French Cultures Festival: La Belle the Ship that Changed History

Online Program

March 29, 2023 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Celebrate French culture in Texas by exploring the past.

Event Details

This event is part of the French Cultures Festival coordinated by the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Houston. Connect with the Bullock Museum for this virtual program to explore the French connection in Texas.

Who was the 17th Century French explorer La Salle? How did the sinking of his ship, La Belle, change the history of Texas? What technological innovations were used to excavate and conserve this ship and its artifacts for over 300 years? Discover the answers to these questions by examining the artifacts found on the ship with a Museum Educator.

Program is FREE to the public and will be in English.

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About French Cultures Festival

Spoken by 300 million people on the five continents and by 2.1 million people in the United States, French language is the second most widely learned language in the world. Since 1970, French language has been celebrated on March 20, which marks the birth of the Intergovernmental Organization of French-speaking nations.

Each year in March, the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Houston coordinates the French Cultures Festival (FCF) in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. A celebration of the diversity of "francophonie", it brings together people who not only speak French, but also feel, in one way or another, connected to France and the Francophone community.

One of the major objectives of the French Cultures Festival is to create awareness of the diversity of French language and cultures and to stimulate exchanges with the public.

The FCF gathers many institutional partners from museums, universities, schools, diplomatic representations, and many other organizations. Every year, over 40 cultural and educational events are showcased during the Festival in the three states covered by the Cultural Service.

Zoom Information

This online program uses Zoom automated closed captioning. You will be prompted to download the Zoom application for mobile or desktop if it is not already installed. You do not need a Zoom account to join this livestream. You will be asked to register upon connecting to the webinar. Advanced registration is not required.

For security and privacy purposes, attendees will not have video or audio capabilities. Questions will be moderated by Museum staff. Participants will not be allowed to send private messages or media in the livestream.

This event is part of the French Cultures Festival coordinated by the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Houston

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.