San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a unit of the National Park Service. Please be considerate of others' opinions.

Please be aware that hours vary at each Mission Site
Mission Concepcion: 9 am- 5 pm, Monday-Sunday
Mission San Jose: 9 am- 5 pm, Monday- Sunday
Mission San Juan: 10 am- 5 pm, Monday-Sunday
Mission Espada: 10 am- 5 pm, Monday- Sunday


Page Expectations and Guidelines:
Welcome to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park page. We hope this will become a place where you feel comfort

able sharing information and experiences about San Antonio Missions NHP with one another. While this is an open forum, it is also a family friendly one, so please keep your comments and wall posts clean. In addition to keeping it family friendly, we ask that you follow our posting guidelines here. If you do not comply, your message will be removed. We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit or racial comments or submissions, nor do we allow comments that are abusive, hateful or intended to defame anyone or any organization. We do not allow attempts to defame or defraud any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency nor do we allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity. External links do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the National Park Service or the Department of Interior. Comments, posts or external links that do not contribute to dialog and discussions about San Antonio Missions NHP may be deleted. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username and any information provided. Federal regulations prohibit advertising on government sponsored web pages. This includes promotion or endorsement of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. Statements or external links that drive viewers to commercial web sites are considered advertising. Such posts and/or links are subject to deletion. People who continue to post prohibited content and/or links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. We reserve the right to determine whether the intention of a post is to advertise a commercial venture. These rules are ultimately subject to emerging National Park Service social media management policies, and therefore may change as conditions warrant. For official information about San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, please visit our Web site at: http://www.nps.gov/saan/index.htm

Thanks!

Quite possibly one of Texas’ most eye-catching wildflowers is the vibrant Indian Blanket, also known as Firewheel!With i...
08/07/2026

Quite possibly one of Texas’ most eye-catching wildflowers is the vibrant Indian Blanket, also known as Firewheel!

With its fiery red petals tipped in bright yellow, this native wildflower brings bursts of color to fields, roadsides, and prairies across South Texas each spring and summer. The flower’s name comes from its resemblance to the colorful woven blanket patterns traditionally created by many Indigenous cultures.

Indian Blanket wildflowers are more than just beautiful, they are also important for pollinators like bees and butterflies, providing nectar throughout the warmer months. Because they are drought tolerant and well adapted to Texas soils, they thrive even during hot South Texas summers.

Next time you visit the park, keep an eye out for these brilliant blooms adding color to the historic landscape!

Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

Join us on Monday, August 24 at 10:00 am at Mission San José for America in Motion: From Manos to Mills.Experience histo...
08/06/2026

Join us on Monday, August 24 at 10:00 am at Mission San José for America in Motion: From Manos to Mills.

Experience history in action with a hands-on demonstration of traditional mano and metate grinding where you might break a sweat! 😅Discover how advances in technology transformed grain processing through the power of water-driven mills.

Explore the evolution of food production and the innovative engineering that shaped communities throughout history on this special National Park Week Program.

NPS Photos

National Park Week is almost here!From August 22–30, 2026 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (and national pa...
08/05/2026

National Park Week is almost here!
From August 22–30, 2026 San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (and national parks everywhere) will host special programs and events in honor of National Park Week.

From a Rubber Duck Grand Prix at Mission San Juan starting on Saturday, Aug 22, to Monday's Manos to Mills, Bark Ranger Wednesday, and Sunday's Junior Ranger Reading, mark your calendar and get ready to celebrate history, community, wildlife, and fun across all four mission sites! 🦆🏛️🌿

To see the full calendar of events see our website: https://www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/calendar.htm

Learn more about National Park Week at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-park-week.htm

08/03/2026

This little ranger is on a victory lap, with Grand Prix spirit but along historic acequias!

Can't make it to the Grand Prix? Join us at Mission San Juan for our own one-of-a-kind Rubber Duck Race at 10 am on Saturday, Aug 22!

Race your very own rubber duck down the historic acequia while discovering how these hand-dug irrigation ditches supplied life-giving water to the mission communities and surrounding farm fields. Learn how this remarkable engineering system sustained daily life and agriculture at the Spanish colonial missions and cheer your duck on to the finish line!

NPS Video

At San Antonio Missions the histories of Indigenous peoples, Spanish settlers, and the generations who followed come tog...
08/02/2026

At San Antonio Missions the histories of Indigenous peoples, Spanish settlers, and the generations who followed come together to highlight the many paths that helped shape the United States. Though the missions were founded before 1776, they reflect the resilience, determination, and spirit of the people who contributed to the nation we cherish today.

