Absolutely beautiful museum! Perfect for a day out and not overwhelming one bit. I happened to luck out 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! read more

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Beautiful collection, architecture, landscaping and grounds at this museum. Their garden in the courtyard is so peaceful and stunning. We enjoyed visiting on a weekday, it wasn't crowded and nice to walk around to see their permanent collection. They have a small gift shop but I wish they had a cafe! Maybe I missed it but I didn't see one. Worth the visit and would love to come back. They seem to have different events. Parking in their connected lot. read more

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I absolutely love this place I came on the Thursdays when it's free from 4pm to 9pm so worth it I want to go back, it was so much fun and so amazing, the layout is in an u shape and it was my first time Yall have got to come here and experience it and the staff is so amazing and so nice read more

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It was interesting to learn about Marion McNay and experience first hand the original art pieces and sculptures from her personal collection. Marion McNay grew up with an interest in the arts. As a child, her parents took her to a world art fair in Chicago where she would witness art she would one day own. Wow. It's amazing to see how her life unfolded as an art collector. She became a heiress to her parents. Her first major acquisition was a child's portrait by Diego Rivera entitled Delfina Flores circa 1927. This piece of art was mentioned many times and pictured as a centerpiece in her dining room. It gave me chills witnessing how her collection and house would one day be on public display as a major art museum in San Antonio, Texas. Who would ever imagine that one woman buying art and sculptures to curate her collection in a mansion would one day be shared with the public?!? Life is unpredictable and unfolds the way it would. The art pieces and sculptures are tasteful. I feel slightly drawn to her collection. There were sculptures by Rodin, Degas etc and art work by Diego Rivera, Modigliani, Monet, Picasso, etc. Despite her multiple marriages and the rapid death of her first husband, Marion McNay continued with her art collection. She has no children. Her house and art collection are now admired by the public as a major art museum. I look forward to learning more about Marion McNay, the house and the art she left behind to provide the people of San Antonio "a place of beauty with the comforts and warmth of a home." read more

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I am going to be brutally honest here - I was underwhelmed by the McNay. I understand that you cannot compare the McNay to the Uffizi or the Prado but even compared to the Kimbell in Fort Worth it doesn't hold a candle. Since they are not explicitly a modern art museum I expected that they would have a slightly better balance within their collection especially with their google description being "American & European art (from Medieval to contemporary)", but they might as well rebrand to the McNay Modern Art Museum with how modern centric the collection is. Speaking of the collection - it is also much smaller than I expected. You can be in and out of there within an hour. They have free admission on Thursdays from 4-9pm and I highly encourage utilizing that as I would under no circumstance pay $20 for standard admission. I am glad the community of SA has museums like this to encourage engagement with the arts but I would just approach the McNay with managed expectations. read more

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Came here for violin concert last night and it was amazing! Very friendly staff, very professional. The museum adjacent to the event area had a prelude music rehearsal with the quartet while you're immersing yourself with the beautiful ballet exhibit. Clear instructions and I got to see the fountain at night. They had open bar, water was available and decent crowd. You should be able to see their events on the site. And to top it all, I was able to retrieve my purse I forgot the night. A whole different level of respect to the staff promoting music, arts, culture at the least. Must see if you're in San Antonio. read more

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This is one of the most beautiful museums I have ever been to. The grounds are gorgeous, and I love going for both their permanent collection and their visiting exhibitions. read more

McNay blew me away- I wasn't expecting so much! They have multiple Picassos: woman with the Plumed hat, Portrait Sylvette, Femme Couch and even more! Honestly took my breath away, They have a huge Monet. Pollack, Cezanne, Matisse and just a bunch of Rodin sculptures just chilling there- like what?! All unsuspectingly sitting in San Antonio. Marion McNay really did us a solid with such good taste. read more

