Welcome to the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports. The Stark Center is a library containing thousands of books and magazines related to sports, fitness, nutrition, and alternative medicine; an archive containing films, photography, and the personal papers of prominent athletes, coaches, writers, and educators; a digital resource; and, an exhibit space, featuring The Joe and Betty Weider Museum of Physical Culture.

It's a Good LifeBy
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An Unexpected Pleasure: Kissing the Ground in Equilibrium—A Search for the Origins of the Pushup

One of the things I enjoy most about the Stark Center are the requests we often get for information about some aspect of the history of physical culture. Most of those requests are handled by our incredible Stark Center staff but every now and then a request will make its way to my inbox and I find myself so intrigued that I end up doing research that wasn’t planned because the question made me curious too. This past Sunday was one of those days. I got an unexpected email from Denis Blinov, whom I’ve never met. “May I ask if you...

Two classic theatre seats with blue upholstery. A black plaque with bronze lettering features a quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger, reads "Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life."
News & EventsBy
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New Floors, New Exhibits: Time to Visit The Stark Center

Last week, much of Texas—and especially the Austin-area—was iced over after winter storm Mara made its way across the state. As a result, The University of Texas campus was closed Tuesday through Thursday as roads were covered in as much as a solid inch of ice; trees and other above-ground appendages wilted and snapped under the weight of their icy burdens, creating headaches and even severe danger for many members of our local community. I’m very thankful that The Stark Center made it through unscathed, but we have not always been so lucky. The last time central Texas was struck...

The Stark Center is a research center housed within the Department of Kinesiology & Health Education.  We are a unique combination of library, archive, and gallery/exhibit space.  Click on the images below for more information.

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The Stark Center is committed to making its resources available to the public.  To that end, we are creating a variety of digital projects, including flipping books and interactive exhibits.

 

The Stark Center features collections from around the world related to all aspects of physical culture and sports.

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