Museum Hopping Through Texas

Wherever you travel in Texas, there is bound to be a museum. From the small-town history museum to the big city art museum, you’re never far away from an interesting exhibit or a fascinating historical tableau.  

To narrow down the best museums in Texas would be a downright impossible task, but for our readers, the Madeworthy editorial staff has done the next best thing: we’ve assembled some of the most interesting exhibitions coming to museums in Texas’ biggest cities this year. As you plan your vacations to Austin, San Antonio, Houston, or Dallas, remember these! (Please note: at the time of writing, not all museums had opened or information about upcoming exhibitions) 

Austin 

Bullock Museum  Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, 6/19/21 to 11/28/21 

After the Civil War ended, America entered into Reconstruction. All persons born in the United States were considered citizens. But there was a harsh backlash after Reconstruction, consisting of “separate but equal” laws. In light of the events of the last year, this exhibit is more important than ever.  

Neill-Cochran House Museum 

Prominent Upon a Hill: The Unlikely Birth and Growth of Austin, 12/20 through 5/21 

If you had suggested, in 1836, that a group of four families’ farms and an animal stockade would become the capital of a state and one of the most populous cities in the United States, the laughter would have been deafening. Prominent Upon a Hill charts the growth of Austin from a small settlement through history to the booming metropolis it is today.  

The Blanton Museum of Art 

Sedrick Huckaby, 5/29/21 to 12/5/21  

Fort Worth-based artist (and the subject of a Madeworthy cover story) Sedrick Huckaby’s “greatest achievement is giving voice to the overlooked, overworked, and oppressed through art with a powerful presence and an unshakable belief of every person’s unconditional worth.” (Madeworthy, Issue 18, March/April 2020) 

 Austin Travel Tips – provided by Angie Herdman of Intentional Itineraries and the ladies of Sanders Travel Center

• Splurge Hotel – Commodore Perry
• Hip Hotel – Saint Cecilia
• Value Hotel – East Austin Hotel
• Fun Shopping Area – Grove Hill
• Restaurants Not to Miss – The Red Ash, Justine’s, Jeffrey’s, Franklin Barbecue

San Antonio 

Briscoe Western Art Museum 

Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western, 5/29/21 to 9/6/21 

In the early 20^th century, the Western was the most popular movie genre in America. But the popularity of “oaters” declined, and critics claimed the Western was dead. Boy, were they wrong! 

The McNay Art Museum 

Limitless! Five Women Reshape Contemporary Art, 3/4/21 to 9/19/21 

In this collection of mixed media installations by Martine Guiterrez, Yayoi Kusama, Sandy Skoglund, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Fort Worth’s own Letitia Huckaby (wife of Sedrick Huckaby, mentioned above), you are invited to think outside the box. The possibilities are, to coin a phrase, limitless.  

The San Antonio Museum of Art 

America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution, 6/11/21 to 9/5/21 

Impressionism is one of the most popular and most enduring art movements in this history of art. American artists, many trained in France, were influenced by French impressionists, but they put a distinctly American twist to the movement.  

 San Antonio Travel Tips – provided by Kaleigh Kirkpatrick of The Shameless Tourist, a Virtuoso Member Agency

• Splurge Hotel – Hotel Emma
• Resort Hotel – La Cantera
• Value Hotel – Hotel Contessa
• Fun Shopping Area – “You have to make a trip to the Pearl for Dos Carolinas. They make custom guayaberas. There’s also Feliz Modern – make sure to eat at Cured after. Also, I like Market Square, right next to Mi Tierra! Alamo Heights areas has fun boutiques, and you can eat at the nearby Cappy’s or at Le Etoile (French).”
• Restaurants Not to Miss – The Guenther House, Cured, and Mi Tierra Cafe

Dallas 

Nasher Sculpture Center 

Lynda Benglis, 5/21/21 to 9/18/21 

Over the course of five decades, Lynn Benglis has explored a range of sculpting mediums from bronzes to decorative glitter. This exhibit will focus on three bodies of Benglis’ work. 

Dallas Museum of Art 

Van Gogh and the Olive Groves, 10/17/21 to 2/6/22 

Vincent Van Gogh painted a series of at least 15 paintings of olives groves in and around Saint-Rémy-de-Provence during his stay in the local asylum during 1889. This is the first exhibition dedicated to these painting, highlighting new discoveries about Van Gogh’s techniques, materials, and palettes.  

The Crow Museum of Asian Art 

Divine Spark: Kana Harada, 1/30/21 to 9/5/21 

Part of a multi-year series dedicated to spotlighting the work of emerging and established Texas-based Asian women artists, this exhibition features works by Harada created during the global coronavirus pandemic.  

 Dallas Travel Tips – provided by Sydney Patterson Travel, independent consultant for In the Know Experience

• Splurge Hotel – “A high-end and trendy option with the best rooftop pool in town, the Joule is your best bet. Another hotel option: if you are looking for a more classic and intimate vibe with a European flair, the Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek is a historic Dallas Staple.”
• Value Hotel – Virgin Hotels or Thompson Dallas
• Fun Shopping Area – “I am a sucker for Tootsie’s in Preston Center!”
• Restaurants Not to Miss – “Beverly’s Dallas! Their weekend brunch and dinner are both outstanding!”

Houston 

The Menil Collection 

Draw Like a Machine: Pop Art, 1952-1975, 10/29/21 to 3/13/22 

This exhibition explores innovations in draftsmanship that was associated with American Pop Art, one of the most significant art movements of the 20^th century.  

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 

Impressionism to Modernism: Monet to Matisse from the Bemberg Collection, 6/27/21 to 9/19/21 

Georges Bemberg was an Argentinian-born, French writer, pianist, and art enthusiast whose collection spans from the 14^th century through the early part of the 20^th century. This exhibition features works by some of the most famous artists of the French school.  

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston 

Turn on, Tune In, Tap Out, 5/13/21 to 8/9/21 

A group exhibition of over 30 Houston-area teen artists, Turn on, Tune In, Tap Out focuses on our relationship between our bodies and “The Screen,” in a variety of artistic mediums.  

Houston Travel Tips – provided by Kaleigh Kirkpatrick

• Splurge Hotel – Post Oak (and their spa!)
• Value Hotel – Marriot Marquis with their Texas-shaped pool
• Fun Shopping Area – “Anywhere on 19^th Street in the Heights is great for souvenirs and boutiques. My personal fav would be Jubilee. And of course, the Galleria is world-famous, and while not quite a secret, if you’ve never been, it’s a must!”
• Restaurants Not to Miss – “Go to the Taste of Texas. I also love El Tiempo for Mexican food and margaritas. The Rustic is my go-to for a family-style brunch and live music. Caracol is another great Mexican option.”