Dolph Briscoe Center for American History

One Mission—Four Locations—Fostering Exploration of Our Nation’s Past The Briscoe Center for American History is one of the nation’s leading research centers for historical study. The center’s archives, libraries, museums, and historic buildings are part of The University of Texas at Austin’s commitment to collecting, preserving, and making available the evidence of the past. When the university opened in 1883, it began collecting materials documenting the history of Texas and the South. These collections were organized during the 1950s into the Barker Texas History Center, the nation’s most comprehensive archive about the history of the Lone Star State. In 1991, under the leadership of Dr. Don Carleton, the university established the Center for American History, building upon the foundation of the Texas and Southern collections as well as other emerging collection strengths such as photojournalism and news media history. It was named in honor of Governor Dolph Briscoe in 2008. The center’s exhibit spaces, classrooms, and Reading Room are located on The University of Texas at Austin campus. The center also operates the Briscoe–Garner Museum in Uvalde, Texas; the Sam Rayburn Museum in Bonham, Texas; and Winedale, a research collection of nineteenth-century structures, material culture, and decorative arts located near Round Top, Texas. OUR MISSION Through stewardship, scholarship, and outreach, the Briscoe Center for American History cultivates historical knowledge and fosters exploration of our nation’s past. As a leading history research center, we collect, preserve, and make available archival evidence that encompasses key themes in Texas and U.S. history. Researchers, students, and the public use our collections for a wide range of academic, professional, and personal uses.