Bullock Museum wins three Media and Technology MUSE Awards

MAY 7, 2018 (AUSTIN, TX) — The Bullock Texas State History Museum was awarded on Sunday with three Media and Technology MUSE Awards from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) at the organization's Annual Meeting and Museum Expo. The awards include Gold in Podcasts for the Texas Story Podcast: Stevie Ray Vaughan, created in conjunction with the exhibition Pride and Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bronze in Audio Experiences for achievement in exhibition soundscape design in the Museum's gallery spaces, and Honorable Mention for Interactive Kiosks for the Museum's creation of a music trivia interactive featured in the exhibition Pong to Pokémon: The Evolution of Electronic Gaming.

“AAM’s MUSE Awards recognize the best and brightest in digital museum innovation internationally, and receiving three awards—more than any other institution this year—is a reflection of the dynamic objects, stories, and experiences the Bullock Museum brings its visitors every day,” David Munns, Bullock Museum Director of Web and Digital Media, said.

In the Podcasts category, the Bullock Museum's Texas Story Project: Stevie Ray Vaughan received a Gold award, AAM's highest honor. The podcast explores the life, influences, and lasting legacy of Stevie Ray Vaughan as told by Bullock Museum Web and Digital Media Manager Evan Windham, a young Austinite discovering Vaughan's music for the first time. Divided into five episodes, the podcast features interviews with Vaughan's Double Trouble bandmates Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton, his older brother Jimmie Vaughan, as well as scholars and writers who have studied Vaughan and the Austin music scene he helped cultivate.

Over the last year, museum staff engineered several soundscapes that were recognized at the Bronze level in the Audio Experiences category. The soundscapes provide an immersive experience for Bullock Museum visitors through specially designed music compilations and sound accompaniment that have been featured in exhibitions including Pride and Joy, Pong to Pokémon, Voices from the Storm, and the current exhibition Comanche Motion: The Art of Eric Tippeconnic.

The Bullock Museum also received an Honorable Mention in the Interactive Kiosks category for an original music trivia game created by the Web and Digital Media department for the Pong to Pokémon exhibition. The installation allowed visitors to test their knowledge of music from video games through an interactive touch table featuring classic and recognizable electronic gaming soundtracks. 

In addition to the recognition at the MUSE Awards on Sunday, digital projects at the Bullock Museum have received widespread accolades this year. The Texas Association of Museums honored the Bullock Museum's digital innovation at the annual TAMMIE Awards in April, giving the Bullock Museum an Award of Merit for the digital experience created for Pong to Pokémon.

“We are honored to be recognized for digital media projects, and these awards underscore the tremendous breadth of rich content, both digital and physical, that is curated and created every day for Bullock Museum visitors to experience,” Munns said.

The annual Media and Technology MUSE Awards recognize outstanding achievement in media produced by galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM). The winning projects are chosen by an international group of GLAM technology professionals and presented at the Annual Meeting and Museum Expo. 

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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.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum is owned and operated by the State of Texas through the State Preservation Board. Additional support of exhibitions and programs is provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.