WARNING: THINKING OF DOING PHOTOS HERE.? We chose McNay for exactly the reasons of its reputation and stunning beauty for the perfect backdrop for photos. We paid $50 to be only on a few areas on the grounds which is fine. Bride & Mom arrived dressed to meet photographer and took our pictures. Once done we walked to front building and before opening the door we were refused to use the bathroom... I simply asked why can't we use the bathroom in general while we do my daughter will just slip off the gown. I'm sorry we don't allow that. Allow what paying customers to use the restroom??? Ridiculous! Absolutely outrageous. Even if it was about the photos I mean We paid more than it costs to visit the museum as a regular customer and we weren't allowed to even see it all. Not only were we told no but they were laughing and shaking their heads (mall cop and desk clerk) before we even entered the door of the building. This treatment and behavior is not only unacceptable, terrible customer relations but also snotty. I feel sorry for sad people as yourself because your life will always be lacking with that mentality, seriously. I would have given it a 1 star but still give this museum 3 stars because it's such an awesome museum; but the rude snobby underserving and unprofessional employees obviously know nothing about building a business relations. How can photographers encourage their clients to come here? They cannot; so your job will go away because unmindful inconsiderate hospitality. I hope the owners of this museum care about this post because if I were them; I would. So I am sharing this terrible experience that ended a beautiful day. read more

McNay Art Museum - Bridal 2025 - Art Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The McNay is my favorite museum in San Antonio. The campus is beautiful and they have an amazing collection mixed with classics and local artists. Local college students are offered free admission with a student ID ! read more

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One of my favorite places to go. The McNay will always hold a special place in my heart for both the collections and the architecture. This museum can be viewed in a quick hour, or a paced half day. Thursdays are free from 4-9pm which I'm surprised more people don't take advantage of. Great docents and staff, who are always there to help and educate. I try to never miss the installations, as they NEVER disappoint. The team curating, does a fantastic job. read more

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One of the ways to keep busy and get a touch of culture, is to visit the Mcnay Museum of Art. General admission is free every Thursday from 4-9 p.m., courtesy of H-E-B, and first Sunday of every month from Noon to 5 p.m., courtesy of the Dickson Allen Foundation, with a cost of $10 for special exhibits. Exploring the beautiful building that houses the art and looking at some famous pieces of art, was one way to kill a couple of hours of our The McNay is a converted home with a gorgeous fountain patio and interesting sculptures spread throughout the front lawn. The art doesn't change in the main area, but they will add small exhibits towards the back area. The day we visited, they had a public-school student art exhibit and miniature dioramas from famous movie sets. They always have a new main exhibit at the left of their entrance, that is not included in the free admission, but is sometimes about $10 per person. We had children with us this visit, so I thought they would be bored, but they loved exploring the place, especially the fountain area and looking at sculptures in the front lawn. Really was impressed art the place and the fact that it was free for the day we visited. read more

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Very beautiful place. Just letting you know before you drive all the way here though, if you're thinking about taking pictures you have to pay 50 dollars. There is security making sure you pay the fee for the museum and the additional 50 dollars to take any pictures. So be prepared if you want to take pictures read more

The McNay Free Family day was a great event! There was live music, food trucks, and a couple activities for the kids like a community mural, origami, scrapbook pages, and screen printed tote bags. The Photo Booth unfortunately closed earlier in the day and there were a few activities that ended before the day was over. I think it was a great opportunity to bring kids to the museum and have them involved in the arts. I'd love to see more programming from the McNay. read more

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Its free for student if you show your student id at the entrance, not the exhibitions but the regular museum area. Its so pretty and has a really nice court yard! read more

McNay Art Museum - Court yard - Art Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Definitely a beautiful place and a must while in SA. I was visiting SA and a friend who lives in SA brought me here and it was worth it! It was a day with free admission and we were able to not only see the art, the architecture and history was pretty impeccable. I'd highly recommend if you visit San Antonio. read more

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We travel to San Antonio from Austin for our urgent art fixes. The McNay is splendid and nearly always satisfies my soul with shows that surprise, refresh and restore me to a good place no matter what life throws at me. That's a lot. One more thing: This museum is combining new virtual art from masters like Jennifer Steinkamp with Impressionists, Mexican muralists, and contemporary sculpture in a genius way. It is brilliant, and a guiding light for art museums everywhere. read more

