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The Bryan Museum opened to much fanfare on Juneteenth after preview parties for neighbors and friends. Located at 1315 21st Street, this beautiful brick landmark sits in the heart of the San Jacinto neighborhood.
The building was an orphanage for nearly a hundred years. he large dormitory spaces lend themselves to use as museum galleries, and the late Victorian style of the building’s exterior and interior is suited for housing a collection that chronicles the settling of the western part of the United States.
J.P. Bryan purchased the Galveston Orphans Home building on Oct. 11, 2013, and began a thorough restoration. He has a long history of promoting Texas history, education and is a proponent of the restoration of historic buildings. He chose Galveston Island following a search of a number of locations in other cities, but settled on the Galveston Orphan’s Home immediately upon setting foot inside the doors.
“For our collection, the building’s large rooms and high ceilings are a marriage made in heaven,” he said.
The ambiance of the stately building combined with the warm, elegant interiors will greatly enhance visitors’ experience. How fortunate we Galvestonians are! A first class institution that could have been anywhere in Texas and we have it, hoorah!
Founded by Mary Jon and J.P. Bryan, it is the result of their lifetime commitment to historic reservation and education. The museum houses the largest collection of its type in the world — 70,000 items, spanning 2,500 years, including treasures from ancient Native American cultural artifacts to 21st century pieces, rare German, French, Spanish and English documents, exquisite saddles, spurs, antique firearms, exceptionally rare maps and books, fine art, religious and folk art, portraits and documents. Additionally it will feature displays dedicated to the history of the building, the orphanage, and the children who lived there in addition to housing his extensive collection of fine art, artifacts, maps, documents and books.
The Bryan Museum is celebrating their opening with an exhibit featuring the Bufalo Soldiers which will be on display through September.
The staff at the Bryan Museum were invited to join his team based on their extensive knowledge, interest and dedication to preserving history, as well as their ability to assist in illustrating the vision, courage and entrepreneurial spirit that built the State of Texas and the American Southwest. hey are also a very friendly bunch!
Check out their website at www.thebryanmusuem. org where you can learn more about this spectacular place, become a member, find out what is going on at the museum as well as giving you an opportunity to volunteer and become part of this great team.
According to J.P., “When you get an opportunity to share with other people, it’s a far more gratifying experience, especially the history of the State of Texas, and the evidence of thousands of heroes and the values most shared in bringing about the settlement of the western United States — it’s a wonderful story. here’s not another country in the world that has such an interesting historical chapter attached to it.”
Thanks J.P. for adding another reason why those of us lucky enough to live by the sea are lucky enough!