In 1996, Secretary I. Michael Heyman of the Smithsonian Institution announced a physical presence of the Smithsonian in San Antonio. This announcement designated the Museo Alameda as the first formal affiliate of the Smithsonian outside of Washington D.C. and gave birth to the Smithsonian’s affiliations program. In May of the same year, Governor George W. Bush signed a joint resolution of the Texas legislature establishing the Museo Alameda as the official State Latino Museum.