Since 1972, the Art Museum of South Texas has been a landmark on the Corpus Christi Bay. Designed by Philip Johnson, the three-level facility is constructed of poured white concrete and shell aggregate. An addition completed in October 2006 doubled the Museum’s size, adding new gallery spaces, an expanded Museum Store and a Café that overlooks the Bay and the ship channel. Designed by Victor and Ricardo Legorreta of Mexico City, the addition features 13 roof-top pyramids as well as stunning use of color and light. Taken together, the two buildings represent a visually appealing “meeting of the minds” between Mexican and American architecture. In 1997 the Corpus Christi Creative Arts Center and Center for Hispanic Arts merged with the Art Museum under the auspices of the South Texas Institute for the Arts (STIA) and formalized STIA's affiliation with Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi. The programs offered by STIA continue to be offered at both the Art Museum of South Texas and the Museum's outreach site, the Antonio E Garcia Arts & Education Center (Garcia Center). The Mission of the South Texas Institute for the Arts (the Institute), doing business as the Art Museum of South Texas- Affiliated with Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, is to operate educational facilities and an art museum to advance the awareness, knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts for residents and visitors of South Texas. In operating an art museum, the Institute actively collects, conserves, exhibits, researches and interprets outstanding works of visual art with particular interest in art of the Americas and of the region. The Art Museum presents a variety of programs including classes, lectures, films, performances and other activities to inspire community interest in the visual arts. These programs are offered at the Art Museum of South Texas, the Antonio E. Garcia Arts and Education Center, and other outreach venues that serve the Institute’s mission.