Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum 'Remembering Columbia'

12/02/2025

Ou next robotics workshop is Monday, December 8 at the ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum in Hemphill. It’s also a great time to join Sabine County 4-H!

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday and the perfect opportunity for you to help us make Christmas special for kids in our area!

Did you know the ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum in Hemphill is a collection site for the annual Toys For Tots campaign? You can drop off new, unwrapped toys at the museum until Monday, December 8.

Sadly, our bin is quite bare right now. Can you help us fill it with toys? 🧸🎅🏻🎄

11/19/2025

11/18/2025

We are so lucky to have such brilliant and generous volunteers at the ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum.

Here’s a quick look at this weekend’s student robotics training workshop facilitated by Andrew Balingit, an engineer with the Sabine River Authority.

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/dezmbxr6

11/17/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HEMPHILL, TX – Students from the Sabine County 4-H Club received training on the LEGO® Education Spike™ Prime robotics kits widely used for middle and high school robotics competitions.

On Saturday, November 15, 2025, the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum 'Remembering Columbia' hosted an open workshop to introduce students to the world of competitions with an overview of hardware, software, and other components of the kits.

The 'Remembering Columbia' Museum's annual Columbia Memorial Robotics Competition, which is set to return in 2026, utilizes these LEGO® sets to build and program autonomous robots using sensors.

Museum volunteers Andrew Balingit, an engineer with the Sabine River Authority, facilitated the training alongside Terry Cardwell, who also programmed the museum's tablets for use in coding through the LEGO® Education Spike™ Prime app.

Earlier this year, The Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) generously awarded a grant to the museum to purchase new LEGO® Education Spike™ Prime kits, replacing outdated predecessors. Click here to learn more.

The 'Remembering Columbia' Museum plans to host more robotics training workshops in the future. Interested schools and groups should contact [email protected] for more information.

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🔗: https://tinyurl.com/dezmbxr6

11/12/2025

The Holiday Season will soon be upon us and the 'Remembering Columbia' Museum is a great time to visit. But make sure to check our schedule for a few closings to allow our staff and volunteers time with their families.

Please mark your calendars with the following dates:
🦃Closed Nov. 25 - Dec. 1. Museum reopens Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 10:00 AM.
🎄Closed Dec. 23 - Jan. 1. Museum reopens Fri., Jan. 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM.

We wish you joy and blessings and look forward to your next visit to the museum!

11/05/2025

A nice reflection from astronaut Cady Coleman on the return of Columbia and the STS-73 crew, on this day in 1995!

11/5/1995: STS-73 landed back on Earth. As we look back, was truly the proving ground for doing science research up on the International Space Station. By the time we landed - we had performed dozens of experiments on the Columbia Space Shuttle — and learned valuable lessons about how to take our next big scientific steps up on the . I’m proud to have been part of the great team in this picture - and including people whose names you don't hear much. From Glenn Holt and Dave Matthiesen, backup scientists for the flight, to Payload Specialists Fred Leslie and Al Sacco - as well as all the scientists, engineers that supported us from the ground. Every ISS experiment had their start on flights like STS-73.

- National Aeronautics and Space Administration

10/16/2025

Our annual Galactic Gala last month was a huge success! This community's support plays a critical role in helping the 'Remembering Columbia' Museum inspire more East Texas children. Read more: https://tinyurl.com/dt5ndpx3.

Thank you to these sponsors!
🪐 Terry’s Meat Market
🪐 Speedy L**e
🪐 Nichols; Many, Louisiana
🪐 Hamock Furniture
🪐 Kyle Bulter
🪐Jean Schulz, widow of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz
🪐Tractor Supply
🪐Lonesome Pine, Sam Melton
🪐Loving Toyota
🪐Kimberly Hamlin
🪐Shelia Thomas
🪐Lane & Cassandra Luckie
🪐John Brewton
🪐Vickie Thomas
🪐Wolfhead Construction
🪐Debra Kennedy
🪐Senerity Books and Coffee
🪐Vanessa
🪐Corylee Thomas
🪐Leeanne Hinkle
🪐Lonnie B. Davis
🪐Shelby Bank
🪐Estella Hernandez Gillette
🪐Market Basket
🪐Hemphill Care Center
🪐Tyson Chicken; Center, Texas
🪐Kevin & Karen Doolin
🪐Rebecca Felts
🪐Brandon Belt
🪐David Glenn Antilley Sr.
🪐Colonial Mortuary; Lufkin, Texas
🪐Svehla Christmas Tree Farm
🪐Roger & Belinda Gay
🪐Park Hill Fine Art Portraits; Fort Worth, Texas
🪐Cody & Andrea Jordan
🪐Mike Nugent Fishing
🪐Big Bass Splash
🪐Chad & Marieka Gay
🪐Dr. Gregory Backofen, Hemphill
🪐Dr. Brent Campbell, Lufkin
🪐Carla Morgan – Sabeans
🪐Procella Service Station
🪐Sugar Creek Gardens
🪐Yolanda Bozant
🪐Sabine County Chamber of Commerce

