Brenham, TX

visitbrenhamtexas.com/MoMS

Brenham was selected by the Texas Historical Commission as one of seven towns (out of 53 applicants) to host Museum on Main Street (MoMS), a program of the Smithsonian Institution that brings traveling exhibits to rural communities across the country. The exhibit, Crossroads: Change in Rural America, will be traveling the state in 2024 and 2025 and be in Brenham from December 7, 2024 – January 19, 2025.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Brenham to partner with the prestigious Smithsonian Institution,” said Jennifer Eckermann, Director of Tourism & Marketing for the City of Brenham, “and plans are underway to create a cultural, educational, and unifying experience that will impact our community. We will create local exhibits and other program activities and outreach, and are seeking community collaborators.”

Eckermann, with Visit Brenham, Dr. Tina Henderson, President of the Texas Ten Historical Explorers, Inc., and David Thomas, Executive Director of the Brenham Heritage Museum, are the original application partners and attended orientation workshops kicking off the program in Texas. “We look forward to developing other partnerships within the community,” said Dr. Henderson, “as our local exhibition and programming plans take shape, and we work to accomplish the goals of hosting MoMS.” She adds, “The history of our area is unmistakably worthy to be shared but there are under-told stories that will become part of permanent exhibits in our community because of our work with MoMS.”

Local exhibits, educational programs, and cultural activities developed will tie into the primary themes of the Smithsonian’s Crossroads exhibit, including Identity; Land; Community; Persistence; and Change. David Thomas encourages the community to get involved in the experience as opportunities to participate are shared. “This Smithsonian exhibit highlights rural America, both how it has changed over time and also how it is still impacting our country,” he said. “We want to kick off our community participation by asking questions of the people who have chosen to live here.” Thomas added, “We want to know what “rural America” means to you, what you feel makes Brenham/Washington County unique, and what you would miss most if you had to leave.”

An online survey is available at VisitBrenhamTexas.com/MoMS, and answers will be shared on that page which will also be used to update the public on the community’s work with MoMS.

Eckermann encourages everyone to stay tuned and learn of ways to become involved in MoMS planning and hosting. “Brenham and Washington County are special,” she said, “and we’re excited to have this opportunity to highlight how our area has been able to thrive over the years through the many challenges faced by rural communities.” To date, MoMS exhibitions have visited more than 1,900 communities in all 50 states.