Bryan Educational Institute

The Bryan Educational Institute (formerly the Bryan Texana Foundation) is a nonprofit organization that includes The Bryan Museum and all of its educational initiatives. The museum opened to the public in 2015 after the organization acquired and restored the building and grounds of the historic former Galveston Orphans Home in 2013. This site has become the setting for The Bryan Museum which houses exhibitions, archival holdings, educational programs, administrative offices, and a collection of over 70,000 artifacts. These artifacts span 12,000 years of history and highlight the lives of indigenous peoples, Spanish explorers, and frontier pioneers. The museum’s founder and historical preservationist J.P. Bryan, a direct descendant of Stephen F. Austin, donated the collection to the organization in effort to share Texas history education with the public and the next generations. Since the original donation, the organization has continued to grow the collection significantly by both public and private donations.

Since its opening, over 400,000 guests have experienced the museum. In addition, over 25,000 students have visited as part of their Texas history education experience. Recently, the organization developed and launched its education department to create educational materials and resources that provide a hands-on approach to learning for students and the general public. The museum uses its one-of-a-kind collection of artifacts, art, maps, books, and original documents – and the stories behind them – to encourage visitors, researchers, and students to ask great questions, share innovative ideas, and think about how the decisions they make today will affect future generations.

These educational initiatives are critical as the need for additional educational support continues to grow. With teachers leaving the profession in record numbers and home-schooling numbers increasing, the need for informed resources in Texas history is staggering. Curriculum materials that represent the full story of Texas are needed so that we can preserve this important story of one of the most strategic and diverse regions of the country.

Securing the history of the great state of Texas will soon be in the hands of our future generation. These young people, many of whom were not born in Texas, must understand the story of the settlement of the western part of the United States in order to appreciate it and value it. We believe it is our duty to become the leader in the way Texas history education is taught in order to fill in the gaps of the current educational system in Texas. As education is rapidly changing before our eyes, one thing remains the same: children are still hungry for knowledge. We will continue to develop and redevelop the way we reach and relate to students through opportunities, hands-on discovery, and untold stories that captivate their curiosity to keep learning. This takes qualified individuals with a passion to teach. And that is what the Bryan Educational Institute will become - the most trusted resource when it comes to the history of Texas and the American West.