09/28/2025

What an amazing evening of “out of this world” fun to support the ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum! A packed house at the Hemphill VFW, a delicious dinner, incredible silent auction items, live music and dancing, and table decorating competition. Our keynote speaker, Space historian and journalist shared some amazing stories and even brought a moon rock!

We are so grateful for your support. Save the date — next year’s gala is Saturday, September 26, 2026.

Here are just a few photos to share. More will be posted this afternoon.

09/22/2025

Reserve your tickets today! Tables are filling up fast for this weekend's 'Denim and Diamonds' Gala fundraiser for the 'Remembering Columbia' Museum.

Saturday night at the Hemphill VFW, our guests will enjoy a catered meal, cocktails, and an exciting program, which includes live entertainment, a silent auction, and our guest speaker, journalist and Space historian Robert Pearlman. Entertainment will be provided by the Father Time Band.

Tickets, which are $50 per person or $75 per couple, may be purchased by contacting the museum at (409) 787-4827 or Belinda Gay at (936) 201-8421. Tables are available for $250 and include 8 guests.

Sponsorships and donations of silent auction items are available to businesses and organizations wishing to support this cause. Please contact the museum by emailing [email protected].

Full details about this weekend's gala: https://tinyurl.com/3r2w2yns.

09/17/2025

Have you seen the newest Barbie released this week? It's Dr. Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut, fmr. director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, and longtime friend (and honorary board member) of the 'Remembering Columbia' Museum. Congratulations!

08/11/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HEMPHILL, TX – The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ is excited to announce its 6th annual Galactic Gala to be held on Saturday, September 27, 2025. Organized by Friends of the PHS NASA Museum, the black-tie event will celebrate the museum’s impact in the community and efforts to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) fields.

This year’s gala, themed ‘Denim and Diamonds,’ will again feature an evening of cocktails, a catered meal, and an exciting program. Live entertainment, a silent auction, and a special guest will highlight the space-themed formal event, which serves as the museum’s biggest annual fundraiser. An after-party featuring live music and dancing will follow.

The Hemphill VFW, located at 3049 State Highway 184, will host the gala.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a cocktail hour, followed by the meal at 6 p.m.

Entertainment will be provided by the Father Time Band. The band will entertain and take you on a magical musical journey and make you want to dance the night away.

The highlight of each year’s gala is a keynote. This year’s guest of honor is journalist and Space historian Robert Pearlman.

Pearlman is also the founder and editor of collectSPACE, a daily news publication and community focused on where space exploration intersects with pop culture. Pearlman is also a contributing writer for Space.com and Ars Technica.

Pearlman served as technical consultant to the 2018 Damien Chazelle film “First Man” with Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy and the 2019 Todd Douglas Miller documentary “Apollo 11.” He has been a commentator on “American Restoration” and “American Pickers” for the History Channel and has been an off-camera advisor for PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow.” He is on the leadership board for For All Moonkind and is a member of the American Astronautical Society’s history committee.

In 2009, he was inducted into the U.S. Space Camp Hall of Fame in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2021, he was honored by the American Astronautical Society with the Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History. In 2023, the National Space Club Florida Committee recognized Pearlman with the Kolcum News and Communications Award for excellence in telling the space story along the Space Coast and throughout the world.

Seating for the popular event is limited, so table reservations are encouraged by Sep. 1. Tickets, which are $50 per person or $75 per couple, may be purchased by contacting the museum at (409) 787-4827 or Belinda Gay at (936) 201-8421. Tables are available for $250 and include 8 guests.

Sponsorships and donations of silent auction items are available to businesses and organizations wishing to support this cause. Please contact the museum by emailing [email protected].

All proceeds from the event will directly support the educational facility’s efforts to create science and technology-inspiring learning opportunities for children and adults in East Texas and western Louisiana.

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🔗: https://tinyurl.com/3r2w2yns