05/28/2026
✨EXHIBIT SPOTLIGHT✨
In addition to our permanent exhibits, we enjoy presenting special exhibits throughout the year. The newest of these is “Sam Houston, U.S. Senator” and is on display in the atrium of the Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center.
Most know of Sam Houston as President of the Republic of Texas and as Governor of Texas. He also had the distinction of being one of the first two senators (along with Thomas J. Rusk) from the State of Texas, serving from 1846 to 1859. This exhibit highlights his work in the Senate during one of the most tumultuous times in our country’s history.
We are proud of this new exhibit, as it is the work of an SHSU student, Alex Wright, who is a student worker in our exhibits department. Alex, a history major, began work in this position in April.
To help him gain hands-on experience in museum work, Alex was presented with the challenge of an empty display case. He began to develop several ideas, finally choosing Houston’s time in the U.S. Senate for his subject. While the exhibits department provided graphic design preparation to support him, it was Alex who developed the exhibit’s design concept and did the research and content preparation that brought it all together.
“I find that some of the most important history can be overlooked, and with Sam Houston's expansive record, his years in the Senate can easily go unnoticed,” said Alex. “For Houston to be placed among the highest lawmakers in the U.S. is something that warrants our respect and appreciation. I was fully dedicated to his story and wanted to place it on display."
We are always proud of our student workers, and the ideas they bring to us. Alex’s enthusiasm, research skills, and creativity have produced an exhibit that will be enjoyed by many.
