit stop by the TIV 2 (Tornado Intercept Vehicle 2 ), the vehicular star of Tornado Alley in the IMAX Theatre. Keep reading for all the fun, FREE details!
Rumpelstiltskin
Austin Public Library Literature Live! is back at the Museum for more puppet fun in Rumpelstiltskin. Once upon a time a miller's daughter was given an impossible task by a greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. Who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin. Find out if his intentions are gallant or greedy and why his name is critical to the outcome of the story. The puppet show is recommended for ages 5 and up. After the show, stay to create your very own puppet to take home!
The TIV
The Tornado Intercept Vehicle 2 (known as the TIV 2) is the custom-built heavy duty truck designed by IMAX film-maker and TV's Storm Chaser Sean Casey. The TIV will be making a special stop to meet fans and visitors at the Museum and IMAX® Theatre during Austin Museum Day.
The TIV and TIV driver Marcus Gutierrez will be on the Lone Star Plaza to give museum visitors an up-close look at the custom-built storm chasing machine and to answer questions. Then, come inside the Museum to participate in FREE family activities related to Texas's extreme weather.
The Museum is proud to participate in the
Austin Museum Partnership.
NASA Spacecraft Viewing Event
Sunday, June 19 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
and Monday, June 20 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, which NASA announced last month would be the agency's deep space crew module based on the original work on the Orion capsule, will make three stops, including The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, as it travels by truck from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Orion display is FREE and open to the public at the Museum Sunday, June 19 and Monday, June 20, 2011.
On Sunday, A FREE screening of the award-winning Hubble 3D will be shown at Noon in the IMAX Theatre (seating is available for the first 380 visitors, no reservations, first come first served). Additionally, a NASA representative will host a Q&A session in the Texas Spirit Theater at 2 p.m.
From Noon to 4 p.m. on both Sunday and Monday, the Museum will have FREE educational activities for families in the Rotunda and Second Floor Lobby.
About the Orion MPCV
During a test flight in New Mexico last year, a new launch abort system propelled the spacecraft off the launch pad to a speed of almost 445 mph in three seconds. The spacecraft then parachuted to the desert floor. The test module eventually will be moved to Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Facility for further study. The Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle's propulsion, life support, thermal protection and avionics systems ultimately will enable astronauts to travel for extended deep space missions and return safely to Earth. To learn more, visit NASA's website.
Image credit: NASA/ John Frassanito & Associates
AFM Liberty School Winery Free Concert Series
Sundays, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
The Austin Federation of Musicians and Liberty School Winery present a free concert series on the Museum's Lone Star Plaza every Sunday evening in May.
Funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division. Additional sponsors include the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, Elephant Room, Strait Music, and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
May 1 - James Polk's Centerpeace, John Mills Times Ten
May 8 - Redd Volkaert, Texas Swing Kings
May 15 - Ian McLagan and the Bump Band, Ernie Durawa Band
May 22 - RoTel and the Hot Tomatoes, Beto y los Fairlanes
May 29 - Marcia Ball, Matt Wilson Band
In The Shadow Of Giants
March 5 and March 26
7 p.m. in the Texas Spirit Theater
$10 for Members; $15 for Non Members
Reservations required, call (512) 936-4649
In The Shadow Of Giants tells the story of the Texas Revolution from the day of the fall of the Alamo to the Battle of San Jacinto using original songs and narration based on eyewitness accounts and primary documents.
Native Texan troubadour Craig Toungate portrays his great grandfather, Texas pioneer settler and member of Sam Houston’s army Meredith Toungate, in this riveting historical perspective. The performance combines drama and unexpected humor with memorable music and first person narration from a true Texas character.
This year marks the 175th Anniversary of the fall of the Alamo and the ensuing Sam Houston-lead San Jacinto Campaign for Texas Independence.
World Diabetes Day
November 14
The Museum commemorated World Diabetes Day by participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's "Keep Austin Blue" initiative.
The Museum was one of many landmark buildings around Austin and the world to be bathed in blue lights, joining such iconic buildings as the Eiffel Tower, the Alamo, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Empire State Building.
World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14 and engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. Visit the official site of World Diabetes Day Austin to learn more.
Limitless
A performance by Blue Lapis Light
November 4 and 5, 2010
Blue Lapis Light, Austin's renowned aerial dance company, debuted a new dance piece, Limitless, outside on the Lone Star Plaza.
Dancers performed on the facade of the Museum, defying gravity and expressing the limitless feeling of flying through space, inspired by the special exhibition Tango Alpha Charlie: Texas Aviation Celebration.
