The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) is a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

and

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...

located in the Texas Pavilion at

HemisFair Park Hemisfair may refer to: * HemisFair Arena, an indoor arena located in San Antonio, Texas * HemisFair '68 HemisFair '68 was the official 1968 World's Fair (or International Exposition) held in San Antonio, Texas, from April 6 through October 6, 19 ...

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

. The building which houses the institute a striking example of

Brutalist architecture Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ba ...

. It serves as the state's primary center for multicultural education, with exhibits, programs, and events like the

Texas Folklife Festival The Texas Folklife Festival is an annual event sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio's Institute of Texan Cultures celebrating the many ethnicities represented in the population of the state of Texas. The first Texas Folklife Festiv ...

, an annual celebration of the many ethnicities that make up the population of Texas. It has been held yearly since 1972. The facility, established by the Texas Legislature on May 27, 1965, originally served as the Texas Pavilion at HemisFair '68 before being turned over to the

University of Texas System The University of Texas System (UT System) is an American government entity of the state of Texas that includes 13 higher educational institutions throughout the state including eight universities and five independent health institutions. The UT& ...

in 1969. UTSA assumed administrative control of the museum in 1973. In 1986, the system designated the institute as a campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio. Now, it is part of UTSA's HemisFair campus. It is located near the

Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...

and the River Walk. The Institute of Texan Cultures, through its research, collections, exhibits and programs, serves as the forum for the understanding and appreciation of Texas and Texans. The complex has of interactive exhibits and displays. The library on the third floor contains

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printing, printed or repr ...

s, rare books, personal papers, over 3 million historical photos and over 700 oral histories. Funding for the museum comes primarily from three sources: biennial legislative appropriations; exhibit floor and special event admissions; grants, contributions, and other locally generated funds such as the rental of the museum's facilities, and the sale of its publications, audiovisuals, library services, and merchandise from The Museum Store. Major support is provided by the museum's Development Board. The Texas Legislature cut appropriations for the institute by 25% in 2011 causing the institute to rely more on private donations and corporate sponsorship. ITC fulfills its mandate as the state's center for multicultural education by investigating the ethnic and cultural history of the state and presenting the resulting information with a variety of offerings: * Exhibits, programs, and special events designed to entertain, inspire, and educate * A library focusing on ethnic and cultural history * A historical photo collection of more than 3.5 million images * An outreach program to schools and other groups * Teacher-training workshops. There are displays in the museum representing many cultures and their impact on the history and development of Texas. In early 2010, ITC became an affiliate as part of the Smithsonian Affiliates program. Affiliate status grants the institute access to the Smithsonian's artifacts, education, and performing arts programs, expert speakers, teacher workshops, and resources to complement and broaden exhibitions. The affiliation agreement marks a new era for the institute. A series of upgrades are planned to revitalize main exhibit floor. As UTSA strives to achieve national research university status, the university's museum strives to become a cultural institution of equal caliber.

Future is Uncertain

University of Texas at San Antonio is considering moving the ITC out of its current facility due to low attendance and to repurpose the land and or the building.

References

External links

Institute of Texan Cultures
University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries (UTSA Libraries) Special Collections.
A Guide to the Institute of Texan Cultures Library Collection of HemisFair '68 Materials
University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries (UTSA Libraries) Special Collections. {{authority control Texas culture Museums in San Antonio History museums in Texas Art museums and galleries in Texas University museums in Texas Ethnic museums in Texas Smithsonian Institution affiliates Museums established in 1968 1968 establishments in Texas World's fair architecture in Texas HemisFair '68

Future is Uncertain

See also

References

External links