Programs

High Noon Talks
Wednesday, September 3
12 – 1 pm
Free!

Join jazz historian Dave Oliphant in a music-filled conversation on jazz from the Lone Star State as the Fall season of High Noon Talks kicks off. From Scott Joplin to Ornette Coleman, learn about the important role that Texan musicians have played in the development of this vibrant genre.

The talk will touch on the entire history of jazz, illustrated by recorded examples of Texans in performance. Oliphant will be available to sign his latest book, Jazz Mavericks of the Lone Star State, following the presentation.

Public Programs Associated with the Special Exhibition
Dallas: Power & Passion on Primetime TV
Opening at Noon on May 31

Dallas exhibit logo. A wealthy Texas oil family, the Ewings, captured the imagination of the U.S. and the world through an unforgettable primetime saga.

Featuring larger-than-life characters like J.R., Miss Ellie, and Sue Ellen, the groundbreaking television show Dallas grabbed the attention of millions of fans drawn to its dramatic stories of intrigue and betrayal, and left a lasting impact on the Texas identity at home and abroad.

Opening 30 years after the program first went on the air, the special exhibition Dallas: Power and Passion on Primetime TV will spotlight the show's enduring legacy by featuring interactive stations, props, artifacts loaned by actors ranging from Larry Hagman to Steve Kanaly, scripts, television clips, and a recreated environment from the program's fourteen seasons. In the ensuing decades, the plot twists and schemes in Dallas live on through DVD sales, domestic and international syndication, and a planned feature-length film.

Previous Programs Associated with the Special Exhibition

A visitor gets "Big Texas Hair" during opening celebration for the exhibit Dallas: Power & Passion on Primetime TV. Opening Day Celebration
Saturday, May 31
1 - 4 pm
FREE, 1st Floor Rotunda

During the opening celebration from 1-4 pm on Saturday, May 31, you can get that "big Texas hair" look from Baldwin Beauty School stylists ready to tease you into something Sue Ellen would be proud of. Then, those stylists will compete in a Big Hair Show complete with models on the runway. For the little tycoons, they'll have a chance to build their own oil derrick.

Visitors get a behind-the-scenes look at Southfork Ranch in the June High Noon Talks. High Noon Talks
Wednesday, June 11
12 - 1 pm
Free, with exhibit admission

Meet in the Dallas exhibit space with special guests Susan McLeland (guest co-curator), Steve Mims (director, editor, & cinematographer, Meticulous Pictures) and Sally Peavy (manager of tourism operations, Southfork Ranch), who will share humorous stories about die-hard Dallas fans and the making of Southfork Pilgrims, a short film featured in the exhibition. Don't forget to order your gourmet box lunch from the Story of Texas Cafe to pick up after the talk.

High Noon Talks
Wednesday, July 9
12 - 1 pm
Free with exhibit admission

Meet in the Dallas exhibit space with Anna Madrona, a member of the team that planned this exhibit, as she leads a conversation with special guest David Woo, who will share behind-the-scenes stories of photographing on the set of Dallas for the Dallas Morning News. Don't forget to order your gourmet box lunch from the Story of Texas Cafe to pick up after the talk.

Dallas Forever
Sunday, July 27
2 – 4 pm
Texas Spirit Theater
FREE, Reservations required by calling (512) 936-4649.

What is it about a television show featuring Texas oilmen and ranchers that continues to claim a devoted following 30 years after it first went on the air? Join curator Janet Staiger as she leads an engaging discussion on the making of Dallas and its impact on the television industry and American culture. Special guests include New York Times television editor Steve Reddicliffe and Austin producer/director Dwight Adair, who directed several episodes of Dallas.

Local support: The Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall Fund.

Admission to the Museum’s exhibits, including the special exhibit Dallas: Power & Passion on Primetime TV 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).