Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 1, 2026

The Museum of South Texas History ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our museum, use our website, or interact with our services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Name and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address)
• Payment information (credit card numbers, billing address) processed securely through third-party payment processors
• Demographic information (age, occupation, interests) when voluntarily provided
• Communication preferences and history
• Visit history and membership information

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device information (browser type, operating system, device type)
• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
• Referring website or source
• Date and time of visit

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. For more details, please see our Cookie Policy.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: To process tickets, memberships, donations, and gift shop purchases
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send booking confirmations, and provide customer support
• Marketing: To send newsletters, promotional materials, and event invitations (with your consent where required)
• Improvement: To analyze website usage and improve our services and user experience
• Research: To understand our audience demographics and enhance our programs
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights
• Safety: To ensure the safety and security of our visitors and facilities

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For visitors from the European Economic Area (EEA), we process personal data based on:

• Consent: When you opt in to marketing communications or accept cookies
• Contract: When processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you
• Legitimate Interest: For purposes like improving our services and ensuring security
• Legal Obligation: When required by law

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: With third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (payment processing, email delivery, website hosting, analytics)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government request
• Protection: To protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Third-Party Services

Our website may contain links to third-party services or integrate with third-party tools, including:

• Payment processors (for secure transaction processing)
• Analytics providers (to understand website usage)
• Map services (Google Maps for location information)
• Form services (FormSubmit for contact form delivery)

These third parties have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Secure servers and network infrastructure
• Access controls and authentication measures
• Regular security assessments and updates

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Factors we consider include:

• The nature and sensitivity of the data
• Our ongoing relationship with you
• Legal and regulatory requirements
• Business needs and documentation requirements

8. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

For All Users:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your information
• Opt out of marketing communications
• Manage cookie preferences

For California Residents (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected and how it is used
• Right to request deletion of personal information
• Right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights

For EEA Residents (GDPR):

• Right to data portability
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent at any time
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

9. Children's Privacy

Our museum welcomes visitors of all ages. However, we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

10. How to Request Data Deletion

To request deletion of your personal information, you may:

• Email us at support@mosthistories.com
• Call us at +1 (432) 299-8845
• Write to us at: Museum of South Texas History, 200 N CLOSNER BLVD, Edinburg, TX 78541

We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us: