The Bryan Museum

 December 30, 2020

Today we went to The Bryan Museum

The museum is in the building of the Galveston Orphans Home.

Originally built in 1895, the home was severely damaged by the 1900 Storm.

 

Original building, a $30,000 gift from Henry Rosenberg 

       After the 1900 Storm

All occupants survived the storm.  

THE ORIGINAL HOME FOR ORPHANS ERECTED ON THIS SITE IN 1894 THE GIFT OF HENRY ROSENBERG- WAS DESTROYED IN THE STORM OF SEPT. 8.1900 THE PRESENT HOME WAS BUILT AND FURNISHED BY SUBSCRIPTIONS CONTRIBUTED THROUGH W. B. HEARST OF THE NEW YORK JOURNAL AND FROM THE PROCEEDS OF A BAZAAR HELD IN NEW YORK CITY UPON HIS INITIATIVE 1901

 

The interior of the building is gorgeous with stained glass,

light fixtures, decorative crown molding,

and the fanciest public restroom.  

The building is a wonderful environment for the museum.

"With 20,000 square feet of exhibit space and lush, manicured grounds, it has become a Texas destination."

The back of the museum has a parking lot and

 

This lovely greenhouse that can seat 150 guests comfortably for your next event in Galveston.
 

The gardens are lovely.

Around to the front of the building

we are greeted by this statue

and this statue which begin to make you feel the pull of the old west.

The museum houses the collection of J.P. and Mary Jon Bryan.

"At age ten, J.P. Bryan acquired his first two pieces, a Moore’s Patent Front Loading Revolver and a Sharps Patent Four-Barrel Derringer. Both firearms still reside in the collection today.

While attending the University of Texas, Bryan started a rare book and printing business with a friend. It was during this period that he began focusing his collecting on Texana. "

The Front Parlor

The front parlor, what is different here, besides Jim not being in the shot?

Look at the frame above the mantle, the picture is different.

Why, because the welcome video is played inside this frame, very Harry Potter.

All of the collection is as well displayed as the welcome video.  You feel

like a guest looking at a personal collection that is very well put together for viewing.

And now for some of the collection

an ornate trunk and matching stand

A cry for help from the Alamo

"William Barret "Buck" Travis was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution."

A picture of David "Davy" Crocket that he felt looked like him.

"Confederate Violin Shotgun

This red velvet and flower-print trunk paper-lined case contains some intriguing items. Most notable is the sawed-off, double-barreled 12-gauge Powell shotgun with a violin scroll-shaped handle. Next, a violin-shaped can of powder and caps is topped with a brass art nouveau frontispiece and a cap wrench. Finally, there is a music box that plays the unofficial Confederate national anthem known as "Dixie." On the top of the case is a small painting of the Rebel flag marked "Louisville," with the phrases "The Travelling Fiddler" and "The Kentucky Traveler" written along the edges. The bottom of the case contains a cutaway featuring sheet music marked "Miss Maria Still: Bear gently, so gently, the roughly made bier...." Finally, written in long-hand along the bottom is a menacing declaration: "The last song a Yank will hear ever! I'll play this fiddle for any Yankee Bastard.” The statement is signed, "Robert (illegible), Louisville."

The cowboy who drove cattle until the trains took over.

Civil War Items

Justice of the Peace Badge of John B Wilson (1877).

This was much fancier than Hollywood western movies would have you believe.

And in the realm of fancy, take a look at these cowhide chaps with 54 medallion coins.

These were used as part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show

I may not be the best gift giver, but it would not occur to me to give

a silver cake server to William Cody aka Buffalo Bill.

A display of some sombreros

And what is a cowboy without a saddle

This one is a side saddle, for the ladies to ride respectfully.

And then there was painted artwork

"The Spill" by W Herbert Dunton

this was my favorite painting in the museum

Yes, these are original Andy Warhol (1986).

Geronimo, Annie Oakley, and General Custer.

A Coleman painting showing not everyone was white.

Stanley L Wood painting

The museum does have a few guns on display.

Spurs and bridles.

The Special Exhibit Room was currently maps.

My favorite part of this one is "Great Space of Land Unknown"

Here is the upstairs library.  The cove molding is beautiful.

"Emblem of Saint Hubertus (Hubert), patron saint of hunters

Maker Unknown: From the hunting lodge of Kaiser Wilhelm II

Wood and Antler

1891-1893

On the 3rd of November each year, the German Emperor (Kaiser) held a special hunt and banquet to mark the Feast Day for Saint Hubertus, the patron saint of hunters. . .  Rominte Heath, on the Russia-Poland border, was also a popular hunting ground for Prussian Royalty dating from the early 16th century. Kaiser Wilhelm II built his hunting lodge here in 1891, including a chapel dedicated to Saint Hubertus. This carved wood stag head came from this lodge in 1918, 

following the Kaiser's exile at the end of World War I.

Hubert was a nobleman, born around 705 AD. He was a great hunter and after losing his wife in childbirth, became obsessed with it. The emblem for Saint Hubertus represents the story of the master hunter and his vision of a stag with a glowing crucifix suspended between his majestic antlers. Hubert reported experiencing the vision, accompanied by a voice from heaven, while on a hunt. The vision began a profound conversion that led him to renounce his wealth and join the priesthood to begin life as an evangelist. Hubert is also known as a pioneer in promoting ethical hunting practices, encouraging hunters to treat animals with respect and dignity as God's creatures."

I know, this has nothing to do with Texas, but it is part of the collection and pretty cool.

The museum was great, hoped you enjoyed these snippets from the collection.

After the museum we headed to happy hour at Taquilo's Tex-Mex Cantina.

It rained while we were in the museum but held off while we ate outside.

All this for $35, got to love happy hour prices

and a coupon for free Queso, which was delicious.

On the road back to the RV we snapped a photo of this bird sculpture.