The Bryan Museum, Galveston
Welcome to the newest museum on the block, the Bryan Museum. Opened just a month ago in Galveston the Bryan Museum is located in the magnificent old Galveston Orphan’s Home on 21st Street. The museum is home to the largest collection of Southwestern art and artifacts in the world. I visited this week.
J.P. Bryan is the founder and CEO of Houston-based Torch Energy Advisor and he’s a descendant of Moses Austin, the father of Stephen F. Austin. Over the years he and his wife Mary Jon Bryan amassed a vast collection of over 70,000 pieces spanning 2,500 years of history.
Word is that Bryan shopped for years for a permanent home for the collection, particularly in Houston’s Museum District; not only was there a lack of suitable buildings but also property prices were prohibitive.
The Bryan Museum, the 1902 Galveston Orphans’ Home, Galveston
Eventually the Galveston Orphan’s Home caught his eye—it’s been for sale for as long as I can remember, a big fabulous block for about a million bucks. To see the orphanage is alone worth the visit; I’ve been dying to see it. It was built in 1902 following the devastation of the 1900 Storm. The building itself is an artifact.
The restoration to the building is fantastic and the exhibits are beautifully done. The space is vast yet the museum has an intimate feel.
They tried to talk us into the docent guided tour but I wanted to tour at my own pace—besides, I’ve been burned by docent tours in Galveston before (if one recalls, I wanted to kill myself while touring the Moody Mansion). I was told by a Galveston insider that the museum would not allow self-guided tours but that seems an odd policy. With 70,000 artifacts how could a guide incorporate the interests of each visitor?
We escaped the tour.
And there was plenty to see. While artifacts like pottery and saddles interest me little I was quite impressed by the art. The collection ranged from works by Julian Onderdonk to Porfirio Salinas to even Andy Warhol… then plenty of artists with whom I am unfamiliar. For regional art lovers the museum is a thumbs up.
In addition to the J.P. and Mary Jon Bryan Collection there is also a display related to the Orphans Home including artifacts found during restoration.
A pirate cave in the basement…
And for the kids, in the basement are interactive pirates’ caves for play.
An islander in the know tells TroysArt that plans are in the works to create a parking facility as well as a native botanical garden.
They asked upon entry that I take no photographs so I respected the museum rules (except for a snap in the basement of the cute pirate and his dog) though I would have liked to show TroysArt readers an overview of the galleries; these days even the MFAH allows photos, but that’s a hoot for another day. And even though I love the Rosenberg Library (TroysArt – The Rosenberg Library Museum) and the Bishop’s Palace (TroysArt – The Bishop’s Palace), this new museum raises the game for attractions in Galveston. It is not easy being all things for all people but this museum comes quite close—there is something for the entire family. The air-conditioners pump cold air and the exhibits sparkle, so add it to your island plans.