Nearly two years after closing at Hemisfair, the University of Texas San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) is relaunching with a new home and a renewed mission. San Antonians can check out the museum on the first floor of the Frost Tower, 111 W. Houston St. #121, starting at 10 am on Thursday, January 29.

The reopening marks the completion of a months-long journey. UTSA officials and community advocates worked together to create an immersive experience that commemorates the diverse cultures that have shaped Texas.

Many San Antonians, especially conservationists, decried UTSA’s decision to close the institute in May 2024. The Hemisfair location, where the museum debuted in 1968 as part of the World’s Fair, was a cultural hub in its heyday, hosting the annual Texas Folklife Festival, Fiesta events, and countless school field trips.

The demolition of architect Caudill Rowlett Scott’s original brutalist structure was even more controversial, leading to a failed lawsuit by the Conservation Society of San Antonio. The site is now earmarked for a new sports and entertainment district anchored by a San Antonio Spurs arena.

During a January 28 ribbon-cutting ceremony, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said the Institute's reopening is more than about a new physical home, but about welcoming people back into a place that holds special meaning

“I've actually had a few conversations with guests today who have incredibly warm and positive memories about their time at the Texas Pavilion, and the narratives that they saw there, and their memories, especially as kids, about using that space,” Eighmy said.

Heather Shipley, UTSA’s interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said the ITC is a “living classroom” for all ages, and where various communities can see parts of their stories told to the public.

“The ITC has long served as a cultural treasure for our city and state, a place where generations of Texans have come to see their stories reflected, and while its physical location has changed, its mission is stronger than ever,” Shipley said.

One of those stories is told in the institute’s newest exhibit, “Mumentous: The Upsizing of a Texas Tradition.” The multimedia tribute to Texas homecoming tradition features a leather-than-life mum made from 4,000 feet of ribbon.

The head of a Luong Chinese dragon is part of the "Common Threads" exhibit.Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Visitors to the new ITC will also find:

• A newly commissioned lobby mural.
• A Texas neon flag, a popular attraction at the original institute location.
• “Texas Tapestry: Patterns of Belonging,” a custom mural spanning the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling back wall.“
• Common Threads,” a new main-gallery exhibition exploring shared themes across Texas cultures, including a handmade cottonwood canoe and a director’s chair once used by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.

Bianca Alvarez, ITC head curator, noticed how many initial visitors to the relocated institute were reminiscing about the old site, but embracing the new location.

“People are telling me, ‘I would lie down in the Texas Pavilion building and just watch all of the images go by me’,” Alvarez recalled.

She added that UTSA and ITC officials look forward to collaborating with all kinds of community partners on future programming.

“The Texas Folklife Festival was huge for our community, and so what we took from a lot of that really inspired the design of this space. With those moments and experiences, we really had to lean into Texas culture, and programming is going to be critical to our success in this space,” she added.

Trish DeBerry, president and CEO of Centro San Antonio, a downtown advocacy organization, said the reopening of the Institute of Texan Cultures in the central business district shows UTSA’s faith in the strength of downtown San Antonio.

The relocated ITC is situated along the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, across from the historic Alameda Theatre, and near Legacy Park and the future site of the San Antonio Missions ball park. According to DeBerry, all of these key cultural sites, with the historic Majestic Theatre and the upcoming San Antonio African-American Community Archive Museum both down the road, help to further activate the Houston Street corridor and make it a destination for residents and tourists alike.

“This is cultural infrastructure,” DeBerry added. “It's what makes us unique, and it's what makes us special.”

To celebrate the museum’s debut, admission will be free from January 29 to February 1. Regular admission pricing starts February 5 at $10 for adults, $5 for youth ages 5–17, $5 for seniors ages 65 and over, and military personnel with ID. Admission will be free for children under age 5 and UTSA faculty, staff, and students with ID.

Regular operating hours will be 10 am-4 pm, Thursday through Sunday, with Wednesdays reserved for school field trips.