Texas is home to over 1,000 local history museums. Whether housed in a historic structure or a state-of-the-art new building, each one is dedicated to telling the story of a community’s unique history. Collectively, they preserve the real places and the real things that tell the whole story of Texas.
The Museum Services Program enables small history museums to better carry out their missions by helping them to increase their capacity for meeting professional standards. We do this by providing the following services at no cost:
- Training
- Resources
- Consultations
- Communications
To be included in the THC Atlas, a history museum must exhibit and interpret objects and stories in a structure designed for public visitation, on a regular schedule at least 120 days per year.
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Upcoming Professional Development Webinars
Webinar: Four Flavors of Historical Cooking Methods
Tuesday, October 20, from 1-2 p.m. Central
Foodways programming can be some of the most popular events at historic sites- but how can educators create engaging and accurate cooking demonstrations?
Hear from four experienced Texas Historical Commission staff, each with a different area of food preparation specialization.
- Kevin Malcolm, Site Manager, Fort McKavett State Historic Site (Camp cooking)
- Barbara King, Lead Educator/Interpreter, Barrington Living History Farm SHS (Hearth cooking)
- Barbara Judkins, Site Manager, Caddo Mounds SHS (Wood stove cooking)
- Machelle Wood, Education and Public Programs Coordinator, Magoffin Home SHS (Foodways programs without historically accurate tools)
Discussion Group: Four Flavors of Historical Cooking Methods
Tuesday, October 22, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Central
Join us for the Discussion Group following the webinar Four Flavors of Historical Cooking Methods Ask follow-up questions directly to the presenters or other museum professionals in attendance.
Previous Professional Development Webinars
September 2026: Programming Ideas for Archeological Collections (View Recording and Speaker Notes)
August 2026: Cemetery Tours of Texas Showcase (View Recording)
June 2026: Memorialization: From Creation to Commemoration (View Recording)
May 2026: Beyond Prevention: The Value of Fire Hardening Cultural Sites (View Recording)
April 2026: From Interesting to Impactful - Leveraging Relatability in Programs (View Recording)
December 2025: Stronger Together: Building Meaningful Communities of Practice for Museum Teams (View Recording)
October 2025: Playing the Long Game: Cultivating a Decade of Board Growth and Practices at Texas Association of Museums (View Recording)
October 2025: Beyond Bylaws: Making Boards Work (View Recording)
Resources
The Helpful Resources section below provides a number of downloadable resource lists, articles, and other useful information for museums. All previous Museum Services Webinars are archived and available to view at any time. The Connect and Learn section below provides links to trainings hosted by other organizations and services, as well as listings of museum professional organizations. Grants and Fundraising offers resources for grant-writing, fundraising ideas, and an extensive list of grant opportunities relevant to museums in Texas. Review our information on Museum Consultants Working in Texas.
Consultations
Program staff can provide free, individualized assistance and support to museums in any aspect of museum operations, including but not limited to:
- Starting, planning, or reorganizing a museum
- Mission statements, strategic planning, and professional ethics
- Disaster preparedness and recovery
- Collections interpretation and educational programs
- Exhibit planning and design
- Board development and relations
- Volunteer recruitment and training
- Fundraising and special events
- Marketing and social media
- Collections care and security
Communications
Program staff sends email notices on timely information about current trends, available resources, upcoming grant deadlines, training opportunities, and other types of assistance.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the Museum Services Program, please contact the program administrator using the information listed here.
-
Phone:
+1 512-463-6427 -
Email:
museums@thc.texas.gov -
Address:
P.O. Box 12276
Austin, TX 78711
United States