The McNay Art Museum is in a Spanish Colonial Revival mansion at 6000 N New Braunfels Ave in San Antonio. Opened in 1954, it was Texas’s first modern art museum. Inside, you can see American and European works, including pieces by Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe, alongside sculpture, prints and other art. The original house and its later gallery additions make the building part of the visit. Outside, landscaped grounds, fountains, outdoor sculptures and a Japanese-inspired garden give you space to pause between galleries.
A mansion turned art museum
The McNay began as the home of artist and collector Marion Koogler McNay. The Spanish Colonial Revival residence was built in the 1920s, and McNay left the house and her art collection to the city. The museum opened in 1954, becoming the first modern art museum in Texas.
The original 24-room mansion remains at the heart of the museum. Gallery additions bring a different architectural style alongside the older rooms, so the visit moves between a historic home and purpose-built exhibition spaces. The Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions, added in 2008, expanded the museum’s gallery space.
The collection has grown well beyond McNay’s original holdings. It now spans art from the medieval period to contemporary work, with American and European paintings, sculpture, prints and drawings, as well as art glass and theater-related works. The range means that the galleries do not focus on one period or medium alone.
What to look for in the galleries
The collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe. You can also encounter work by Diego Rivera, Jackson Pollock and Marc Chagall. The museum’s American and European holdings include 19th- and 20th-century art, while other galleries and displays extend the story to earlier periods and contemporary pieces.
Exhibitions change, so the works on view can differ from one visit to another. Past exhibitions have included a broad look at American Modernism through works from the museum’s collection and loans. The museum also holds film screenings, lectures and workshops, including programs for children. Check the museum’s website for current exhibitions and events before you go.
The building is part of the experience, too. Notice how the galleries fit into the former residence, then take time for the later exhibition spaces. The different rooms and additions give the collection varied settings without making the visit solely about the paintings.
Gardens and outdoor art
The museum grounds are a destination in their own right. Landscaped lawns, fountains and outdoor sculptures surround the mansion, and a Japanese-inspired garden includes a fishpond. The outdoor spaces offer a quieter change of pace after the galleries and a chance to see art beyond the indoor collection.
The property has been expanded and updated over time, but the grounds remain closely tied to the museum’s original home. Walk around the exterior to take in the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and the outdoor works, then return to the galleries if you have more time. The museum also has a theater, a research library, a cafe and a gift shop; check ahead if you have a particular event or service in mind.
Preguntas frecuentes
When is admission free at the McNay Art Museum?
Admission is free on Thursdays from 4 to 9 pm and on the first Sunday of the month. Special events may take place on some Thursday evenings.
What can you see at the McNay Art Museum?
The collection includes American and European art, from medieval works to contemporary pieces, as well as sculpture, prints, art glass and theater-related works. Artists represented include Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Is there anything to see outside the museum?
Yes. The grounds have landscaped lawns, fountains, outdoor sculptures and a Japanese-inspired garden with a fishpond.
Is the McNay Art Museum wheelchair accessible?
The museum has wheelchair-accessible entrances, elevators, restrooms and parking.
