All five are still in existence. The Alamo is the best known, but the other four offer a better sense of San Antonio as first a Spanish and then a Mexican frontier settlement. A quick tour of the missions takes maybe half a day. Be sure to see the Espada Aqueduct, an irrigation ditch that has been in use since 1740. Popular mariachi masses are held every Sunday at noon.
Admission is free to all the missions, although donations are accepted.
The strangely shaped, windowless building across the freeway from the strangely shaped covered stadium known as the Alamodome is a monument of sorts. Called the Institute of Texan Cultures , it's a monument to the melange of cultures and the mix of national origins that make up Texas. It's a also a wonderful place for children and adults. There are 27 in all. On most days, a movie or slide show about Texan cultures in general or one culture in particular is offered in the exhibit hall.