SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University’s historical museum, has unveiled a new exhibit highlighting 40 years of documenting state history.
“The Spirit of The Wittliff in 40 Objects” pulls together 40 unique objects from the archives of the Southwest Writers Collection, Texas Music Collection and Southwestern & Mexican Photography Collection from 1986-2026, according to a university news release.
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“Together, these objects tell the story of The Wittliff’s mission and spirit of place,” the release said.
Visitors to the exhibit can see the guitar pick Stevie Ray Vaughan used at his last concert, or sit at the desk where author Cormac McCarthy wrote the novels “Blood Meridian” and “No Country for Old Men.”
In October 2024, the Wittliff announced a doubling of its archive of McCarthy’s work, whose searing, brutal works garnered acclaim and several film adaptations.
Throughout 2025, the Wittliff welcomed several new additions to its growing archive.
In October, the Wittliff acquired Taylor Sheridan’s creative archive. Sheridan is known for the television works “Yellowstone” and “Landman,” as well as screenwriting credits for “Sicario” and “Wind River.” Also in October, outfits and sketches from Selena Quintanilla’s fashion designer, Martin Gomez, were on display.
The Wittliff Collections today houses more than 500 collections used by scholars, authors, filmmakers and more. It was founded in 1986 after screenwriter and photographer Bill Wittliff and his wife, Sally, donated their growing archive of Southwestern literary manuscripts to the university’s library, according to the release.
The exhibit will hold events, exhibitions and announcements of plans throughout the year.
Other exhibits included a permanent “Lonesome Dove” exhibition that takes visitors behind the scenes of the Emmy-winning series.
The exhibit includes a set of interactive galleries of set design sketches, costumes and memorabilia used by characters made famous by Tommie Lee Jones and the late Robert Duvall, who died Feb. 15. He was 95.
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