March 9, 2022

McNAY ART MUSEUM

6000 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, TX 78209

“The McNay Art Museum, founded in 1954 in San Antonio, is the first modern art museum in the U.S. state of Texas.” -  Wikipedia

This museum was not on the list of things I wanted to see in San Antonio.  A friend on Facebook recommended the McNay, so when I extended my stay a few days I decided to check it out and I am so glad I did. 

The collection was started by Marion Koogler McNay, an American painter and art teacher, who inherited a substantial oil fortune upon the death of her father.  The museum is housed in her 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival-Style mansion and an added exhibition hall.  In almost every room there was a work by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, or Pierre-Auguste Renoir. 

There was a wonderful exhibition titled, “Georgia O’Keeffe and American Modernism”, featuring 13 works by O’Keeffe alongside other artists from the beginning of the twentieth century, including her younger sister Ida.  Another exhibit, “The Great Stage of Texas”, showcased thirteen contemporary designers’ artwork allowing visitors to experience excellence in the theater arts—set, costume, lighting, and projection design.

The McNay will be at the top of my list of places to see when I return to San Antonio.