The Blanton Museum of Art is delightful way to spend a few hours in admiration of art. The Blanton…read moreMuseum of Art complex is divided into three main areas; namely; 1) ticketing office and gift shop, 2) the stand alone building and 3) the galleries. Important to note...entry into The Blanton Museum of Art is free on Tuesdays or as a member and discounted if you attend UT or a senior citizen. Getting a ticket gets you into the house and galleries was a pretty straightforward process. The first impression is the towering 3-story 12 "petals", which look like white lillies to me. They have hundreds of holes that cast a cool shadow beneath them. Fun fact: When it rains in the petals, water funnels to to an underground collection system. According the museum docent, the stained glass building was designed by Ellsworth Kelly is supposed to be a place of contemplation...similar to a church except different as she is an atheist. Similar remnants of churches are present...stained glass windows, a semi redwood cross at the center of the building (not fully formed but certainly the focal point of the room) and simple black and white paintings. The Blanton Museum of Art, founded in 1963, is a shared museum between Austin and the University of Austin. Their 22K+ art pieces include modern and contemporary American and Latin American artworks. In addition, they also feature Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings, prints and drawings. Inside the galleries the staircase area is a work of art itself. The collections are breathtaking, contemplative and captivating. Such a fun way to spend the afternoon...

Blantons is great break from the sun, and a small taste of a variety of classical and contemporary…read moreart. The staff were super friendly. Griffin was a fantastic behind the desk guy. Samantha and Abby were nice docents. Each said hello, were welcoming, and shared their favorite pieces, and spoke competently about the art they were watching over. I got the opportunity to see various immersive works. Ellesworth Kelly has his own building of stained glass images, black and white tiles, and a male totem. My favorite work was in the modern section, but it looked like a classical piece. Pilgrims by Coronel. It looked like a bunch of guys in big hats collaged together - but it's just folks walking by each other. It was a good mix of various eras and modes of art. The light was warm, but not overpowering. And the A/C is working. In the middle of the summer, that last point is a must. As one of the Blue Star Museums, it sponsors a service member and up to 5 other folks entrance into the museum to see the exhibits. It's easily a great hideout from the heat and free for military during the summer. Recommend.

Great supporter of the local art culture.. overall pleasant experience..Likely no other place you…read morewill find quite like it..

If you are in Marble Falls or even close by, you should absolutely take some time out of your…read moreschedule and go to Museo Benini. It's a small space packed full of art with the room to appreciate each piece. You're free to wander around and enjoy the variety of paintings and sculptures. It's all well kept and organized. I noticed they had several events planned for the month, and while husband and I went on a regular day I can imagine that the events are full of creatives and vibrant energy. We were allowed to take one of the golf carts and roam the grounds to look at the sculptures outside. The vehicle was a blessing since we went during a Texas August. The area isn't huge and can definitely be traveled by on foot if you're able and the temperature is better.

The Benini museum is spectacular! You do need to schedule a tour as there are not regular hours…read morethat they are open. But the tour is fantastic and a great way to learn about Benini's work and his genius. Everyone is very kind and gracious. It's a great group activity too.

I was so looking forward to this and then was incredibly disappointed. I paid for both shows. The…read moreMonet show was enjoyable and lasted about 45 minutes, but the Van Gogh show only lasted about 20 minutes. There was little motion added to his art like they did with Monet, and the area was stuffy despite big fans being in the building. The website said an hour for the show, so I thought that meant one hour for each. Extremely overpriced for what you get.

Thankful that this experience was a comped ticket experience, but even so, what a waste of $12 on…read more3-hours (minimum) parking in the lot....y'all, by the time you pay to park, you'll want to leave. We were in and out within eight or ten minutes max, and that was because we dragged out each step to make the most of the time and effort it took to get here. Literally felt like walking through an AI drafted experience that scraped info from Wikipedia...they clearly didn't even consider hiring a quality UX designer to ensure that the paragraphs were properly formatted.... Hopeful it wouldn't be a complete of waste, we thought maybe we could get some cool photo opps with the Van Gogh sunflower projection show...they didn't even have the right show playing. Bruh. 0 stars. Trust the look on the ticket check-in clerk's face...yep, turn around.

