McNay Art Museum

Deck right in the heart of Texas, along the historical structures and evidence of great battles long fought for independence in San Antonio lies the McNay Art Museum. Founded in 1954 and boasts as the first modern art museum within the state of Texas, carries some of the most famous works of art including Renaissance and Medieval pieces that also include famous 20th century American and European works of art. McNay Art Museum is named after American painter and art teacher Marion Koogler-McNay whom inherited and transformed her Spanish-Colonial mansion that is surrounded by 23 acres into the famous art museum that showcases famous works from Pablo Picasso, Georgia O'Keeffe, Mary Cassatt, Diego Rivera, and others that consists of a rare and valuable collection of over 14,000 pieces. McNay Art Museum's primary missions are to continue McNay's request for her home to remain as an art museum that would be utilized as a tool for advancement of the historical and modern art. Specifically, "To collect, preserve, and exhibit works of art, and to educate the public toward a greater understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts." McNay Art Museum is not only a unique venue for some of the world's most famous modern pieces, but it falls alongside the most famous museum homes such as, Washington's Phillips Collection, Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and New York's Frick Collection.

When began the museum featured the 700 pieces that McNay originally left, as time passed on more pieces were added, and more wings to the home were built to showcase the new galleries. McNay The structure of the museum has restructured to contain higher ceilings, better lighting, and better landscapes where grounds are surrounded by Japanese inspired gardens, fountains, and fish ponds. The entrances and rooms throughout the museum model some of the great European museums where grand structures and pieces of art are showcased. Not only is the McNay Art Museum home to art from around the world but serves a host for local San Antonio and Texas artists. These pieces are not just canvas, but also famous sketches and drawings, glass art, theater art collections, and photographs. Gathering valuable pieces of art that are only shown in museum houses in Europe, McNay offers the public a worldview from a Texas home that is ever-growing to fulfill Lady McNay's purpose of enriching and educating others.