Bullock Museum to offer a summer of new exhibits, family programs and free fun

MAY 23, 2024 (AUSTIN, TX) — The Bullock Museum is excited to announce a summer packed with experiences that invite the community to escape the heat and celebrate Texas history and culture through family activities, films, exhibitions and opportunities to explore the Museum for free.

“Enjoy cool, indoor activities this summer at the Bullock Museum, where children and teens are sure to have fun making new discoveries,” said Kristin Johnson, Family Programs Manager at the Bullock Museum. “There are programs for all age groups, including Texas Storytelling, a LEGO® Maker Event, and an American Indian Beading Workshop.”

The Bullock offers expanded family programs every other week during the summer, with programs aimed at different age groups. Summer Storytimes and the Little Texans programs are available for toddlers, ages two to five, and their caregivers. School-age children are invited to Kids Make & Create, featuring various crafts and activities for the whole family to enjoy. STEAM Labs will also continue through the summer months, where school-age children and their families participate in hands-on activities with experts from Central Texas Discover Engineering and Museum Educators. Teen workshops include the opportunity to learn new skills and enjoy a pizza lunch for teenagers ages 13 to 18. The Museum will also bring back its Summer Family Films Series, screening three classic animated films enhanced with multisensory effects in the Texas Spirit Theater, including The Lion King, Hercules, and The Emperor’s New Groove. For adults, Third Thursdays feature late Museum hours, a drop-in arts and craft station, a signature cocktail, and a themed main event on the third Thursday of each month.

There are many opportunities to explore the Bullock for free this summer. Free exhibit admission and family-friendly activities are offered to all visitors during H-E-B Free First Sunday, taking place the first Sunday of every month. Additionally, visitors are invited to view a naturalization ceremony and take part in family-friendly crafts and view live dance performances during World Refugee Day on June 8. The Museum is also excited to announce the return of Music Under the Star, a free outdoor concert series on the recently opened Capitol Mall, a green space between MLK Jr. Blvd and the Capitol building. On July 14, the Museum will have free exhibition admission and family-friendly programming during the Bob Bullock Birthday Bash, a celebration of the Museum’s namesake, Lt. Governor Bob Bullock.

On view in the Texas History Galleries this summer are unique artifacts, including Bobbie Nelson’s grand piano, a WWII-era AT-6A “Texan” airplane, a NASA Mission Control console, and Legacies of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, a special focus exhibition in the Museum’s second floor gallery. Carros y Cultura: Lowriding Legacies in Texas highlights the rich culture of the Texas lowriding community through artifacts, interactive experiences, and cars and bicycles from San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Laredo, Pecos and more.

In addition to free days open to all, active-duty military and SNAP and WIC participants and their families have the opportunity to gain free exhibit admission every day. The Bullock Museum is once more part of Blue Star Museums, providing active-duty military and their families with free exhibit admission from Armed Forces Day, May 18, through Labor Day, September 2. Museums for All invites SNAP and WIC participants to show their EBT card to receive free exhibit admission for the cardholder and their family year round.

For more information and to see a full schedule of programs and events, visit TheStoryofTexas.com/summer.

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Carros y Cultura: Lowriding Legacies in Texas is sponsored by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Hall Fund and Univision Austin.

Music Under the Star is sponsored by KUTX and Austin Chronicle.

Bob Bullock Birthday Bash is made possible by the generosity of Carolene English.

H-E-B Free First Sunday sponsored by H-E-B

Museums for All at the Bullock Museum is made possible by the generosity of the Union Pacific Community Ties Giving Program.

Blue Star Museums at the Bullock Museum is made possible by an anonymous generous donor.

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.

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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.