NASA Flight Coin Unveiling
November 1, 2010
The Museum hosted a public unveiling ceremony for an Expedition 20 flight coin, a momento from the summer 2009 expedition to the International Space Station. The coin was gifted to the Museum by NASA Astronaut Colonel Timothy Kopra.
The gift commemorates Austin's first-ever live downlink from the International Space Station to the Museum's IMAX Theatre in August 2009, when Col. Kopra —a native Texan— addressed some 300 students and answered questions about science and life in space.
The Museum has permanently installed the flight coin in the colorful terrazzo floor of the building's Rotunda; look for it embedded in the night sky of the campfire scene.
The brief unveiling ceremony in the Rotunda included a special pre-recorded video message from Col. Kopra and comments from the Museum's director, agency's executive director, and the president of the Museum Foundation's Board of Trustees.
The day included free space-themed educational activities for student groups.
Music Under the Star 2010
Fridays, July 9, 16, 23, and 30
Music Under the Star, the Museum's popular FREE concert series, was back for its seventh season with performances by Cornell Hurd, Brave Combo, Charanga Cakewalk, John Pointer, and Omar and the Howlers.
Each Friday in July, over a thousand people -- families, music lovers, and Musuem members -- came out to enjoy these great performances, plus complimentary concessions and free admission to the exhibits.
The Music Under the Star 2010 concert series was sponsored by Rudy's Bar-B-Q, Mighty Fine Burgers, Blue Bell, Lone Star Beer, and Car2Go. Click here for info on past performances...
Border Bandits
Screening and Discussion Panel
Thursday, May 6
Based on the oral history of Roland Warnock — grandfather of filmmaker Kirby Warnock — Border Bandits explores the alleged shooting of two allegedly unarmed Mexican Americans by Texas Rangers in 1915.
According to the film, a group of Mexican "banditos" raided the McAllen Ranch in southern Texas. The next day a group of Texas Rangers purportedly eliminated the perpetrators. The late Warnock, then 19, witnessed the attack while working on the Guadalupe Ranch near present-day Edinburg, Texas, and later buried their bodies next to what is now a paved farm-to-market road.
“As an Anglo Texan who grew up with The Lone Ranger, I had to overcome a lot of disbelief when I started investigating this story,” says Warnock the filmmaker, whose exploration began nearly 40 years ago as part of an oral history project at Baylor University. “But it all happened, just as my grandfather said it did. I invite any doubters or skeptics to come watch it and judge for themselves.”
A discussion of the film followed the screening. Panelists included Dr. Don Graham, University of Texas professor, writer for Texas Monthly and author of several cowboy books; Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, UT journalism professor, oral historian and director of the U.S. Latino & Latina WWII Oral History Project; and Antonio Leal, senior captain and assistant director of the Texas Rangers and others.
Texas Independence Day Celebration
Saturday, March 6
The Museum celebrated Texas Independence Day on Saturday, March 6, with a picnic on the Plaza, live music, a ceremony honoring a Texas hero, FREE exhibits, FREE programs, and more!
The Cornell Hurd Band, Austin's own hardcore honky tonk swing band, played on the Lone Star Stage, and got visitors dancing. Later in the afternoon, the West Point Society of Central Texas honored Lt. Joseph Bonnell, an unsung hero of the Texas Revolution, with a ceremony that included the military band of the First Cavalry Division, a color guard, and guest presenters.
Saturday, March 6 was also a Wells Fargo First Saturday with FREE admission to the exhibits at the Museum, courtesy of Wells Fargo, and FREE family programs, including Austin Public Library's Literature Live! puppet show.
Events were held in collaboration with Celebrate Texas, Austin Public Library, and the West Point Society of Central Texas and were sponsored in part by Wells Fargo and Lone Star Beer.
Teen Music Texas 2010
Forum and Showcase
Wednesdays, January 27 and February 3
The Museum hosted the 2nd Annual Teen Music Texas 2010 Forum and Showcase, sponsored by the Austin Chronicle and Rock'n'Roll Rentals. The Forum and Showcase, which brings under-18 musicians and bands together with industry professionals for dialogue about music as a career, took place over two dates on the Museum's Texas Spirit Theater stage. Both afternoon presentations were moderated by the Austin Chronicle's Margaret Moser.
January 27
Performances by: After Math, Mimi Vassallo; Peterson Bros.; and Li’l Stingrays.
Forum panelists: Kathy Valentine (artist); Raoul Hernandez (Austin Chronicle); Jody Denberg (former KGSR Content Manager); and Marc Fort (musician/Texas Music Office).
February 3
Performances by: The Cipher, Sarah Rivas & 24-7, and Avenging Poor Yorick.
Forum panelists: Suzanna Choffel (artist); Te'rell Shahid (Austin Music Commission, Urbanian Entertainment); A.J. Vallejo (Vallejo, Pachanga Festival), and Gus Manzur (Morrissey, ATX Events).
