Personal stories of Hurricane Harvey survivors, first responders in new exhibition

NOVEMBER 7, 2017 (AUSTIN, TX) — In conjunction with Texas Monthly, the exhibition Unsinkable: Voices from the Storm will open at the Bullock Texas State History Museum on Friday, November 10, 2017. Based on Texas Monthly's October 2017 cover story, "Voices from the Storm," the exhibition shares the personal, first-hand accounts of 16 individuals who survived, witnessed and assisted others during the five days that Hurricane Harvey battered the Texas coast in August 2017.

"Partnering with the Bullock Museum allows us a unique opportunity to commemorate what happened and how Texans responded," Texas Monthly Editor-in-Chief Tim Taliaferro said. "We want people to remember not just the damage Harvey caused, but also the incredible human spirit that the storm revealed, and that has long been central to the Texas identity."

Through 16 individual story panels, an original audio soundscape, and exclusive photographs taken on the scene, the exhibition will immerse visitors in the experiences captured by more than a dozen staff members at Texas Monthly. Included in the stories is the personal account of Texas Monthly writer R.G. Ratcliffe, who rented a car and headed to the Texas coast as Hurricane Harvey was developing.

"We're so pleased to partner with the team at Texas Monthly to bring Voices from the Storm to our visitors and honor these incredible, poignant stories of hope and caring," said Bullock Museum Deputy Director Margaret Koch. "It showed the world Texan resilience and the humanity that crossed economic, race and cultural boundaries."

The exhibition includes a traditional Eastern Shawnee dress and shawl gifted to the people of Texas by artist Sherry Hamby as a symbol of hope, comfort and solace. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view letters of support that Governor Abbott's office received, as well as leave their own messages that will be shared with the communities hit hardest by the storm following the exhibition's run.

Unsinkable: Voices from the Storm will be on view on the first floor of the Bullock Museum through Sunday, December 10, 2017. For more information, visit TheStoryofTexas.com or call (512)936-8746.

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 Museum's nonprofit partner, the Texas State History Museum Foundation.

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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.