Special Exhibitions

“From the Vault” offers a rare glimpse into the hidden treasures of The Bryan Museum’s extensive collection: artifacts, artworks, and archival materials rarely seen by the public. The Bryan Museum collection contains thousands of pieces, but only approximately 10% are currently on display while the remainder are carefully stored and preserved in one of the museum’s many vaults. Owner and founder J.P. Bryan’s extensive collecting history has allowed him to amass a collection spanning thousands of years, Texas, Native American, Western history and beyond.  

The full extent of J.P. Bryan’s collection has yet to be viewed in its entire state, but this exclusive exhibit seeks to bring to light forgotten gems, seldom-seen masterpieces, and historically significant objects that, until now, have remained tucked away in our museum’s vault. Featuring objects, such as Sam Houston’s wallet, will allow viewers to see items associated with familiar names in Texas history, while other collections from the vault will allow visitors to learn about other important Texas figures such as Everett Townsend. From Native American pottery to European religious paintings, and from antique maps to cowboy guns, “From the Vault” brings together a unique opportunity to see the depth and scope of J.P. Bryan’s collecting history for The Bryan Museum.  

This exhibition explores how Jewish immigrants helped shape Texas from the early 1800s through the early twentieth century – building businesses, communities, and civic institutions while maintaining cultural and religious identity on the frontier. 

Between 1907 and 1914, the port of Galveston played a starring role in a story as big as Texas. Galveston was an alternative entry into the United States for persecuted Jews. The Galveston Movement assisted close to 10,000 immigrants with travel and new lives further inland, in Texas and beyond.  This exhibition will highlight the stories of significant contributors to the story of Texas with figures like; Rabbi Henry Cohen and his wife, Molly Cohen, Michael Seeglison (Galveston’s first Jewish mayor), the Sakowitz family, Harris and Eliza Kempner, Mayer Halff and many others. Jewish pioneers of Texas forged a distinctive identity for their descendants and made enormous contributions to the Texas of today.