Press Release: Heritage Center selects exhibit design firm

Kerrville, Texas – January 25, 2024 - Heart of the Hills Heritage Center (HHHC) has selected Quatrefoil Associates to design exhibits for Kerr County’s new history museum. Renovations and museum design should be complete in the A.C. and Myrta Schreiner house on the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library campus by early 2026.  

HHHC Board of Directors enthusiastically approved the selection of Quatrefoil after a thorough interview process conducted by a smaller committee of board members. Board members were especially taken with Quatrefoil’s work at the National Ranching Heritage Center and the Los Alamos History Museum documenting the Trinity Project in New Mexico.   

Angela Kennedy, HHHC Executive Director said, “Our committee members immediately connected during our interview with Bernhard and Roula from Quatrefoil.” 

Kennedy visited Quatrefoil’s exhibit at the National Ranching Heritage Center with her family in early January. Her children were delighted by the interactive exhibits featuring Hank the Cowdog, and her son was very proud when he completed a ranching simulation designed by Quatrefoil: his virtual ranch made money at the end of one year and all his cows were healthy.  

Quatrefoil’s specialty is collaborating with communities to gather relevant stories that tell a diverse history of a place—such as the Go For Broke National Education Center which tells the story of Japanese internment camps during WWII, inviting visitors to define courage around key themes such as identity, loyalty, race, and citizenship.  

Kennedy said, “Quatrefoil understands that we want to gather and share stories from community members so that they can see themselves reflected in the exhibits that can evolve over time. The history of Kerr County is alive and always changing, and we are confident that Quatrefoil will work with us to design exhibits that honor our community’s stories.”   

“We are truly honored to work with HHHC on this exciting project,” Bernhard Mueller, Partner and CEO at Quatrefoil Associates said. “Not only is this a unique opportunity to create a living, breathing community museum that will be at the center of Kerr County’s cultural and civic life, but we see possibilities to extend these experiences into the community itself. There are so many stories to tell and connections to be made from your rich history into the present and future. We are looking forward to getting started with the HHHC team to bring this vision to reality.” 

While the City of Kerrville continues with its renovation project of the historic mansion donated for this purpose, Quatrefoil will work with the HHHC Board of Directors, staff, and community stakeholders to develop and design interactive exhibits for the history museum. With story development and renovations happening at the same time, Marksmen General Contractors, Fisher Heck Architects, and Quatrefoil will be able to collaborate as the city renovates the house into a functional museum. 

Quatrefoil has an impressive portfolio of history museums and cultural centers across the country, from the new Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center at the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C., “The Stars and Stripes Experience” at the National Flag Foundation in Pittsburgh, and the award-winning Annapolis Maritime Museum and Village. 

HHHC and Quatrefoil are planning a kick-off workshop with community members and stakeholders in late February. Design development will take approximately ten months, starting in mid-2024. Exhibit fabrication and installation will take another six months until late 2025. The Heritage Center will likely have its grand opening in early 2026.     

 For more information, contact Angela Kennedy at Heart of the Hills Heritage Center akennedy@hhheritagecenter.org.