Austin Museum Day
Online Program
September 20, 2020
Celebrate the strength and diversity of our community.
Event Details
Join us online for 2020's Austin Museum Day! This virtual event will highlight the strengths and diversity of Texans through select digital content from the Museum's online collection.
In addition to these online activities, the Museum is open to the public with new protocols including timed-entry tickets. If you plan to visit the Museum, we encourage reserving your tickets for paid admission online ahead of time as our capacity is limited.
Activities
Join a Museum Educator in art making activities that are fun for the whole family.
- Create a beautiful butterfly as a symbol of hope and kindness to share with neighbors.
- Channel your inner superpowers to design a superhero mask that you can wear to fight evil powers and bring love and peace to the world.
Explore Texas History with Online Resources
- Discover a story that is thousands of years old, the history of American Indians in Texas
- Move to the beat of música Tejana which captures both the history and the enduring passion of the Texas-Mexico border
- Explore a unique selection of artifacts and 100s more in the Artifact Gallery
- View discussions led by experts ranging from the history of Tempranillo wine in Texas to 30 years of filmmaking in Austin
- Enjoy virtual storytimes and demonstrations of hands-on activities for kids of all ages
- Tune in to two seasons of the Texas Story Podcast, Vietnam on Tape and Stevie Ray Vaughn
Texas Story Project
Read select stories below from the voices of Texans in the Texas Story Project, a collection of original stories – including text, photographs, videos, and audio files – that celebrate and link the past, present, and future of Texas.
I grew up in inner city Fort Worth in an African-American neighborhood set in the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement. Black teachers and doctors were the mainstays – living next door to plumbers, undertakers, domestic servants, and packing house workers who kept well-maintained homes as well.
"In Diversity there is beauty and there is strength."
Franchesca Fraire (born Franchesca Garza), was born on December 3, 1974, in El Paso, Texas. Franchesca struggled to find comfort in her identity growing up as a Japanese Mexican American woman. This struggle began at a young age because her Caucasian Grandparents never understood the world of a minority. Her grandparents adopted her Mom from Japan as a child, but Japanese culture was never integrated into the lives of Franchesca or her mother. Growing up, Franchesca found that her grandparents were very racially insensitive, referring to their neighbors as "the Mexicans, the Chinamen, and the Negros." Franchesca even recalled being told that while her Mom was dating her Hispanic Father that he was not even allowed to walk up to the door. This mentality that her grandparents raised her around made it hard for Franchesca to find comfort and security in who she was. She understood that beauty was white, with blonde hair and blue eyes and she did not have any of those things.
“I came to Texas because of the role the Texas Medical Center in Houston played in advancing cardiac surgery. Pioneering cardiac surgeons such as Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley were my role models and I aspired to follow in their footsteps in Texas.” Dr. Obinna Isiguzo moved to Texas to further his career in medicine and he cherishes his life in Texas.
For many in Texas, the story of Nina Vaca is one that motivates us and proves to all first-generation immigrants that hard work really does pay off. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Texas State University, she worked to eventually become one of the most influential entrepreneurs, philanthropist, and mentor to innovators, immigrants, and women alike.
Banner image courtesy Third Rail Creative
The Bullock Texas State History Museum is a division of the Texas State Preservation Board. Additional support for educational programming provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.