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The curator should respect Marion McNay's beliefs and taste. All the original acquisitions are impressive. Favs include Van Gogh, Picasso and Mary Cassatt. What's a crying shame are the so called new art, especially the horrible sacrilege pretending to be self-expression. Why pay tribute to sick individuals who need mental support instead. The women who were giving instruction to other women focused on these pieces. The temporary exhibits that were add-ons looked like a sports marketing feature from AdWeek. What a waste. The staff at front desk looked bothered. This is the first time in our TX visit we encountered unprofessional unfriendly people. I asked for a map and they pointed to a pamphlet for first time visitors which had a QR code - I complied and was annoyed they with all that there was still no map. Finally ended up googling the map and found an old pdf they still worked. Whoever did the pamphlets did a silly job. Why highlight pieces without saying where on a map to find them? read more

Very nice place filled with so much that catches your eye. I wanted to come and see the nightmare before Christmas exhibit before they took it down. I was expecting more but nevertheless I enjoyed my visit. Students get in for free while they offer other discounts and offers to military, and seniors. The place it nice and quiet. The general admission price is 10 with an added price for the special exhibits. They had an interactive experience exhibit where you can engage with your creative side. The place doesn't seem overwhelming with only a few levels and turns. Staff was nice and greeted us often. They have a small shopping area when you first walk in. I would recommend and come back to see what other things they display. It is very nice inside and out. We did take a nice walk outside and took a few pictures. read more

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The McNay is beautiful inside and outside. The building is gorgeous and the pieces on display were impressive. My local university id got me free entrance so I will definitely visit more often. I visited in July and some well-known artists on display were Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, and Edgar Degas. You can view online what other artists/pieces the McNay has, but it does not mean they will be on display. For example, they hold Van Gogh and Georgia O'keefe works but they were not on display the day I went. I loved going to the McNay, and their little shop area by the entrance had some cute items. My only complaint is that I wish they offered more prints in their gift shop area of some of the works they hold. read more

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San Antonio's original modern art museum...OG since 1927. It's a fantastic way to pass the time in a serene setting. They rotate out exhibits regularly, and can enjoy familiar works in a different ways. This museum has a wonderful collection of pieces from all genres. Their rotations can be theme based or Look on the calendar for second Thursdays when they host folks to enjoy activities and vendors in their grounds. Recommended during the spring or fall. I really enjoy dropping by to see what the exhibition in the front hall. Usually, there is a visiting theme that allows the McNay to re-share some of their permanent pieces that fit that theme. The kids enjoy walking the grounds, especially the sculpture garden, and the interactivity of the Studio. We have fun there all the time. read more

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I have to say my favorite exhibit is the costume exhibit. It is flowing and plentiful. A lot of the other exhibits were strange. read more

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Now I can add a new museum as one of my top favorites. The McNay Museum in San Antonio offers a unique art experience with inspirational pieces from classical and modern artists. We took our time walking through enjoying art from artists such as Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe and Claude Monet. Marion was a heiress who purchased her 1st work a Diego Rivera piece called Delfina Flores.She went on to hire an architect to design her 24 room Spanish Colonial home that would eventually become the core of the present museum. Marian collected 19th and 20th century European and American art.When she died in 1950 she left more than 700 works of art and in 1954 The McNay opened the 1st modern art museum in Texas. The museum's collection now has more than 22,000 works including Medieval and Renaissance art. Thank you my yelpies for suggesting we try this museum. read more

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Today was a visit just to see the Nightmare Before Christmas exhibit. It was fun to get out and enjoy. Would have loved to see more interactive and/or animated features! read more

