Night at the Museum

Blinn College’s Star of the Republic Museum will bring Texas history to life with a few new additions during this year’s Night at the Star of the Republic Museum.

The museum invites families to arrive between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, to enjoy a wagon ride, a museum tour in which historical characters come to life, and tavern tales from Old Washington.

“This is an opportunity for people to come out and be introduced to the museum in a different way that really brings history to life,” said Lisa Berg, Curator of Education. “Visitors enjoy touring the museum by flashlight for a unique twist.”

This year’s event includes an evening wagon ride that takes visitors around Barrington Farm. The farm was founded by Dr. Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas, where the Jones family lived for over a decade and built a successful cotton farm after Texas joined the Union. Cotton, corn, cattle, and hogs are still raised there. The wagon rides will run between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., weather permitting, and lasts 10 minutes.

“With the extra components we are bringing in this year, it will be more of a well-rounded experience for the visitors and shares a little more history with them,” Berg said.

Tours of the Star of the Republic Museum will start at 7 p.m., when the museum lights will be turned down and the exhibits come to life with live characters that step forward to tell the story of the Texas Republic. Visitors are encouraged to bring flashlights for use while they explore the museum. The family-friendly event is designed for museum visitors of all ages.

Visitors will meet early Texas settlers, a riverboat captain, French sailor, and a Texas Ranger, as well as new characters, including a doctor with a patient, and a preacher with a barkeeper.

At 7:45 p.m., guests will be greeted by a friendly guide who will take them to a nearby tavern where they will encounter four old Washington County residents who will share tales from their lives.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children ages six and under. Anyone with a current Blinn College ID receives free admission.