Our Museums & Collections

For more than 70 years, the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine has been collecting and exhibiting artifacts of the vast Big Bend region. The Museum of the Big Bend's goal is to showcase this human history and culture reflected through the contributions of the Native Americans, Spanish, Mexicans and Americans who have inhabited the area.

The Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville is dedicated to the life and times of General Sam Houston, former Governor of Tennessee, victor over Santa Anna in the Texas War of Independence, first President of the Republic of Texas, Senator from the State of Texas and Governor of the State of Texas.

Founded at Texas State University-San Marcos by Austin screenwriter and photographer Bill Wittliff and his wife Sally, the collections are devoted to the safekeeping and sharing of the Southwest’s literature, film, and music, and the photography of the Southwest and Mexico through the acquisition of significant archives and supplementary materials.

The Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur tells the exciting story of the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast region. Traditional themes are utilized in interpreting the focus of Gulf Coast life before the arrival of man, the role of Native Americans, European contact, economic and cultural growth, and the integration of the Gulf Coast region into the larger national and international community.

Located on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, the Dishman Art Museum serves as both a public gallery and a teaching facility. The museum offers students an opportunity to experience diverse styles that reflect international trends as well as exhibit their own work, while contributing to  the cultural opportunities of the region.