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Wow! So interesting to learn about Marion McNay, her passion for art and artists and how her bequest established the first museum of modern art in Texas. Marion McNay inherited wealth from her parents who discovered substantial quantities of oil in their Kansas pasture fields. As an only child, she was able to study art and then invest her fortune to collect paintings from American and European artists. She especially loved Southwestern pieces and even married an artist briefly (she was married and divorced five times!) Unfortunately the greatest and first love of her life, Don McNay, caught the Spanish Flu and died during the pandemic in 1918. He introduced her to San Antonio when he was stationed in Laredo during World War 1. Eventually, she moved to San Antonio where she married a wealthy ophthalmologist, Donald Atkinson. They built their large 24 room Spanish Colonial Revival Mediterranean styled home during the Great Depression as neither of their fortunes were affected. Many of the hand stenciled work and tiles were done by Marion herself. They divorced, but she kept the home and her growing art collection. As she had no children, she left her home, 23 acres of land and 700 works of art to establish the museum which bears her name today. Watch the movie to learn more about Marion, her life, her love and the McNay Museum in a small room at the top of the stairs. Fun to explore the home. Ask the docents in each room for some fun facts. Walk out on the balconies. Check out the kiva fireplace and look at the hand painted ceilings in the entry and dining room. The collection has grown to include pieces by El Greco, Monet, Marc Chagall, Georgia O'Keefe and Paul Gauguin. Love the sculpture hall with works by Rodin, Alexander Calder and Chaim Gross. The Japanese Garden is so tranquil and LOVE by Robert Indiana just makes you smile. Definitely a nice museum, sculpture garden and grounds to explore on a sunny winter afternoon. The museum participates in NARM/ROAM reciprocal admission programs, but they also offer free admission throughout the week on Thursdays, first Sundays, military, Bank of America and more. Parking is always free as are the grounds. read more

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Got an early start to enjoy the Dreamland exhibit. It was full of curiosities and whimsical art! We got free entry with our military ID, which was a plus but even so, the tickets are very budget friendly! The grounds was buzzing on this Saturday morning because of the "Ring of Fire" solar eclipse! We had front row seats out by the waterfall fountain. Onlookers brought out their blankets and just lazed around with their families and dates watching the magic unfold. On the other side of the property there was love in the air as a wedding couple said "I Do". Spent about and 1 1/2 just meandering the museum. If you have time for a leisurely day, I would recommend stopping by! The weather is gorgeous and the Mcnay is a tranquil place to pause and release the weeks worries or woes. Reset, recharge and enjoy the magnificent sculptures and art displayed for our viewing pleasure! read more

McNay Art Museum - Dreamland art exhibit - Art Museums Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I loved coming to this museum, it was so much fun and it was such a beautiful place. They're very military friendly and while there we experienced the coolest exhibit, Tim Burtons Dreamland. I really enjoyed walking around such a beautifully esthetic location the architecture was astounding and all of the staff were so friendly and helpful. This place has such an amazing library and wonderful spots to sit and read. read more

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Gotta love a trip to the McNay! Pro tip: go on Thursday evenings when admission is free! This museum is filled with beautiful treasures and artwork. It's a relatively smaller museum so you can get through it pretty quickly. Keep an eye on their social media and website to keep up with what new things they have going on as far as events and new exhibits! I recently returned for the limited-time-only Dreamland exhibit and was so impressed!! There's several rooms to wander around to admire different works of art. There's also a courtyard worth checking out and in the front of the museum, there's a pretty sculpture park! Go support the arts! read more

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The McNay is a world class art museum and might be a strong contender for a spot in the top 5 of my favorite museums in The United States. Parking isn't too much of a hassle. They have plenty of spots out front, although parking might be harder if you go for a special event. There are many sculptures and fountains throughout the grounds outside, so if the weather is great, I recommend walking around the outside portion. It is not to be missed. They had a special exhibit with art by Deborah Artists that I saw on Facebook and drove all the way from Austin to check it out. The exhibit was everything. I spent an hour looking at all of the art, reading all of the descriptions, watching the films on display, and just taking in the experience. If you missed it, you truly missed out. That was one of the most well curated exhibits I have ever seen. I have been to the McNay previously for one of their evening events where they have food trucks and stuff, but this was my first time attending during the day. One thing museums usually lack is diversity within the art that they display, but the McNay champions diversity at every turn. There was even a painting of 2Pac! The other highlight of my visit was stumbling upon an exhibit with fashion from the Broadway show Wicked! As someone who has seen that show, it was very cool to see all of the details in the outfits up close. I didn't even know they had that exhibit, so it was a welcome surprise. My only cons - the "gift shop" was very small and there was no cafe onsite, but there are good food options nearby in Alamo heights. 10/10 recommend that everyone visit the McNay at least once. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Went on a Thursday, and had no idea they offered a a free community day admission. This was a pleasant surprise. What an incredible deal for such a beautiful museum that contains so much lovely art. The architecture of the home, gardens, and sculptures throughout are amazing. You can spend all day there and still not see everything. The setting is so peaceful and an overall enjoyable place to spend the day. read more

