Buckhorn Saloon and Museum
This big, chili powder-red stucco building in the middle of downtown is a sample of real, frontier, Texas. Moved from its longtime location at the Lone Star Brewery, the Buckhorn's new home has more than 38,000 square feet. Back in the hands of the founding family, the newly located saloon still boasts the old saloon's nickelodeon, a fine saddle collection, an extensive million-dollar spur collection and many other treasures and works of art. The combination of exhibit halls and the original polished mahogany Buckhorn bar in the saloon area makes for an unforgettable and entertaining experience.
Throughout the fascinating two-story building, there are numerous exhibits with displayed memorabilia that date back to the days when San Antonio was a sleepy crossroads for cowboys who were driving their herds north. Albert Friedrich opened the Buckhorn Saloon in 1881. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he decorated his saloon with his own trophies, as well as with pelts, horns and mounts of trappers who would trade them for a beer or a shot of whiskey. In 1922, he replaced the revenue lost from liquor sales by selling non-alcoholic beverages, lunches and creating a curio store as unique as the collection itself.
Everything from the pressed tin ceiling, decorative tile floors, rich wood trim, mirrored columns and period furniture replicates the original saloon. From the moment you enter, you'll be intrigued by a virtual recreation of a 118-year-old saloon and be awed by the thousands of exotic exhibits and mystifying oddities.
The Toepperwein Room, a state-of-the-art 6,500 square foot convention facility, is a continuation of the Buckhorn's western theme. Wood floors, collectible western art, San Antonio memorabilia and western furniture reminiscent of the cowboy era adorn the room.
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Don Strange Ranch
Imagine traveling back in time to the earliest days of Texas, when huge herds of Longhorn cattle thundered across the hard packed earth of the plains. The old west is the inspiration and theme for a unique evening at the Don Strange Ranch, located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio. Don is a third generation Texan, and is nationally famous for his real Texas Bar-B-Que.
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Institute of Texan Cultures
People from all over the world settled in Texas, and brought with them bits and pieces of their heritage. Today the Institute of Texan Cultures brings their stories to life. This fascinating museum portrays the adventures, hardships and accomplishments of the people who established and developed the state – from the legendary figures and dauntless settlers of yesteryear to more modern-day pioneers.
As part of the University of Texas at San Antonio, the Institute maintains more than 50,000 square feet of exhibits, featuring permanent exhibits on over 25 ethnic and cultural groups. Special additions to your event could include your own slide or video show in the Dome Theater or the Institute's own 12-minute multimedia show, Faces and Places of Texas, which utilizes 24 screens and 38 projectors. Live interactive demonstrations at various exhibit areas, including the chuck wagon, Mexican jacal, spinning wheel and loom, sharecropper's house, and the American Indian tipi, can add uniqueness and authenticity to your event.
A new offering to this venue, The Back 40 Outdoor Interpretive Area, includes a one-room schoolhouse, log house, pioneer wagon, traditional barn, frontier fort headquarters, West Texas adobe house and Grape Arbor State.
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La Villita
Located on the east bank of the San Antonio River, La Villita was developed in the mid to late 18th Century as a settlement adjacent to Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo). Today, La Villita is an active arts and crafts community amidst beautiful landscaped grounds and historic buildings. Architectural styles range from simple adobe structures to early Victorian and natural cut limestone buildings.
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Southwest School of Art & Craft
From cloistered convent to contemporary art center, the old Ursuline Convent and Academy possesses a rich history. The secluded park-like grounds and historic buildings are located on the scenic Riverwalk. Nestled among the skyscrapers of downtown San Antonio, the school stands today as a testimony to the dedication of hard work and creative spirit.
The Ursuline Academy was established 'for the education of young ladies of refinement,' and remained a cloistered convent until 1900. The school remained at the downtown location until 1965, when a new campus was established in North San Antonio. With the nuns' departure, the abandoned property began to crumble and fall into disrepair.
To save these historic buildings, the San Antonio Conservation Society purchased the buildings and invited the newly formed Southwest School of Art & Craft to establish its school and programs at the site. Renovation of all the buildings was completed in 1983.
Among the highlights of the historic site are the elegant architecture of the two-story buildings that are constructed of local limestone, the beautiful chapel with some of the original stained glass windows made in France and the surrounding gardens and courtyards.
