Part “time machine” and part exploration of iconic graphic design and cultural trends, Be Kind, Rewind: A Nostalgic Journey Through Toys, Games, and Pop Culture is an exhibition presented by the San Jacinto College South Campus Gallery, created in collaboration with the Houston Toy Museum, on view September 2 – November 6, 2025.
“The exhibition is essentially a giant time capsule of nostalgia, focusing on the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s—think boy bands, Tonka Trucks, VHS tapes, and Happy Meals scattered throughout the gallery,” said Bradly Brown, Gallery Director and Art Professor, in an email to Houston Arts Journal.
Be Kind, Rewind aims not only to celebrate artifacts of childhood play but also to encourage social connection and shared experiences. Alongside displays of Barbies, G.I. Joes, Dungeons and Dragons, and Atari, the exhibition “features interactive video game stations, a VHS movie library, and immersive spaces where visitors can relive their memories and ‘choose their own adventure,’” according to a press release.
Located in Southeast Houston, the San Jacinto College South Campus Gallery has aimed to serve as a cultural hub between the Museum District and Galveston since opening in 2016. Bringing part of the Houston Toy Museum’s 10,000-plus toy collection from inside the Loop to outside the Beltway aligns with its mission to provide cultural access to the community.
“Last semester I connected with Matt and Sara Broussard from the Houston Toy Museum to see if they might be interested in a collaboration. They were excited about the chance to expand outside their Heights space and reach a new audience here at the college,” said Brown. “My department chair, Jeff McGee, also shares a love of pop culture, cartoons, and toys, so the partnership felt like a natural fit.”
From that partnership developed an exhibition that also supports the gallery’s multidisciplinary vision.
“We’re not just an art gallery, but a space that curates exhibitions rooted in programs like history, biology, geography, and literature so we can connect with a wide range of programs on campus,” Brown said.
Highlighting different aesthetic and cultural trends over the decades, Be Kind, Rewind is also “designed as a teaching resource—graphic design and typography classes can study advertising and layout, while drawing and photography students will have plenty of still life opportunities built into the installation,” he said. “The space is filled with little vignettes I hope will spark class projects, and I’m also encouraging the theater department to use the different rooms for improv or short performances.”
Admission is free to the San Jacinto College South Campus Gallery. Information on hours and events related to the exhibition can be found here.
Houston Arts Journal 