September 16, 2016–January 17, 2017
LBJ Presidential Library and Museum, Austin, Texas
25 Years/ 25 Treasures: A Celebration of UT Austin’s Briscoe Center for American History celebrated the center’s quarter centennial, as well as more than a century of collection and curation at the university since its founding in 1883. Documents on display included a 1769 George Washington letter, Stephen F. Austin’s 1835 prison diary, and an 1881 legal opinion that has been called the “founding document of American corporate capitalism.” Other artifacts included maps, photographs, and flags, as well as historic furniture, quilts, and clothing. Each item was supplemented by a “supporting cast” of additional artifacts that help explain both the treasure and its time.
