MAY 30, 2024 — A museum is a place of lifelong learning for students, for researchers and for the community. And since it opened during the 1968 World’s Fair, the Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) has given a voice to the people who call Texas home by providing insight into their past, present and future and by showcasing the uniqueness and beauty of the many cultures that comprise Texas.
As the steward of the museum, UTSA has a deep commitment to the ITC as a gathering place for people who love Texas history, for students learning about the state’s heritage, and for researchers making discoveries that advance the knowledge of what it means to be a Texan.
In 2021, the university launched the ITC Centennial 2068 initiative, an extensive community engagement, visioning and evaluative process to improve the financial stability and accessibility of the Institute of Texan Cultures. As part of that process, UTSA announced a series of strategic next steps to realize the ITC Centennial 2068 vision and to ensure the museum’s sustainability as the preeminent venue for sharing the stories about Texas’ diverse cultural tapestry.
As UTSA looks forward to a new era at the ITC, University Strategic Communications is offering a new, three-part podcast series called ITC: Museum of the Future. This special edition podcast features several university visionaries who are reimagining the way that the ITC preserves and shares Texas’ rich cultural heritage.
The final episode of the three-part podcast series debuts today:
How can the ITC attract world-class exhibits to San Antonio? How can it inspire the next generation of storytellers? UTSA Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Heather Shipley discusses the work to build a museum aligned with the standards of the American Alliance of Museums, and how the AAM’s commitment to providing resources, knowledge and connections will lead to a thriving museum for San Antonio that attracts world-class exhibits and enriches the local community.
Also, catch up on episodes 1 and 2:
The ITC’s history in San Antonio runs deep. In the series opener, Monica Perales, ITC associate vice provost, discusses the role the museum plays in collecting, preserving and sharing the state’s diverse cultural history. Take a peek at what’s in store for the museum as it prepares to move from Hemisfair to its new temporary space in Frost Tower, located in the heart of San Antonio.
How do great museums and libraries support great cities and research universities? Explore this and other topics with Dean Hendrix, vice provost of the UTSA Libraries and University Librarian. Listen as Hendrix describes the relationship between the ITC and UTSA, shares the many opportunities that academic libraries and museums offer their communities, and imagines the potential of the ITC to reach learners of all ages in Texas and beyond.
The ITC: Museum of the Future series is available on Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud and other places where listeners find their podcasts.
To honor the museum’s past and celebrate its exciting future, UTSA invites all friends of the ITC to attend an open house during regular business hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Friday, May 31. This special day will include opportunities for interactive memory sharing and building excitement for the museum’s next chapter.
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The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.