On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures and Education will celebrate its 50th anniversary at 1809 N. Chaparral St. from noon to 5 p.m. The museum has come far in its 50 years, which all began with its founder Billie Trimble Chandler.
Born in 1904, Billie Chandler enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin at 48 years old after going through a divorce after 26 years of marriage, where she enrolled alongside two of her children. She earned her master’s degree in education, and she was teaching in Corpus Christi for a few years when she saw a magazine ad looking for teachers in Okinawa back in 1955, which was part of U.S. territory at the time when World War II had ended. Chandler then spent the next 16 years teaching in Japan where she spent most of her time at the United States Department of Defense and acquiring a large collection of Japanese art. In 1971, she returned to Corpus Christi brining her collection of Japanese art. She decided to find a new home for all the artwork and founded the museum.
The museum was dedicated on Nov. 8, 1973, at 426 South Staples Street as the Japanese Art Museum, which is the current location of Jean’s Restaurant Supply. In 1982, the museum changed its name to the Museum of Oriental Cultures to reflect the number of artifacts collected from various countries and regions of Asia. However, in the late 1980s, the museum in Staples wasn’t drawing enough visitors which caused them to find a new home.
In 1989, the museum moved to the second floor of the Furman Building on 418 Peoples Street while they were collecting funds for the new building. In the early 1990s, the name was changed again to the Museum of Asian Cultures and Education Center. During this time, the museum temporarily moved to Sunrise Mall between 1994 and 1995. Finally, in 1997, the museum moved to its current location at 1809 N. Chaparral St., in the building formerly occupied by the International Longshoremen’s Association. In the 2000s, the museum changed to its current name the Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures and Education.
“Our 50th anniversary will be on Dec. 8, with the lion dance team, the taiko drum performance, and a bonsai exhibit,” said Director of Operations Richard Hafemeister. The event will also include food trucks, and the event is free to attend. Everyone is invited to come learn about many Asian cultures and help celebrate the museum’s anniversary.