Institute of Texan Cultures facts for kids
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| Established | 1968 |
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| Location | San Antonio, Texas United States |
The Institute of Texan Cultures is a special museum and library in San Antonio, Texas. It is part of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The museum is located in the old Texas Pavilion at HemisFair Park. This building is a cool example of Brutalist architecture, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
This institute is the main place in Texas for learning about different cultures. It has many exhibits, programs, and events. One big event is the Texas Folklife Festival. This festival happens every year since 1972. It celebrates all the different groups of people who live in Texas.
Contents
History of the Institute
The Texas Legislature started the facility on May 27, 1965. It was first used as the Texas Pavilion for HemisFair '68, a big world's fair. After the fair, in 1969, it became part of the University of Texas System. UTSA took over running the museum in 1973. Later, in 1986, the institute officially became a campus of UTSA. Today, it is still part of UTSA's HemisFair campus. It is also close to famous places like the Alamo and the River Walk.
What You Can Explore at the Institute
The Institute of Texan Cultures helps everyone understand and appreciate Texas and its people. It does this through its research, collections, exhibits, and programs. The building is very large, about 182,000 square feet. About 65,000 square feet are filled with fun, interactive exhibits.
The library on the third floor is also amazing. It holds old writings, rare books, and personal papers. There are over 3 million historical photos and more than 700 oral histories. These are recordings of people sharing their life stories.
How the Institute Helps Schools
The Institute of Texan Cultures is the state's main center for learning about different cultures. It studies the history of different groups in Texas. Then, it shares this information in many ways:
- Exhibits, programs, and special events that are fun and teach you things.
- A library focused on the history of different cultures.
- A huge collection of over 3.5 million historical photos.
- Programs that reach out to schools and other groups.
- Workshops to help teachers learn more.
The museum has displays about many cultures. These displays show how different groups have shaped the history of Texas.
Partnership with the Smithsonian
In early 2010, the institute became part of the Smithsonian Affiliates program. This means it is connected to the famous Smithsonian Institution. Being an affiliate gives the institute access to many cool things. It can use Smithsonian artifacts, educational programs, and expert speakers. It also gets resources to make its own exhibits even better. This partnership was a new beginning for the institute. Plans were made to update the main exhibit floor. UTSA wants to be a top research university. The museum also wants to be a top cultural place.
Future Plans for the Museum
On April 3, 2024, UTSA announced some big changes for the Institute of Texan Cultures. The current building will be taken down. The museum will close in May 2024. But don't worry, it will reopen in early 2025! The new temporary spot will be on the first floor of the Frost Tower.
This temporary location will likely be used until 2030. By then, a new permanent home for the museum should be chosen and built. Some possible places for the new museum are on the UTSA Southwest Campus. Another idea is near the Crockett Hotel and The Alamo.
See also
- List of museums in Central Texas
- Caudill Rowlett CRS
- Texans All - A series of books from the institute
