Institute of Texan Cultures

The Institute of Texan Cultures, through its research, collections, exhibits and programs, serves as the forum for the understanding and appreciation of Texas and Texans. The museum is a component of The University of Texas at San Antonio. It plays a role in the university's community engagement initiatives by developing quality, accessible resources for educators and lifelong learners on topics of cultural heritage. It strives to develop a rich and vibrant culture in the arts and humanities that will expand the community's awareness and appreciation of Texas through an engaging series of exhibits, programs, and special events.

The Institute of Texan Cultures is located in downtown San Antonio on the UTSA HemisFair Park Campus, a short walk from the Alamo and the River Walk. The 182,000-square-foot complex features 65,000 square feet of exhibits and displays that tell the stories of Texans.

The museum opened as the Texas State Exhibits Pavilion, which was built for the 1968 HemisFair celebration. Today, the museum pursues a mandate as the state's center for multicultural education by investigating the ethnic and cultural history of the state and presenting the resulting information with a variety of offerings:

• Exhibits, programs, and special events designed to entertain, inspire, and educate
• Outreach programs to schools and other groups
• Teacher-training workshops

In early 2010, the institute formalized an Affiliation agreement with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Affiliate status grants the institute access to the Smithsonian's artifacts, education, and performing arts programs, expert speakers, teacher workshops, and resources to complement and broaden exhibitions. The Affiliation agreement marks a new era for the institute. A series of upgrades are planned to revitalize main exhibit floor. As The University of Texas at San Antonio strives to achieve national research university status, the museum strives to become a cultural institution of equal caliber.

Funding for the museum comes primarily from three sources: (1) biennial legislative appropriations; (2) exhibit floor and special event admissions; and (3) grants, contributions, and other locally generated funds such as the rental of the museum's facilities, and the sale of its publications, audiovisuals, library services, and merchandise from the museum store. Major support is provided by the museum's Advisory Council. Learn how you can support the Institute of Texan Cultures.

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