Updated: 1/25/2012 
The Witte Museum
San Antonio, Texas
Description

The Witte Museum in San Antonio, TX is one of more than 15,400 museums in the MuseumsUSA directory. Find an exciting museum to visit where you live or vacation today.

History

The Witte Museum opened in 1926 under the charter of the San Antonio Museum Association. The Association also established the San Antonio Museum of Transportation (1969-1987) and in 1981, the San Antonio Museum of Art. The audience, programs, and exhibits of The Witte Museum and the San Antonio Museum of Art increased and diversified, and in 1994, two independent museums were established. The Witte Museum is the legal successor to the San Antonio Museum Association.

The Witte is located adjacent to Brackenridge Park on the banks of the San Antonio River. The museum dedicates itself to history, science, and culture. The permanent collection represents ethnography, decorative arts and textiles, science, natural sciences with emphasis on South Texas, and the history of Texas and the Southwest. Public programs include workshops, demonstrations, live gallery theater performances for young people and families. Summer Adventure Club, Behind-the-scenes tours.

Artifact Collections

Anthropology: Artifacts from the Lower Pecos Texas Region as well as American Indian, pre-Columbian, and Filipino artifacts.

Art: Texas paintings, folk art, furniture, and decorative arts, as well as American furniture and decorative arts.

History: Artifacts from the American West, general store items, and weapon collection.

Natural History: Gems, minerals, herpetology, paleontology, ornithology, and entomology.

Textiles: American fashions primarily from the 19th century to the present, Chinese and Japanese costumes, Filipino costumes and textiles, European and Meso-American folk costumes, quilts and coverlets, pageant costumes from San Antonio Fiesta.

Programs

Summer classes, Adventure Club ,Museum Sleep-overs,Student workshops,School Outreach, Adult and family programs and lectures, Teacher workshops,Adult and Junior Volunteer Programs,Evening for Educators,Music concerts,Demonstrations,Gallery theater, storytelling, Special family weekends, meet a Scientist, and Senior mornings.

The Witte has a strong Public Programs Division, with many innovative and fun activities designed for schoolchildren and teachers, as well as casual museum visitors. Extensive educational materials and activities are designed to complement exhibits.

The Witte was one of the first museums in the state to incorporate live gallery theater as a regular component of exhibits. The actors perform short dramatic plays that highlight aspects of the exhibit. These mini-performances add another dimension to the visitor's experience at the museum.

DISCLAIMER
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