Victoria College's Museum of the Coastal Bend: Maximizing Engagement of Underserved Populations

FAIN: CHA-268761-20

Victoria College (Victoria, TX 77901-4442)
Sue Prudhomme (Project Director: May 2019 to present)

Design, construction, and purchase of audiovisual equipment for an expansion to the Museum of the Coastal Bend, creating space for an additional permanent exhibit and increased programming capacity.

Victoria College will design, construct, and equip an addition to the Museum of the Coastal Bend. Audience engagement at the museum’s prior ranching exhibits, as well as the attendance at humanities programming that has outgrown the museum’s gallery space, support the need for an addition. The addition will house the museum’s expanded permanent exhibit content. Museum staff will collaborate with former curators and an external contractor to create Where Texas Ranching Began. The addition will also create larger, dedicated space for humanities programming. The space will be outfitted with additional seating and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment for lectures and activities. The museum’s exhibits and programming serve a geographically isolated and economically disadvantaged population. By appealing to the region’s deep-rooted ranching families, the addition will generate increased public satisfaction and visitation, increasing the museum’s member and donor base.