Real Museum Stories from America’s Heartland

DALLAS, TX -- In 2010, Media 13 will be celebrating the power of museums as repositories of cultural capital with a major twelve-part documentary series entitled Museums of the Heartland.

Where are the stories? Since we were children, the words “once upon a time” have resonated deeply. Can you envision a world without story? Such is the appeal of Museums of the Heartland. It’s a series about the stories of our lives – and our culture – presented through museums.

Journeying, primarily, around Texas and Oklahoma, with an occasional foray into other heartland states, the half-hour show visits museums with recognizable names like Bob Bullock Texas State Museum in Austin and African American Museum at Fair Park. There are also other names – less recognizable – like the Toy and Action Figure Museum, East Texas Oil Museum, and Medicine Mound with stunning, unforgettable stories.

“Behind every museum is the energy of a passionate founder, a relentless Curator, hard-working docents and a spate of patrons who bring it all together. Museums—both large and small—are powerful protectors of the American experience because they protect and present the story of our Nation,” said Creator and Executive Producer, Lindell Singleton. The pilot episode features the Texas Heritage Museum of Hillsboro, Texas. “This museum is remarkable,” said Singleton. “The experience struck me because it is expansive, yet intensely personal. The exhibits capture the stories of our wars, but present them only through the eyes of Texans. This really was the ideal choice for the pilot.” John Versluis, Executive Director at Texas Heritage Museum offers this: "Museums are more than repositories of information and interesting artifacts, but instead a collective environment where cultures and generations meet on equal footing to share knowledge and new experiences. Museums of the Heartland will encourage visitorship. And, that could be across the city, the neighborhood, or down the Interstate."

For more information, call the Texas Heritage Museum at 254-659-7750