We invite you to take a moment to reflect on our shared American story and explore the history that helped build this country, whether you're here in San Antonio or visiting from across the nation.

These are the many flags that have flown over what we now call Texas since the colonial period.

NPS Image

On World Ranger Day, we celebrate the many people who help care for our parks.When many people hear the word “ranger,” t...
07/31/2026

On World Ranger Day, we celebrate the many people who help care for our parks.

When many people hear the word “ranger,” they may picture someone guiding a hike or wearing the iconic flat hat, but it takes an entire team or rangers working together behind the scenes to help protect and preserve this special place.

From interpretation and education teams sharing stories with visitors… to facility crews caring for historic structures and park grounds… to law enforcement, resource management, administrators, volunteers, interns, partners, and so many others. Every role helps keep the park running.

Together, they help preserve centuries of history, protect wildlife and natural resources, maintain trails and acequias, welcome visitors from around the world, and ensure future generations can continue to experience the missions.

World Ranger Day is also a reminder to recognize park rangers globally that work to conserve our lands, animals, and traditions, often in challenging conditions.

Today, we celebrate not only the ranger job, but the many dedicated people who make enjoying San Antonio Missions possible.

What is bright, colorful, and hard to miss? Meet the Mexican Hat wildflower!Named for its distinctive shape that some sa...
07/31/2026

What is bright, colorful, and hard to miss? Meet the Mexican Hat wildflower!

Named for its distinctive shape that some say resembles a sombrero, the Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) is a native wildflower commonly found across Texas prairies and grasslands. Its drooping red-and-yellow petals surround a tall central cone, making it a favorite among photographers, pollinators, and wildflower enthusiasts alike.

Blooming from spring through summer, these drought-tolerant flowers provide important nectar for bees and butterflies while adding vibrant color to the South Texas landscape. Native plants like the Mexican Hat are especially important because they are well adapted to local conditions and help support healthy ecosystems.

Wildflowers such as these would have been a familiar sight to the Indigenous communities and Spanish settlers who lived and worked around the missions centuries ago. Today, they continue to brighten trails, fields, and roadsides throughout the park.

Have you spotted any Mexican Hats blooming during your visits lately?

Image: NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

✨Upcoming World Heritage Partnership Programs! Join San Antonio Missions National Historical Park for our Partnership To...
07/30/2026

✨Upcoming World Heritage Partnership Programs!

Join San Antonio Missions National Historical Park for our Partnership Tours in celebration of the 2026 World Heritage Festival every day from September 9 to September 13.

Celebrate our World Heritage Site with special programs and presentations by a park ranger and our partners. These co-led tours will dive deep into the rich history and significance of our missions and the people.

Program partners include: San Antonio River Authority, Conservation Society of San Antonio Missions, San Antonio Mission Indian Descendents, Tehuan Band, Wilson County Historical Commission, and the Canary Islanders Descendents Association

Follow us for more details!

Let’s celebrate our cherished World Heritage Site together! 🌍💚

What’s your favorite chocolate treat?While the creamy milk chocolate we know today would not have existed during the Spa...
07/28/2026

What’s your favorite chocolate treat?

While the creamy milk chocolate we know today would not have existed during the Spanish colonial mission era, chocolate itself was already an important part of life throughout New Spain.

Franciscan friars and Spanish settlers brought with them a taste for hot chocolate, a drink made from cacao that had deep roots in Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica long before Europeans arrived in the Americas. Chocolate was often prepared as a warm beverage mixed with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, or other spices, and could be enjoyed during gatherings, travel, or religious hospitality.

At the missions along the San Antonio River, many foods and traditions reflected a blending of Indigenous knowledge and Spanish colonial customs. While cacao could not be grown in South Texas, chocolate and other goods traveled north through trade routes from Mexico into frontier communities like the missions.

Today, chocolate remains one of the many foods connected to the shared cultural history of the Spanish colonial world and the people who lived, worked, and worshipped at the missions centuries ago.

This July 26, we honor National Disability Independence Day by celebrating freedom for everyone to explore, enjoy, and c...
07/26/2026

This July 26, we honor National Disability Independence Day by celebrating freedom for everyone to explore, enjoy, and connect with their public lands!

The America the Beautiful Interagency Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability.

This pass offers free admission to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and more.

Get your pass by visiting any federal recreation site such as the ones listed in the link below and look for the entrance station or visitor center. You can also apply for one online at https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass

At San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, you can stop by the Visitor Center at Mission San José to get your pass every day from 9:00 AM-4:45 PM.

Address

6701 San Jose Drive
San Antonio, TX
78214

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12109321001

Website

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