In this essay, Bianca Alvarez, head curator of the UT San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC), describes the relocated museum and exhibits. The ITC opens to the public at 111 W. Houston St., Ste. 100, on Jan. 29.
As we look to the opening of the ITC in our new home, we have been excited about a new approach to exhibiting our treasured artifacts that makes connections. Curating an exhibition is much like assembling a puzzle. Each object selected serves a purpose within the overarching theme.
My role is to ensure that these pieces fit together cohesively without forcing connections or diluting meaning. The end goal is not a single, fixed image, but rather a framework that supports multiple interpretations — a puzzle that each visitor builds through their own lens.
We want our guests to discover and reflect — to see themselves in the stories, ask questions and make connections that resonate with them long after a visit.
Supporting this experience, the main gallery exhibition, “Common Threads,” is organized into four thematic sections:
- Home and Family Life: where culture is created, shared and lived
- Honoring Heritage and Traditions: inspiring reflection on how varied communities preserve, adapt and express cultural identity
- Arts and Culture: celebrating the unique influences and dynamic exchange of ideas that define the state’s evolving creative legacy
- Celebrating Community: honoring unity and resilience across Texas, where connection thrives through celebration and service
For a unique state like Texas, this type of presentation is especially important, where stories intersect across space and time.
The layout intrinsically calls for the presence of multiple voices and experiences, acknowledging that culture is fluid, living and evolving. Where each generation helps shape the future like threads in a tapestry, “Common Threads” thoughtfully reflects that in concept and form.
“In the end, this new approach to our exhibits is about curating with purpose — curating for connection.” — Bianca Alvarez
Chronologically, these objects are separated by a century. Based on their dates, even Texas was not as we know it today. Yet thematically, they converge to explore migration, resourcefulness and the making of home in the Lone Star State.
This pairing prompts a deeper look and makes us wonder: What did people pack in that trunk? What did they leave behind? Or, how was the chair made? What materials were available?
These questions open access points — historical, personal, material and emotional — allowing for deeper engagement and understanding.
It is important to note that this exhibit is not just about objects — it is about people. Community engagement has been central to our curatorial process.
Not only have we sought loaned items from the community, but also their voices, perspectives and expertise. We have married scholarship with the value of lived experience, creating a space where stories are shared, not just displayed.
In “Honoring Heritage and Traditions,” the cottonwood dugout canoe anchors the exhibit’s opening. This object is not just a historical artifact — it is a living story.
We engaged the Karankawa Tribe of Texas, including the Five Rivers Council, for review and input of informative materials and images included in the canoe’s associated digital exhibit. In a collaborative spirit, the tribe also contributed original artwork and personal photographs, connecting past to present.
Through this use of multimedia and leveraging technology, we can expand its narrative and heighten accessibility beyond the museum walls.
In the end, this new approach to our exhibits is about curating with purpose — curating for connection.
By embracing a thematic framework, we open the door to richer, more layered exhibits that reflect the complexity of the world while highlighting our similarities and celebrating our differences.
Placing seemingly unrelated objects in conversation with one another also reflects how we live today, as neighbors, in community with each other. As curators, we are not just organizers of objects. We are story-sharers, facilitators, and bridge-builders. And when we curate with a thematic lens, we invite our audiences to become co-creators of meaning, piecing together their own understanding of the whole.
Hopefully, we see our role and impact in the world around us, too.