SAN ANTONIO – The University of Texas at San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) is getting ready to reopen its doors to the public at the Frost Tower, offering a glimpse into the state’s history and traditions.
KSAT 12 News was given a first look at museum’s new location that highlights themes across the state’s many cultures.
The ITC was established in 1965 and introduced during the 1968 World’s Fair in San Antonio. According to UT San Antonio’s website, it became a permanent part of the campus in 1986.
In 2024, an agreement was reached by UT San Antonio and the Texas Historical Commission to demolish the original building located on East César E. Chávez Boulevard to make way for Project Marvel, a multi-billion-dollar sports and entertainment district.
Last April, the San Antonio Conservation Society attempted to halt the demolition with legal action to no avail.
“We wanted to carry over and build on the wonderful traditions of the Institute of Texan Cultures,” the institute’s Associate Vice Provost Dr. Monica Perales said. “The things we’ve always done for many, many years, which is to tell wonderful stories, engaging people. And that was something we kept coming back to.”
The ITC is now located downtown at the Frost Tower on 111 West Houston Street and is set to reopen Thursday morning.
The museum is more interactive, modern and engaging for visitors, allowing them to discover what resonates with them.
The ITC’s main gallery exhibition, called “Common Threads,” will focus on four themes: home and family life, heritage and traditions, arts and culture and community, according to an ITC news release.
“‘Common Threads’ will include multiple voices and experiences, acknowledging that culture is fluid, living and evolving while reflecting that each generation helps shape the future like threads in a tapestry,” ITC head curator Bianca Alvarez said.
Another display includes “Mumentous®,” a traveling exhibition on loan from the Arlington Museum of Art. The visiting exhibit celebrates the creativity and legacy of Texas’ homecoming mum tradition paired with a customized mum made from 4,000 feet of ribbon.
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