Sponsored by:
Sharing a Legacy -- A Celebration of American Indian Heritage Month
Sunday, November 8
A great variety of American Indian art forms were demonstrated during the Museum's third annual celebration of American Indian Heritage Month, a collaboration with Great Promise and the Austin Powwow.
Museum visitors spent the afternoon with fiber artists, storytellers, singers and dancers, and learned more about the diversity of native cultures.
Highlighted artists included Vanessa Jennings, a beadworker and National Living Treasure; Lorraine Herder and Edith Herder Simonson of Black Mesa Weavers; Karen Bellinghausen, creator of fine regalia; and Sequoya Guess, a traditional storyteller of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.
Sharing a Legacy Slideshow
Spooktacular!Saturday, October 31
Get into the spirit of Halloween by participating in this family friendly event on Saturday, October 31! Participate in a ghostly walking tour by Austin Ghost Tours, and while you are at the Museum, wear your favorite costume and compete in a costume contest. You can also get your face painted, listen to eerie stories about Texas History, create your own spooky art project, and enjoy ghoulish treats from the café at this special family event.
Spooktacular slideshow
Pink Heals Tour
Tuesday, October 20
The Museum proudly participated in Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October by hosting the Austin stop on the Pink Heals Tour, a nationwide outreach campaign for breast cancer survivors and their families. Created by a group of professional fire fighters from Phoenix, Arizona, the Pink Heals Tour is composed of firefighters, police officers, and community leaders traveling across the country to spread the word of support and early detection.
Presented in Austin by the Austin Fire Department, the Pink Heals Tour stop at the Museum featured the group's signature pink fire trucks, kid-friendly activities, and breast cancer awareness information from the Breast Cancer Resource Center and the Austin Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
See a slide show of the Pink Heals Tour stop.
http://www.thestoryoftexas.com/slideshow_pink_heals
Click here to visit the official site of the Pink Heals Tour: http://www.pinkribbontour.com/
Austin Museum Day
September 20, 2009
The Museum was proud to participate once again in Austin Museum Day, the annual, free, city-wide rediscovery of Austin museums. Hosted by the Austin Museum Partnership, this free day of exhibits and special programs is attended by nearly 30,000 people each year.
In celebration of Austin Museum Day 2009, the Museum offered free exhibit admission on Sunday, September 20, from Noon to 6 p.m., along with fun family activities, including a family story time, hands-on "Artifact in Action" activities, and a fun and challenging "Gallery Hunt" game in the Exhibits.
The Museum is proud to participate in the
Austin Museum Partnership.
A Symposium on The Galveston Movement
September 10 and 11
From Benjamin Franklin’s tirades against German immigrants in the mid-18th century, to the Chinese Exclusion Act in the 19th, our nation has demonstrated a consistent history of tension over whom we collectively regard as “real Americans” and whom we will allow into this country.
This symposium brought together scholars, fiction writers, public health experts, filmmakers and family storytellers to explore the dramatic tales of thousands of Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe who managed to enter this country not through the “golden door” of Ellis Island, but through the southern gateway of Galveston, Texas between 1907 and 1914, as part of an organized plan—known as The Galveston Movement. From their recruitment in Eastern Europe to their settlement in Texas and throughout the Midwest, these Jewish immigrants were aided and supervised by a network of agents and representatives who organized their passage, facilitated their inspections, and coordinated their journeys to find homes and jobs in Texas and the American Midwest. This decade marks the 100th anniversary of this Movement and offers us an important historical lens through which to examine the important questions that again face our nation at the turn of the twenty first century: Who can be an American?” and “Who gets to decide? “
Click here to see the two day agenda and list of distinguished guest speakers.
Support for this program comes from The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at The University of Texas at Austin.
NASA In-Flight Education Downlink
August 12
On the morning of August 12, from The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Texas students spoke live with Colonel Timothy Kopra, a native Texan, on-board the International Space Station (ISS) during a NASA In-flight Education Downlink. In celebration of this historic event the Museum hosted complimentary educational activities, including an inflatable planetarium, on-site experiments, VIP autograph signings, hands-on educational programming, and screenings of Space Station 3-D in the IMAX® Theatre courtesy of the Texas Space Grant Consortium.
This momentous event was a coordinated effort among NASA, the Texas Space Grant Consortium, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Texas State History Museum Foundation and KVUE.
NASA’s education downlinks support the agency’s efforts to encourage students to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). These events, by NASA’s Teaching From Space Office, use the unique experience of human space flight to promote and enhance STEM education.
Click here to see more pictures of this event.
Click here to see our You Tube Video
Sponsored by: 
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