Wow never expected such a world class museum here So much to…read moresee and the lay out is great Spacious and def classy Glass elevators and the glass walkway between the two towers are impressive Love the exhibits from Egypt to China. The bookstore is fun too! They provide stools to sit and saw some artists sketching the Egyptian statues Too much to see. Will def return Also will try the Italian restaurant on campus along the river Romantic and scenic too

What a great experience visiting this art museum again! The last time I was here was in 2016 on a…read moreschool field trip, but now that I live in the area, I've been taking advantage of the free Tuesday events at local museums. This was our second museum visit of the summer while my sister is staying with me. I feel like they've added so many new exhibits since my last visit, or maybe I just rushed through everything back then. This time, I really took my time reading about the artwork and exhibits, and it made the experience so much more fascinating. Each floor had its own unique collections and displays to explore. My favorite part was the Chinese vases exhibit. I don't remember seeing it before, and it was incredibly interesting. It was something completely new to me and definitely stood out during the visit. It was a little warm inside, but nothing that took away from the overall experience. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, and we had a wonderful time. I definitely plan on bringing my other sisters here in the future. Highly recommend checking it out, especially on the free admission days!

While visiting Austin, we stopped by the Mexic-Arte Museum because it was within walking distance…read moreof another museum we had planned to visit. It is a small, one story museum that focuses on Mexican culture, history, textiles, and wearable art. The current exhibit featured nearly 90 textile and wearable art pieces created by master artisans from 16 Mexican states, along with documentary photographs highlighting Austin's historic Our Lady of Guadalupe community. The museum also includes informative panels in both English and Spanish, making the exhibits easy to understand regardless of which language you speak. The museum itself is fairly dark, creating an intimate atmosphere that complements many of the exhibits. There were several beautiful traditional garments and textiles on display, and I enjoyed learning more about the craftsmanship and cultural significance behind them. My favorite part of the visit was actually the gift shop. It had a wonderful selection of unique souvenirs, artwork, and locally inspired gifts that were much more interesting than the typical tourist items. The only downside was the size of the museum. I was surprised at how quickly we reached the end. Even taking our time to read the exhibits, we were finished in about 30 minutes. While I enjoyed the experience, it felt a bit underwhelming given how small it was. Overall, it is an interesting museum that is worth visiting if you are already exploring downtown Austin or have an interest in Mexican art, history, and textiles. Just be aware that it is a relatively small museum, so plan your visit accordingly.

In route to the Austin Visitor Center (just a few feet away), I noticed Mexic-Arte Museum…read moreespecially the neon depiction of Guadalupe in the window. It was a place on my bucket list, but never really had time to visit. With a bit of time off this week, I decided to take a peek in. The heavy doors open with a strong push, and you feel transported to a completely different space and time. The museum is quiet, solemn and reverent. The museum is located at the intersection of Congress and 5th. I literally have walked by this museum hundreds of times and not gone in...it is easy to miss if you're rushing by. The museum is dedicated to Mexican, Mexican American, and Latin American art. Rosas y Revelaciones, the current exhibit, celebrates one of Mexico's most enduring spiritual and cultural icons. Featuring wearable and textile works by artists from 16 states across Mexico, the exhibition showcases devotion and innovation through garments inspired by La Virgen de Guadalupe (virgin of Guadalupe.) The galleries are small and intimate. Each gallery appears to have a specific purpose. In addition, after your stroll through the museum, you have the opportunity to purchase some items in their gift shop. It was quiet yet immersive experience.

This museum is free to visit. Parking can be a little challenging but doable. Seems they have…read moreplenty of events to attend. When I went they had crafts going on inside the museum and water color painting at the garden. They are very welcoming checking you in and explaining the upstairs galleries. We scrolled the galleries and were able to attend the event across the street at the park A perfect activity for a Saturday morning!

