Established in
1933,
the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is dedicated to the hardy
settlers of northwest Texas and to the preservation of that
heritage.
It is the largest history museum in the state of Texas.
Construction of Pioneer Hall
began in 1932. Finished in Texas limestone, the original structure
features fine decorative stonework and carvings depicting western
themes and Panhandle fauna in its facade. More than one hundred
famous
West Texas cattle
brands in glazed sandstone surround the entrance. This building
bears a
State Antiquities Landmark designation awarded in 1983 for its
unique
Art Deco architectural style.
The Panhandle-Plains
Historical
Society, as founder and sponsoring organization of the Museum,
owns all
the collections and oversees their care and maintenance.
Established in
1921, the Society took as its mission was "to collect all the
relics
and
history of the Panhandle and to place them in a fireproof building
under the care of a capable guardian."
Through the vision of these
early
Society members, and with the continuing efforts of today's
Society,
the Panhandle heritage, its people and its culture have been
preserved
for future generations.
Highlights & Collections:
From Dinosaurs to
Conquistadors, from Cowpokes to Oil Folks, from Buckboards to Old
Fords, from Indian Lore to Guns and More...see it all at the
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
See a real cable tool drilling
rig, a working pump jack, "down hole tools" in action; or
experience a
feeling of nostalgia at Cal's Filling Station (complete with
hand-operated gas pump and Model-T Ford) just as it existed in the
1930s.
Follow the board sidewalk of
Pioneer Town for a look at life in a small Panhandle community in
the
early 1900s. A rancher's home, a livery stable, saloon, blacksmith
shop, school, millinery shop and more are all filled with
authentic
domestic and
commercial articles. Sam Wood's cabin built in 1887 and Charles
Goodnight's log cabin built on Mulberry Creek in 1881 have both
been
reconstructed as part of Pioneer Town.
Learn about Texas
Ranching...from
the arrival of cattle in North America in 1493 to the modern
cattle
industry of today. Guns, saddles, an outfitted chuckwagon,
photographs
and documents detail the daily lives of cowboys on Panhandle
ranches.
Become acquainted with the
lifeways of the Native American of the Southern Plains. Displays
and
dioramas trace the history of the Comanche, Kiowa, Arapaho, and
Cheyenne nations from the 1700s through the modern era.
Explore the history of the
Texas
Panhandle in the Paleontology and Geology area; or view examples
of
plant and animal life in their natural habitat displayed in the
Natural
History area.
Let your imagination soar as
you
wander through the transportation exhibit illustrating the many
methods
used to travel the Texas Panhandle. See buggies, sleighs and
wagons
from the nineteenth century as well as automobiles from 1900
through
the l950s.
Visit the Arts Wing featuring
textiles, furniture, fine arts and decorative arts. Changing
exhibits
utilize the Museum's textile collection to illustrate a variety of
themes. Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Belter style furniture from
the
15th through the
20th century also are exhibited, along with examples of art glass,
ceramics, and metalware.
View one of the finest art
collections in the Southwest, exhibited in five galleries. The
Museum's
permanent collection is featured in the galleries devoted to
American,
European and Texas art. Changing exhibitions focus on historical
art
including
paintings, art objects, furniture and photographs.
Researchers will be delighted
at
the large collection of published works and manuscripts dealing
with
history, genealogy, art, archeology and many other topics in the
Museum' s Research Center. Don't miss the Bob Wills Memorial
Archive of
Popular Music
displayed there.
All this and more await
visitors
to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Located on the campus
of
West Texas A&M University, it is the oldest and largest museum
of
its kind in the state of Texas. With entire sections dedicated to
petroleum, western
heritage, paleontology, transportation and art, the PPHM is really
five
museums in one.
Collections include art,
archaeology, ranching art, textiles, transportation and natural
history.
Exhibits & Special Events:
Pioneer Hall. Petroleum
Wing.
Ranching Hall. Indian Hall. Western Art Galleries.
RENOVATION FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION
Completion date Summer 2001 During this $6.1 million
renovation
project, Pioneer Hall will be transformed into a friendly and
informative orientation space that will serve as an
introduction to the
Museum itself and a gateway to the history of the Panhandle
region. The adjacent area will house the new exhibit
People of
the Plains: Experiments in Living.
PEOPLE of THE PLAINS: EXPERIMENTS IN LIVING
Opening August 24 An imaginative new exhibit,
telling
the tory of 14,000 years of human occupation of the Southern
Great
Plains. Artifacts and information will be arranged
topically,
with major sections devoted to food, water, shelter and
clothing.
The story will explore the areas of trade, creativity, and
cultural
transmission. The new exhibit areas will create an
engaging,
educational experience that offers a diversity of
perspectives, a
variety of hands-on activities and a dynamic continually
changing
presentation of the Museum’s exceptional collections.
CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE The
Museum’s
Annual Open House, with Santa in an antique sleigh, role players
and
musical entertainment.
Hours:
Monday through Saturday:
9:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. June through August Tuesday through Saturday:
9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. September through May Sundays: Closed year round
Admission & Directions:
Adults: $10.00
Seniors 65+: $9.00
Groups of 20+: $9.00
Children: $3.00
Children Groups: $3.00
Members: Free
