McNay Art Museum, San Antonio

The McNay Art Museum, located in San Antonio, is celebrated as the state’s first modern art museum. Established in 1954, the museum originated from the vision and generosity of artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay. Her bequest included a significant art collection, her fortune, and her 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival-style mansion, designed in 1927 by Atlee Ayres and Robert M. Ayres. The house sits on 23 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds featuring fountains, broad lawns, and a Japanese-inspired garden with a fishpond.

The museum’s extensive collection encompasses over 20,000 pieces, focusing on 19th- and 20th-century European and American art. Highlights include works by renowned artists such as Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Diego Rivera, Mary Cassatt, and Edward Hopper. The museum also houses the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts, one of the premier collections of its kind in the United States, and a research library with more than 30,000 volumes.

In 2008, McNay expanded its facilities with the addition of the Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions. Designed by architect Jean-Paul Viguier, this 45,000-square-foot structure complements the original mansion while offering state-of-the-art spaces for special exhibitions, sculpture works on paper, and lectures. Visitors are drawn not only to the museum’s exceptional art but also to its grounds, which feature outdoor sculptures by artists such as Robert Indiana and Kiki Smith.

Today, the McNay Art Museum welcomes over 194,000 visitors annually, engaging a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of modern and contemporary art. Its unique blend of historical architecture and innovative design ensures a memorable cultural experience for all who visit.