We had a lovely time at Ruby City for Mother's Day. Parking was easily accessible with available…read morestreet parking and a limited free lot down the street. Entrance to the museum was free and although the collection was small, it was colorful, interesting, and full of personality. We browsed the gallery and took pics, note: no flash photography. Directly across the street was the beautiful, well manicured Chris Park. Carefully placed concrete art benches with meaningful engraved messages were scattered throughout the park. There's also a sweet covered picnic area to relax or have a small party. Peaceful and a nice retreat. A small art building resides in the park containing a gallery of a particular artist. We thoroughly enjoyed the colorful exhibit. Forgot to mention there's an outdoor sculpture garden next to Ruby City. Super cool! Must check out. Highly recommend this place for art lovers ! Spent a few hours and had a grand time .

This place was awesome and so much larger than it looks from the outside. Inside, there were…read morevarious galleries and a garden with a pond in the center filled with koi and turtles. Outside, there are some water features and an outside gallery of sculptures. It has various paintings, statues, and other pieces, including some of Picasso's sculptures, Rodin, and even a Degas downstairs. The cheese doodle pieces in the contemporary section were one of my favorite pieces. It's air-conditioned, takes around 2 hours if you're thoughtfully looking, and has a decent amount of parking. Bonus points if you're on a certain day as a Bank of America cardholder for free entry.

Absolutely beautiful museum! Perfect for a day out and not overwhelming one bit. I happened to luck…read moreout and observe this museum on one of their free entrance days- the first Sunday of the month. Best to arrive around opening time to get parking up close. A sculpture garden surrounds the museum so there's plenty of areas to stroll and take photos. This museum resides in a gorgeous 1920s Spanish colonial revival residence built by Marion McNay. The building itself is art with its wood detailing, arches, and intricate tile ceilings and floors. The actual art collection consisted of over 20,000 items, but only some are displayed and occasionally on rotation. The collection embodied European and American art of the nineteenth century, twentieth, and twenty first centuries. Sooo much to see- paintings, special exhibits, vase collection, Angelica Raquel Mystic Threads, sculptures, and a lovely garden/pond/fountain containing koi. The museum has a gift shop, restrooms, and a special collection of art displayed by many artistic school children. My new found artist I discovered here was Carl Rice Embery. A pure Texan, his art was amazing ! Initially I thought the pieces were photographs, but up close they are actual paintings. That's how realistic they are. Simple Texan scenery. We had a great time and would definitely come back!

Such a great and creative space to take pictures. They have beautiful wall settings that make great…read morebackgrounds for all the picture ops you can ever want! You can go alone, with friends or even with your pets! The staff is also very friendly and helpful! Definitely a place to check out!

This is the best pop up museum I've ever been to! Anayansi's team is so friendly, the installations…read moreare top of the line, and there's so many options to pick from. A must stop for photographers, models, Instagram moments, or even formal photos. We've been there multiple times, it's always a blast!

This was a fun interactive time, that went by really quick…read more There is minimal staff here, 2 at the register and 1 person at the bar. I loved the drink while you art concept and definitely got a drink, which was a good amount of tasty and strong. By far we all loved the first lighting art display the best. The kiddos loved running through it, the changing lights and the music. The other exhibits were less interactive. We enjoyed them as adults, however, the kiddos passed through most of them without interest. The selection was good, but we craved more once we got to the end. I was able to make my drink last the entire time we were there. That being said, the adult prices were fair, however I would not charge children under 12. Overall we had a great time escaping the Texas heat. So if you're looking for a nice adult escape I recommend this thoughtful art space.

Very cool art gallery full of fun and interesting exhibits! They were interactive and immersive…read morewhile maintaining a calm atmosphere. I liked the Submergence exhibit since it had many pretty glowing lights that hung from the ceiling. Great for pictures and videos. Some other exhibits were engaging with movements too. It really involves your various senses with multiple sounds, sights, and things you can touch. You can view at your own pace and no one rushes you. It took us around 2-3 hours to go through everything. There's a wide selection of different installations, so I feel like it's worth the $25 value. There is also a bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy. Book your tickets in advance as they have limited spots per time slot so it is not cramped. There's a kiosk near the entrance to check in and then they will help you get started at the front desk. Lots of free parking in front of the building. What a unique and chill place to bring the family. They really are spaces filled with wonder. They do rotate out the exhibits periodically, so there's always more to see. Overall a great experience and I look forward to coming back to see new installations!