News

Tradition and Technology: Texan Cultures Go Digital

When the Institute of Texan Cultures opens in early 2026, visitors will experience Texas through immersive multimedia technology. Explore six regions of the state via stunning projections, interactive touch-screen stations, and digital storytelling that reveal the people, places, and traditions shaping Texas life. From artifacts like the Tigua Drum to evolving online content, ITC offers a dynamic journey into culture, history, and community—one story at a time.

Hands-On Texas History

The Institute of Texan Cultures has partnered with the UT San Antonio Youth Artist Program and San Antonio Independent School District’s Mark Twain Dual Language Academy to test a new traveling trunk. Part of the museum’s Texkit traveling trunk program, students in fourth-grade art classes explored fibers and textiles through touch, art, and experimentation right in their classrooms.

Special Collections November Book Highlight

With Dia de los Muertos being a huge part of early November in San Antonio, I wanted to take the time to showcase this wonderful children’s book that was recently donated to Special Collections. It is titled, The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio. Leigh Bardugo is the best-selling author the Shadow and […]

Saturday Night in SE Texas

On any given Saturday night in Southeast Texas, you can still stumble upon a Cajun dance, and chances are a band will strike up “Jolie Blonde.” Often called the Cajun national anthem, Harry Choates’ 1946 recording helped push Cajun music into the American popular music spotlight. The Choates’ family like many others were part of a large migration of Cajuns from Louisiana seeking work during the oil boom in the Beaumont–Port Arthur–Orange region—better known as the Golden Triangle.

A Canvas of Community

As the Institute of Texan Cultures staff began preparing for the museum’s reopening in early 2026 at Frost Tower, they knew they wanted visitors to feel an instant sense of connection the moment they stepped through the doors. The new lobby offered the perfect opportunity—a spacious wall that seemed to call out for something bold, beautiful, and meaningful.

Curating a Framework for Connection

As we settle into our new home, one of the most noticeable changes—beyond the square footage—is the way our exhibitions are organized. Before you explore the exhibit floor yourself, I would like to share the thinking behind our new approach and how it is designed to shape your experience.

Bigger in Texas:

Everything is bigger in Texas — and homecoming mums are no exception. When the Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) opens its doors at Frost Tower in early 2026, it’ll celebrate with a “Homecoming” of its own. The museum’s first visiting exhibition, “MUMENTOUS: The Upsizing of a Texas Tradition,” is a colorful, larger-than-life tribute to one of the state’s most creative traditions — the homecoming mum.

What’s New to Digital Collections: AV Edition

As a follow up from our previous post covering recently uploaded materials from our Manuscript Collections and rare books, I am happy to update you on the audiovisual materials that have recently been uploaded to the Digital Collections Website. Institute of Texan Cultures Audiovisual Production Department Records: This collection was digitized over the past two […]

What’s new to Digital Collections

The digital collections team is happy to share a list of some recently uploaded materials to the Digital Collections website. Today we’ll cover Manuscript Collections and Rare Book uploads, with a round-up of Audiovisual materials to come soon! Manuscript Collections United Farm Workers of Texas Photograph Collection: The United Farm Workers of Texas photograph collection […]

University co-father returns home: Sen. Bernal papers bestowed to Special Collections

UT San Antonio Special Collections received over 70 boxes of personal papers, photos, and writings from the late State Sen. Joe Bernal, a key advocate for bilingual education and co-founder of UTSA. The archive honors his legacy as an educator, civil rights leader, and champion for educational access.

Jimmie Rodgers: On Texas Time

Jimmie Rodgers (1897-1933), the “Father of Country Music,” shaped generations of artists —from Ernest Tubb, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, and Bob Dylan to today’s Colter Wall and Charley Crockett. A member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rodgers even called Texas home for a few years, leaving his stamp on the Hill Country and San Antonio.

Special Collections announces recipients of the 2025–26 Faculty Teaching in the Archives grants

UT San Antonio Libraries awarded 2025–26 Faculty Teaching in the Archives grants to Dr. Liliana Saldana and Prof. Claudia Treviño García. Their projects integrate archival materials into courses on Fiesta San Antonio and bilingual education, fostering student engagement with local history through hands-on research and culturally responsive teaching tools.