The Chapel, gardens, courtyards and patios provide a beautiful serene setting for receptions and dinners.
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Originally constructed in 1902, Sunset Station holds the rich history of San Antonio's railroading past, and is now San Antonio's newest and most unique entertainment district. The renovated train station is reminiscent of the lot age of the Missions with a stucco finish and baked red tile roof. A large and intricate stained glass window graces one entrance of the station.
The Sunset Station Complex has a variety of spaces available for private events. The restored complex features the impressive 1902 beaux-arts train depot, high-energy themed entertainment venues, a Texas-sized outdoor, covered concert amphitheater, a beautiful outdoor terraced courtyard, as well as five banquet rooms set in the collection of restored brick buildings that are part of St. Paul Square Historical District. With over 100,000 square feet of unique space, we can make any event at Sunset Station a memorable one.
The Lone Star Pavilion is a beautifully landscaped outdoor amphitheater adaptable to live music concerts and galas. With 12,000 square feet of space, 6,000 of which is covered, the Lone Star Pavilion makes a lovely setting for an open-air function.
The Sunset Saloon is the crown jewel of Sunset Station. A national landmark featuring a majestic grand staircase, three golden oak bars, barreled gilded ceilings and original stained glass windows, the Saloon is a one-of-a-kind venue for your event.
Agave – this upscale, exposed brick and softly lit space caters to an elegant lounge feeling from old. With sofas, armchairs and low tables, candlelight is more appropriate in setting the mood for a relaxing cocktail party. You can even adjust the mood by removing the furniture and creating a live music venue with dancing and band. With the beauty of the original fountain shadowing the entrance to this room, Agave is a terrific place to bring your guests.
Studio 794 is filled with interactive games, all situated in an elevated 'gaming area' and a multi-level dancing area with the popular-again dance cages to transform the space into a more 3-D experience.
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A grand home to Pearl Brewery's hard-working draft horses in the late 19th Century, today Pearl Stable provides a uniquely elegant site for business events and social occasions. San Antonio architect Otto Kramer designed Pearl Stable. It was built in 1894, the same year as the extravagantly Gothic Brew House. In its day, the Stable housed draft horses in relative luxury. Like the Brew House, the Stable reflects a Victorian love of grandeur and ornament. It was a barn, but its graceful elliptical shape and intricate brickwork show that it was also the Brewery's symbol of affluence and success.
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Boudro's
Charles Court: As guests pass through the iron gates of Charles Court, they enter into a courtyard lined with terra cotta pots of colorful flowers filled with lush tropical foliage and accented with white twinkle lighting. A stone pond of exotic fish adds to the calm, quaint ambiance. The secluded outdoor courtyard is ideal for guests to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres prior to dinner in one of the following venues.
Volume II: The Wine Room, featuring an impressive display of vintage wines and decorated with classic wine crates, also serves as a gathering place for pre-dinner cocktails. A few steps beyond the Wine Room, the Dining Room is decorated with large wine barrels. New Orleans artwork accents the colorful walls, and multi-colored neon tube lighting adds to the Southwest art-deco flavor of this room. Storefront windows filled with a variety of plants afford a view of Commerce Street activity.
Firewheel: Firewheel is decorated in warm earth tones and features a 20-foot ceiling, a wine rack the along the brick wall, and its own shaded patio for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.
The Vault: Located at the corner of Commerce and Presa Streets, the lobby of the historic Alamo National Bank is now The Vault. This venue has a built-in marble bar that was once the bank teller station, three of the original bank vaults remain and paintings of mythological characters grace the walls and ceiling.
Zinc Champagne, Spirits and Wine Bar: Located in the historic Charles Court area, this venue features a ceiling-high wine rack stocked with a wide variety of French, California, Australian, German and Italian wines and champagnes. Premium cocktails and beers are also available. The bar and woodwork is of natural woods with Zinc bar and tabletops. Both the bar area and semi-private room open onto the charming Charles Court courtyard. The quiet and comfortable ambience provides a great location for cocktail gatherings. The staircase from the street-level semi-private room leads to the Zinc Wine Cellar. Wine crates and barrels, wine tasting tables, brick walls lined with ceiling-to-floor wine racks, a beamed-ceiling and pinpoint lighting accent this room. This is a one-of-a-kind venue.
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