Art enthusiasts, gather around for a history lesson on one of San Antonio’s most prestigious art institutions — The McNay Art Museum.

The Alamo City is home to several art museums that serve the local community as hubs for local and international art + splendid architecture.

Where it all started

The McNay Art Museum was founded in 1954 — making it the first modern art museum in Texas. Here are a few facts about the space:

The museum originated from Marion Koogler McNay’s bequest, who acquired 700+ works throughout her life.
The iconic Spanish Colonial Revival house — which embodies the McNay — was built by San Newtonian architects Atlee and Robert Ayres.
Marion would check with ME on how we should reference her - I know normally we'd use last name after first reference, but this might be different since her last name is the name of the museum and it could get confusing?was heavily involved in the design process of the house, even creating some tilework patterns and ceiling stencils that adorn the estate.

The museum has expanded its footprint since 1954 to fit more acquisitions. | Photo by SATXtoday team

Throughout her life, Marion same note as above, not sure which name we should useutilized her power and influence to support Southwestern artists. In 1942, she offered her home to the San Antonio Art Institute to prevent its closure.

After Marion’ssame note as above! death in 1950, her house and art collection became what we know today as The McNay.

Today's museum

The museum serves as both an educational place to learn about art history and an idyllic escape from the real world. Today's institution holds 22,000+ works of art, including:

Medieval and Renaissance art
The Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts
Jeanne and Irving Mathews Collection of Art Glass

Fun fact: You can view 16,169 of them online.

Plan a visit

Plan a trip to stroll through the museum's gallery and check out its current exhibits. | Photo by The McNay Art Museum

If you ever want to get lost among the captivating pieces of art, here are a few things to keep in mind before you go:

Admissions is $20 for adults. There are various discounts for teens, seniors, college students, military, and infants. is there a separate kids (non-infant) price we should mention?
Parking is free.
Be sure to explore the garden grounds where you can find trails, fountains, sculptures + a koi pond.

Want more local museums? Check out our guide.