Heritage Education Tours have been a Conservation Society tradition since 1960. In 2019, approximately 2,200 fourth grade students from twenty-five schools participated in these tours. Schools are invited to participate in the tours on a five-year rotating basis.
The Conservation Society Foundation furnishes charter buses as transportation, covers admission to various historical locations, and provides teachers with educational material for students before their tours.
Students visit two historical sites within San Antonio on the day of their tour, sites they visit include: the Steves Homestead House Museum, the Yturri-Edmunds Historic Site, the Spanish Governor’s Palace, Casa Navarro State Historical Site, and all five Word Heritage Spanish Missions.
Teachers attend a mandatory teacher workshop prior to the tours. Many Conservation Society members act as volunteers and tour guides to help ensure the Heritage Education Tours continue to be a success.