Hall of State face-lift coming soon

By Sharon Adams

The Dallas Historical Society announced a generous gift of $7 million from the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation, the largest single donation in DHS’ history. The gift will fund cutting-edge, technology-based exhibits throughout the Hall of State, ensuring that the stories of Dallas and Texas are presented in dynamic, interactive formats that engage visitors of all ages.

“The gift from the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation will be transformative, not only for the Dallas Historical Society, but also for the exhibits that we will bring to the Hall of State,” said Karl Chiao (pictured), executive director of the Dallas Historical Society. “We will be able to harness the newest technologies as we create exhibits that will not only engage the next generation, but also make it fun and educational.”

The envisioned exhibits will provide new avenues for learning about the histories of: The Juneteenth Experience, including viewing the only surviving copy of the Juneteenth document; The State Fair of Texas Prominent and Impactful Women in Texas; Dallas Founders; and Civil Rights in Texas.

Karl continued: “We will build five different exhibits using the latest technology that will permanently rotate in the Hall of Heroes. We will also build additional ‘permanent’ exhibits using new technology in the Great Hall as well. This will make the Hall of State much more of a museum than before. People will be able to spend more time experiencing the exhibits which will encourage more schools to bring students to our location, especially schools visiting for field trips.”

The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to science, education, the arts and human services. The late Harry W. Bass, Jr., after whom the foundation is named, ran an oil company, developed ski resorts in Colorado, and amassed one of the world’s greatest coin collections.

Though today it is one foundation, it represents the merger of two independent entities. The first, the Harry Bass Foundation, was established in 1945 by petroleum entrepreneur Harry W. Bass, Sr. to support Dallas-area charitable organizations. The second, the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Research Foundation, was founded in 1991 as an extension of Bass, Jr.’s passion for numismatics, the study of money. In 2002, the two were merged into a single foundation under the common goal of enriching the lives of Texans by funding strategic initiatives.

Membership in DHS includes opportunities for both corporations and individuals and has many benefits at different levels, such as access to a variety of behind-the-scenes events and intimate gatherings. One such highlight is its latest series, the Author’s Table Dinners, where members will enjoy intimate dinner parties featuring bestselling authors and Pulitzer Prize nominees. These gatherings provide a platform for engaging conversations about their latest works. Visit the website dallashistory.org for details.