UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures to reopen on September 16

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 — After an 18-month pandemic-related closure, the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures will reopen on Thursday, September 16, providing access to one of the state’s most unique collections devoted entirely to preserving the rich cultural history of Texas and Texans.

The exhibit floor will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. The institute will not charge admission but encourages visitors to make a donation.

“We’re excited to welcome community members back onto the exhibit floor,” said Veronica Garcia Rodriguez, interim head curator. “We appreciate the patience of our patrons as we worked out a plan to help welcome them back safely.”

“We’re excited to welcome community members back onto the exhibit floor.”

ITC staff and other university specialists have worked diligently behind the scenes to prepare the museum for reopening. Work continues on the Indigenous Tribes of Texas space and the African American gallery, as the team prepares audio and visual upgrades.

“We’re working on incorporating modern technology and multimedia elements so that visitors have an interactive experience at the ITC,” Rodriguez said. “One includes an oral history project with the Advanced Learning Academy, a partnership school between SAISD and the CAST Schools Network, where students will record their reflections on civil rights. We hope to capture and share history as it happens.”

Certain activities and areas of the museum will remain out of service until further notice:

• Guided group tours and field trips are unavailable.
• Special events and rentals are suspended.
• Visitation to the Back 40 area is suspended.

Visitors can find street parking and city lots available nearby. Access to Special Collections at the ITC is available by appointment only.

For the past year, museum staff and specialists worked to catalog, organize and assess the many items stored in the building. Additionally, museum educators have created new digital, technology-focused exhibits along with refreshing and updating physical spaces.

Earlier this year, the institute initiated the ITC Centennial 2068: Community Stakeholder Visioning process, which kicked off this summer. More than 60 community stakeholders, including ITC advisory council members, make up the three task forces and steering committee.

Their work will envision the next 50 years and will reimagine how the ITC, its museum and programs fully engage the community, capitalizing on the current social climate that promotes social dialogue and collective action, as well as the redevelopment of Hemisfair and placemaking in downtown San Antonio.

The UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures gives voice to the experiences of people from across the globe who call Texas home, providing insight into our past, present and future. A unit of the Vice President for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas at San Antonio, the ITC is a Smithsonian Affiliate. The 182,000 square foot complex features 45,000 square feet of exhibit space and five re-creation Texas Frontier period structures on the UTSA Hemisfair Campus in downtown San Antonio.

— James Benavides