EDUCATION:
Each year, the Dallas Historical Society (DHS) serves approximately 15,000 students, providing more than half with free or discounted educational programs. Teachers can choose from a variety of offerings available at either at the Hall of State or in the classroom, which gives students the opportunity to experience Dallas and Texas history though tours, performances, events, exhibitions and Society initiatives through the Access to History program. One popular program features historic characters, dressed in period-appropriate costumes, who recount their live experiences for the students.
PUBLIC PROGRAMMING:
All education programs are aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum standards which prepare students for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
DHS draws from its collection, exhibits, and a network of local historians to educate and present a wide variety of public programming. The Brown Bag Lunch Series allows the community free access to a wide range of historic topics such as The History of Fair Park, Texas Eats and Wild Women of the West. Other public programs include book signings, lectures, panel discussions, hands-on activities, classes, performances, and workshops.
EXHIBITS:
The DHS draws on its vast collection of Dallas and Texas historical artifacts to create unique exhibits at the Hall of State in Fair Park. Companies and institutions in the city can display items from the collection in specially-designed cases as part of the Society's Texas Treasures program.
COLLECTION and PRESERVATION:
The collection of nearly 3 million items at the DHS spans the history of not only the greater Dallas area but the entire state of Texas. The collection covers extraordinary territory, from tales of immigrants who entered Texas before it became a Republic to the emergence of Dallas as a major commercial and cultural center. By teaching and connecting people to their past, DHS helps make history relevant. Each object in The Society's collection is emblematic of real people of a definite time and place.
RESEARCH:
The collection of the DHS is accessible for research via phone, email requests or in person by appointment.