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Fairly new to exploring San Antonio and what a gem the McNay museum is! So grateful to have found this place while searching for must see/do/go places in SATX! A vast part of the museum is what used to be a Spanish style home/mansion. The interior is now various galleries that display hundreds of years worth of a collection of all kinds of artwork and artists. The "Spanish home" has a beautiful and lush garden with a fountain in the center. All around there is plenty of outdoor seating areas where people were sitting and reading. What a magical place! In addition to the regular gallery and art exhibits, my husband and I were happy to hear there is a temporary exhibit by Tim Burton (Nightmare before Xmas) called Dreamland. It has time slots that you can reserve. We were fortunate enough to see it and it made our overall experience here at McNay even more unforgettable! A stunning museum inside and out with the friendliest and most helpful Staff! Last but not least, ALL military have free admission, courtesy of USAA! Yay! Thank you all so much! We cannot wait to return! read more

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Hello my dear Texan fellows, I swing by over the weekend to check the McNay, believe it or not, never been and was very curious to check the "Unlimited Pumpkin" expo. I was honestly blown away, not only by the well kept premises but the amazing art being displayed. I spent well over 1 hour admiring the paints, pics, sculptures. There is McNay employees all over in case you have any questions regarding get lost. Make sure to scan the Q-scan code so you have the interaction map. Honestly I will happily come me back! read more

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Drove all the way from Houston to catch the Kusama exhibition and 1st time at the McNay. I didn't have any clues from the museum and was very impressed with it. It looks small from the outside but it's quite big inside. It has so many exhibition to see and of course my favorite is the Kusama. I love the ideas of the big windows which gave a view to the garden and also the beautiful garden in the back is also lovely. Glad I check it out. Staffs are also very friendly. read more

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This museum is fabulous! Im so happy my friend told me about it! Beautiful space and rich artwork from renowned artists. $20 to enter Also, very interactive! Loved it read more

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Art was beautiful, tour guide was extremely boring and kept getting off topic. Spent long af in every exhibit.

Stunning architecture (Cali style) served with a main course of an exquisite, indoor collection including costume pieces for the infamous Broadway play, Wicked! The only downside: some portions of the museum were closed 7-9 PM during my visit. I'll have to come back for another round... read more

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Beautiful museum! It had a great mix of contemporary and modern galleries, along with some breathtaking spots of Spanish Architecture. The space was clean and serene, and there was an interesting mix of different medias on display. The front desk was friendly and checked my family and I in quickly! I would highly recommend, it was a great place to wander around on a Saturday :) read more

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This museum is my very favorite in San Antonio. It has such rich history. A wonderful story of a woman that made it so we have the museum to begin with. I didn't know this museum was privately owned. On the second floor there is a video you can watch of the wonderful art collector woman that made this museum happen. I don't want to give away too much I want you to go and discover for yourself. This museum that used to be the house of that same lovely woman art collector is so beautiful. It is breathtaking all over the place. You are literally walking through what used to be a mansion. It is so full of wonderful pieces of art you would love it. What caught my eye this visit was the Monet painting but I didn't take a picture of it. I studied Monet in high school so it brought sweet memories. The garden in the middle of the museum is so beautiful and enchanting. It has Spanish style built architecture and a fantastic fountain in the middle. I took so many pictures of the outside and inside but not so much of the art because I want that to be a surprise for you and your family and friends! PS: It is FREE every Thursday 4pm-9pm! read more

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I love coming here when there's new exhibits.i came out because my son was being featured and brought the whole family. It rained when we got to the outside exhibits but it was a pleasant surprise since it was so hot. read more

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I love this museum . We went to the nightmare before Christmas exhibit . It was super cute and the grounds are so beautiful. Nice place to spend the day :) read more

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