Client:          Texas General Land Office
Location:     San Antonio, Texas, USA
Timescale:   2017 – 2020

The Alamo is one of America’s most iconic, cherished, and recognizable heritage sites. It achieved its iconic status in 1836 as the site of the famous battle where 189 Texian and Tejano revolutionaries gave their lives defending the fort against the Mexican Army.

Cultural Innovations with PGAV Destinations and landscape architects Reed-Hilderbrand were appointed to develop a Comprehensive Interpretive Masterplan that would transform how visitors and local residents experience the site, while preserving and protecting it for future generations. Cultural Innovations were responsible for all content and interpretive planning, which involved in-depth consultation with San Antonio communities and a Citizens Advisory Committee that represented a broad section of stakeholders.

The principal aim of the plan was to restore dignity and respect to the site, creating spaces where visitors can feel reverence for all those that lived, fought and died there. One of the most ambitious components of the plan is the creation of a 13,000 m² world-class visitor centre and museum. The plan also recommends changes to enhance educational programming, expand visitor and operational facilities, improve security, and create major new civic spaces for local communities.

This was project was a complex and successful undertaking that involved urban planning and regeneration, heritage interpretation, content and collection development, exhibition design, operational planning, and public consultation.