December is Universal Human Rights Month Universal Human Rights Month celebrates the landmark document that “enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” This month strives to promote this declaration and the continuing struggles … Universal Human Rights Month 2024

November is Native American Heritage Month Native American Heritage Month celebrates the history, culture, traditions, and contributions of Native people in the United States. It is also a time to educate and bring awareness to the challenges Native people encountered historically and currently. Learn about the history and culture of Native peoples in Texas and the Big Country region and … Native American Heritage Month 2024

The city of Abilene grew around the Texas & Pacific Railway tracks, especially what we know as downtown, during the 1880s to the 1910s. New hotels, churches, shops, liveries, doctors’ offices and pharmacies, houses, and schools were all built within a thirty-year time span. By 1910, the town’s population reached 9,204 and its dynamic was rapidly changing. The introduction of … Early Downtown Abilene: 1880s-1910s

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures, traditions, and many contributions of those individuals of Latinx and Hispanic ancestry in the United States. The establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month was the first Cultural Heritage Month in the United States. The month allows for Hispanics to feel recognized, accepted, and proud to be a Hispanic living in the United States. Today, … Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

All day the dust sifted down from the sky, and the next day it sifted down. An even blanket covered the earth. It settled on the corn, piled up on the tops of the fence posts, piled up on the wires; it settled on roofs, blanketed the weeds and trees. The people came out of their houses and smelled the hot stinging … Hard Times Come Again No More: Depression Era Photography

This long overdue solo exhibition of the art of William Lester (1910-1991) will include drawings, paintings and prints from private and public collections ranging in date from 1930-1970 to examine the unique and visionary artwork Lester created during his career as a draftsman, painter, printmaker and art educator. The arc of Lester’s lifetime pursuit of “a personal style of expression” will … William Lester: True to Form

This solo exhibition will feature paintings and fine art prints by Coreen Mary Spellman from the collection of the Tyler Museum of Art and the Spellman Forney Historical Museum, as well as private collections. In a 1941 Dallas Morning News article, Louise Gossett listed Coreen Mary Spellman “among the most promising women artists in the state.” Spellman was a champion of … Coreen Mary Spellman: In Her Own Right

“In the 1930s, a group of young artists—including Jerry Bywaters, Alexandre Hogue, William Lester, Thomas Stell, Harry Carnohan, and Coreen Spellman, among others—gained national recognition for their scenic and ideological interpretations of the local environment. Although they depicted the people and landscapes of Texas in identifiable and representational manners, each artist possessed their own style, often combining realism with modernist … Texas Regionalism Revisited

Immigrant Heritage Month honors immigrants and their positive impact on communities across the country, including those who have greatly contributed to the success of Abilene. This exhibition recognizes two such individuals who have demonstrated strong dedication to our community through their volunteer efforts on several local nonprofit boards and committees, especially here at The Grace Museum.  The Grace Museum is … Immigrant Heritage Month – Cultural Heritage Exhibition 2024

The story of Japanese Internment during World War II is integral to the understanding of American sentiment of otherwise innocent Japanese people during the war. Learn about the untold story of Japanese Americans that either escaped internment on the west coast or served in the military during the war.

The Texas & Pacific Railway Company (T&P Railway) began plans to build a railroad line from Shreveport, Louisiana all the way to San Diego, California, creating a southern route that would help with winter climate complications. The T&P Railway began construction in 1872 and the first service between Longview and Dallas opened in July 1873. As construction moved west, talks … Full Steam Ahead: The Texas & Pacific Railway

This annual juried art competition offers every Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art student in Abilene ISD an opportunity to have artwork selected for a museum exhibition and to compete for valuable college scholarships. The exhibition is a collaborative effort by AEF, Abilene ISD, and The Grace Museum.

Earth Month is dedicated to educating the community about environmental issues, offering climate solutions, and promoting our Earth’s care and sustainability. This exhibition highlights Texas history related to environmental improvements, as well as local efforts spearheaded by groups like Keep Abilene Beautiful and Master Gardeners of Abilene.

Artist Edward “Buck” Muegge Schiwetz was born in Cuero, Texas in 1898. He graduated high school in 1916 and following his father’s wishes, began studying engineering at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). Due to his artistic interests inherited from his mother, Schiwetz switched his degree to architecture and graduated in 1921. Subsequently, he moved … The Artistic Legacy of Buck Schiwetz

Artist Reception | Thursday, July 11, 2024 | 6 pm “Texas is renowned for its diverse and expansive landscapes, showcasing a remarkable array of natural features. From Gulf Coast beaches to stunning western mountain ranges, indigenous peoples’ cultural and historical imprints add depth and richness to the region’s story. From ranching to astronomy, the natural environment and the current culture … Bill Wright’s Texas: Luminous Landscapes

One of the first chroniclers of art in Texas was Abilenian France Battaile Fisk, who wrote in her 1928 publication, A History of Texas Artists and Sculptors, “…our painters of Texas landscape, with its ever changing moods and rapidly developing country are rendering a great service, as with canvas and brush they are faithfully picturing the characteristics of our Lone … For Love of the Land: Painting the Texas Landscape