Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum Successfully Melds Art and History
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It only takes hearing Harlingen’s original name – Six Shooter Junction – to know the city is steeped in rich history, and few places tell its colorful story better than the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum.
Located on Boxwood Street, the museum’s five buildings take guests back to 1910, when the city was founded by Lon C. Hill. In 1989, Hill’s two-story Victorian home was relocated to the museum property and soon became a popular tourist attraction. Also on display is the city’s first hospital, as well as a replica of the Paso Real, which served as the city’s hotel, general store, post office and stagecoach waiting area. The museum houses local artifact collections and historical photos.
While the historic buildings give visitors a deeper understanding of the city’s past, a dynamic collection of exhibits by local artists paint the picture of Harlingen today.
“The museum offers a lot to different groups,” says museum coordinator Patricia Morales. “Older visitors reminisce about the past, while students learn about local history and are exposed to modern art through contemporary exhibits in the main museum.”
In 2008, exhibits will include a celebration of the local African American community and works of local ceramicists. A kite exhibit, baseball exhibit and large sculpture display also will be featured, as well as a Day of the Dead celebration in October.
The museum also hosts a variety of fundraising activities, including Taste of Harlingen and the opening night celebration of the city’s annual Christmas tree exhibit. Another fundraiser planned for 2008 is Silla – the Spanish word for chair – for which local artists paint unfinished chairs.
“The museum exposes visitors to a gamut of things,” Morales says. “By learning about history and having that juxtapose with modern Harlingen, visitors broaden their perspective of the community and the world around them.”
Story by Melanie Hill
Photo by Jeff Adkins
