From Passion to Education

An elderly woman and man standing indoors near a framed painting and a wall quote about loyalty.

In 1928, founder W.T. (Wood) Brookshire opened a small 2,500-square-foot grocery store with four employees on the downtown square in Tyler, Texas. As Brookshire Grocery Company continued to grow at a steady rate, its first store in a shopping center opened in the late 1940s. Expansion in the 1960s included a new Tyler distribution center, where the lobby offices housed Brookshire’s World of Wildlife Museum and Country Store beginning in 1975. This public museum featured animals harvested by founder W.T. Brookshire and his wife, Louise, from their travels across Africa, Alaska, and North America, as well as a 1920s-style country store replica with antique equipment and products. The Brookshires were committed to educating the public and young children with these animal displays, experiencing wildlife they would otherwise be unable to see.

Black and white photo of eight people standing in front of a brick wall that reads "Welcome To... Brookshire's World of Wildlife." The group appears to be at a ribbon-cutting event, with some holding a ribbon and scissors, and others standing in formal or work attire.

Brookshire Grocery Company’s successful growth continued throughout the 1980s, and in 1990 the World of Wildlife Museum and Country Store expanded with the addition of a new 3,248 square-foot facility to house over 450 animals and a replica of a country store. In 1995, the Museum added space for a unique gift shop and vintage candy counter. In 2004, extensive renovations allowed for the display of over 200 additional donated animals. In 2015, the playground underwent a complete remodel and expansion with new equipment, canopies for weather protection, and three age group appropriate areas.

Exterior view of Brookshire's Wildlife Museum building with brick facade and glass entrance doors, under a clear blue sky.

This new state-of-the-art museum space continues to further enhance Brookshire Grocery Company’s mission to create and deliver exceptional experiences via the W.T. Brookshire way. We continue to foster W.T. and Louise’s heritage of innovation, service, and passion for education—with the legacy of Brookshire’s Wildlife Museum as a top attraction for Tyler and the surrounding areas.

A black-and-white photo of a man wearing sunglasses and a hat, sitting on a chair being held by several men, in an outdoor setting with trees. The man appears to be addressing or greeting a crowd.
A woman walking with three children outdoors in a rural area with trees and dry grass.
Six women standing outdoors with a large dog, all dressed in patterned dresses, with mountains and trees in the background.

Through the Brookshires’ Lens

See the world as W.T. and Louise Brookshire did—through photographs documenting their dedication to wildlife, education, and community.

A man and woman in safari outfits with hats kneeling in a dry, bushy landscape with eggs or eggshells on the ground.
A man wearing a beige outfit and black hat standing outside a green camping tent in a wooded area
A group of six men standing in front of a makeshift outdoor kitchen with a dark canopy, waving at the camera. An older man on the right is holding a utensil, while the others are smiling. The environment appears rural with trees and some outdoor equi
A green vintage off-road vehicle with a roof rack carrying large rocks, parked on a dirt path surrounded by trees.
People standing near a sign indicating the equator in Kenya, with a smaller sign about Nyuki and a vehicle in the background.
Tourists taking photos at the equator in Kenya, with signs indicating the location and the equator line.
A vintage blue and white bus with a sign on the front that reads "APOLLO TEN 10," parked outdoors. Four people stand in front of it, including two men in jackets and hats, and a man in a white shirt with a cap. Inside, visible through the windows, ar
A smiling woman dressed in a white outfit with a tan vest and scarf, holding a camera, stands next to two young girls in casual dresses with arms crossed in front of a display of colorful beaded jewelry and ornaments hanging on a wooden frame outdoor
A person in a light-colored outfit and black hat walking near a marshy area, with pink flamingos in the distance by a body of water on a cloudy day.
Two men standing in shallow water with mountains in the background; one man wearing a beige outfit and hat, holding an object, and the other man in a dark patterned shirt and straw hat with his arm around the first man.
A silhouette of acacia trees against a sunset or sunrise in a savannah landscape.
A camping tent with a dark canopy set up in a dry, grassy landscape with trees in the background, along with camping gear including a chest, a small table, a kettle, and a metal bucket.
Black and white photo of a large, leafless tree with sprawling branches and a thick trunk, with smaller trees in the background and a person standing near the base of the tree.
Two people sitting at an outdoor dining table with cups and jars, smiling and one waving, surrounded by dark trees in the background during evening or night.
A black and white photograph showing a man being carried on a makeshift chair by several men. The man appears to be in a celebratory mood, raising one hand in the air. The scene is outdoors, with leafless trees in the background.
An older man and five young girls standing in front of a wooden stall with large gourds and colorful bracelets on display, outdoors on a dirt ground.