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For the Common Thread exhibit

A Canvas of Community

As the Institute of Texan Cultures staff began preparing for the museum’s reopening in early 2026 at Frost Tower, they knew they wanted visitors to feel an instant sense of connection the moment they stepped through the doors. The new lobby offered the perfect opportunity—a spacious wall that seemed to call out for something bold, beautiful, and meaningful.

Stories in the Objects We Keep

What will you discover when the Institute of Texan Cultures reopens in early 2026? Perhaps a steamer trunk that carried a family’s hopes across the ocean, a guitar that brought Texas Blues to life, or a canoe carved from cottonwood that carried people along Texas rivers. Everyday objects become extraordinary when they connect us to the lives, memories, and people who built Texas. For more than 50 years, the Institute has cared for thousands of these treasures, each one a piece of the larger Texas story.
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