Sam Houston Memorial Museum opens new display showcasing portraits and artifacts spanning Houston’s evolving public image
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Beginning July 3, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library will present “The Many Faces of Sam Houston,” an exhibition of portraits and illustrations of the revered military leader and statesman.
“Houston had a flair for the dramatic, and it showed in the clothes he wore and the way he carried himself in his public image,” says Derrick Birdsall, museum director. “It made sense to show the different ways Houston looked given the large number of images that were done of him and put them all together in an exhibit for the public.”
The exhibit is a combined effort between the collections and exhibit departments at the museum. Artifacts from the museum’s collection will also be included, such as a bust of Sam Houston by sculptor Elisabet Ney.
“I am excited about this exhibit because some of the images may be familiar while some may not,” said Jude Routh, curator of exhibits. “My favorite image included is the recent painting we had commissioned by local artist Lee Jamison based upon a daguerreotype of Houston. This exhibit will reveal the many ways Houston changed his image by wearing different clothing, hats and facial hair.”
“The Many Faces of Sam Houston” will be on display from July 3 to August 31, 2025, in the exhibit gallery at the museum’s Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center, located at 1402 19th Street, Huntsville, Texas. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4:30 p.m.
The Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library is part of Sam Houston State University and dedicated to preserving the legacy of Sam Houston (1793-1863) and his times in a fifteen-acre complex located on the site of the property and home of Gen. Sam Houston.
For more information visit samhoustonmemorialmuseum.com or call 936.294.1832.