The Stark Center will be closed Wednesday, November 23rd at 3:30pm, Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th in observation of Thanksgiving.

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.

Close up view of Donald Dinnie's leather belt with silver medals.
It's a Good LifeBy
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Lost for More than a Century: Donald Dinnie’s Belt is Now at The Stark Center

Things find their way to the Stark Center in many different ways.  Some items are donated by organizations that reach out to us, as Sports Illustrated did when they were looking for a home for their Olympic archives. Others are donated by individuals such as Irish legend Jack Shanks, who recently sent us the lifting belt and tank top he wore in 1972 when he became the first man to lift the Dinnie Stones after Donald Dinnie himself (read more about Jack Shanks and his lifting belt by clicking here). Other books and archival items are here because Terry and...

Four bronze sculptures of classic bodybuilders by David Deming
News & EventsBy
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Four New Sculpture Pieces Donated by Michael Deming & Stark Center Floor Renovation Begins!

As many of you may remember, the winter storm in February 2021 caused an immense amount of damage here on The Forty Acres, our colloquial name for the University of Texas campus. The Stark Center, specifically, was a victim of flooding due to burst pipes on the floor above us in the North End Zone building. Jan Todd wrote about the water and the detriments to our beloved floor on her It’s A Good Life blog, which you can read by clicking here. Assessing the damage and determining an adequate solution to the issues has been a long and complicated...

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.

Browse the Complete Journal Archive

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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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