
Southwest School of Art and Craft, San Antonio
The Southwest School of Art, now known as the University of Texas at San Antonio Arts, is a nationally acclaimed institution recognized for its excellence in arts education and community engagement. Annually, the school serves over 4,000 students of all ages through its diverse studio programs. Beyond education, it organizes contemporary art exhibitions, houses a small history museum, and offers a welcoming lunch café. Its events, exhibitions, and programs collectively attract more than 225,000 visitors each year.
The school operates on two historically and artistically significant campuses in downtown San Antonio: Ursuline Campus and Navarro Campus.
The Ursuline Campus is the former home of the Ursuline Convent & Academy, the first school for girls in San Antonio, established in 1851. The campus, nestled alongside the famous River Walk, features tranquil gardens, historic architecture, and specialized studios for ceramics, fibers, and youth arts programs. The site’s standout feature is its historic architecture, including a rare two-story rammed-earth building, a masterpiece of French influence designed by François Giraud and Jules Poinsard. This campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, underscoring its cultural and architectural significance.
The Navarro Campus is a hub for contemporary art and cutting-edge creativity. It boasts exhibition galleries, including the Russell Hill Rogers Gallery, a 3,500-square-foot space hosting eight contemporary art exhibitions annually. The campus also provides high-tech facilities and studios for a variety of disciplines, including photography, metals, printmaking, digital imaging, paper and book arts, drawing, painting, and 3D media.
The Southwest School of Art and Craft has solidified its reputation as one of the largest community-centered art schools in the United States. Its fusion of historic preservation, innovative art education, and cultural programming makes it a unique treasure in San Antonio. Whether exploring its 150-year-old heritage through the Visitors Center Museum or engaging with the vibrant art exhibitions, visitors experience a dynamic blend of history and modern creativity.
The school operates on two historically and artistically significant campuses in downtown San Antonio: Ursuline Campus and Navarro Campus.
The Ursuline Campus is the former home of the Ursuline Convent & Academy, the first school for girls in San Antonio, established in 1851. The campus, nestled alongside the famous River Walk, features tranquil gardens, historic architecture, and specialized studios for ceramics, fibers, and youth arts programs. The site’s standout feature is its historic architecture, including a rare two-story rammed-earth building, a masterpiece of French influence designed by François Giraud and Jules Poinsard. This campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, underscoring its cultural and architectural significance.
The Navarro Campus is a hub for contemporary art and cutting-edge creativity. It boasts exhibition galleries, including the Russell Hill Rogers Gallery, a 3,500-square-foot space hosting eight contemporary art exhibitions annually. The campus also provides high-tech facilities and studios for a variety of disciplines, including photography, metals, printmaking, digital imaging, paper and book arts, drawing, painting, and 3D media.
The Southwest School of Art and Craft has solidified its reputation as one of the largest community-centered art schools in the United States. Its fusion of historic preservation, innovative art education, and cultural programming makes it a unique treasure in San Antonio. Whether exploring its 150-year-old heritage through the Visitors Center Museum or engaging with the vibrant art exhibitions, visitors experience a dynamic blend of history and modern creativity.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Antonio. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Southwest School of Art and Craft on Map












Sight Name: Southwest School of Art and Craft
Sight Location: San Antonio, USA (See walking tours in San Antonio)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: San Antonio, USA (See walking tours in San Antonio)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in San Antonio, Texas
Create Your Own Walk in San Antonio
Creating your own self-guided walk in San Antonio is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
King William Historical District Tour
San Antonio’s first “suburb” and the very first historical district in Texas, revitalized during the 1960s, the King William District encompasses 25 blocks south of downtown and east of the San Antonio River.
Back in the late 1800s, it was the most elegant residential area in the city. Settled by German immigrants, the neighborhood was named after Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Back in the late 1800s, it was the most elegant residential area in the city. Settled by German immigrants, the neighborhood was named after Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
River Walk Tour
The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río or simply The River Walk) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of the city. A successful special-case pedestrian street, this walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting major tourist draws and attractions that add to its... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour
San Antonio, one of Texas' major cities, boasts rich colonial heritage. The city was named by a 1691 Spanish expedition for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day is June 13. At the time of European encounter, the area near the San Antonio River Valley was inhabited by Payaya Indians who called it Yanaguana, the "refreshing waters".
In 1709, Spanish Father Antonio de Olivares... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
In 1709, Spanish Father Antonio de Olivares... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles