The McNay Art Museum in San Antonio is one of my favorite museums because the building is just as impressive as the art inside it. This 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival house is a piece of art in itself. If you enjoy the beautiful tiles, arches, and details of Spanish architecture, the McNay is definitely on your list of things to do in San Antonio, Texas.
Today, the McNay Museum combines this San Antonio historic home with modern exhibition spaces featuring an impressive art and sculpture collection. At the McNay Art Museum San Antonio you will find some favorite famous artists, my favorite sculpture courtyard, and 25 acres of grounds to explore. Don’t just come to San Antonio for the Alamo, the Mission Trail, or the RiverWalk. Keep reading, and let’s plan your visit to one of the best San Antonio art museum.
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McNay Art Museums FAQs and Quick Jumps
A Brief History of the McNay
Housed in the former home of Marion Koogler McNay, a San Antonio artist and collector, Ms. McNay commissioned San Antonio architects to design the 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival residence and was closely involved in the design. Today, their attention to detail is still obvious with the decorative tile, textured stucco walls, painted ceiling stencils, arched doorways, historic light fixtures, and iron window grilles. Each room feels like I’ve returned to my favorite Spain and looks into the garden.
McNay still feels like a home. A gorgeous home whose rooms are filled with art. This isn’t a sterile, huge museum space. When she died in 1950, she left her home, art collection, grounds, and an endowment to establish a museum. The McNay opened to the public in 1954 as Texas’s first modern art museum.
McNay Museum Exhibits
The McNay collection includes European and American art from the 19th through 21st centuries, along with photography, prints and drawings, theatre arts, and Medieval and Renaissance works.
Our new favorite artist we discovered (pictured below) was Carl Rice Embry‘s super-detailed paintings. This Texas artist was the perfect addition.
Main Collection Galleries
The original McNay mansion contains the Main Collection Galleries, where selections from the museum’s permanent collection are displayed. Galleries move forward through time from Medieval and Renaissance art through 19th-century European art, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, early modernism, American modernism, and post-1945 art.
I do love the room with my Impressionist favorites like Van Gogh and Cezanne , but man… That modern “art” just doesn’t do it for me. At least I keep trying.
You know it’s a good art museum when even the walls and windows are part of the art. Don’t rush through just to see every piece. Take time to notice the rooms, architecture, furnishings, ceilings, tile, and views outside.
Tobin Collection of Theater Arts
The McNay also has the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts, an enormous collection of more than 12,000 objects covering more than 500 years of theatre design. It includes set designs, costume designs, maquettes (small-scale stage models), drawings, props and other theatre-related objects. Due to large size of their collection, the McNay rotates what visitors see.
At the time of our visit, my theater nerd kid enjoyed looking at the maquettes and drawings from well-known theater productions. Past exhibitions have included actual costumes and full-scale set pieces. One exhibition even put a huge tree from a Faust stage set inside the gallery.
During the time of our visit, this collection was on display in the McNay Research Library. Although these theater books aren’t available for lending, you may make a reservation to peruse the two-story collection of 30,000 volumes. For those of us who just enjoy libraries and books, it’s just a pretty collection in a beautiful library setting.
Brown Foundation Sculpture Terrace
Right next door to the Steiren Center, this fully enclosed side gallery houses modern and contemporary sculpture. This is the place to find some Rodan scupltures. As it is inside the building, it doesn’t have extended hours even though it is called a “terrace”.
Temporary Exhibitions at the Stieren Center
The McNay also has a large modern exhibition space, the Jane & Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions. The center opened in 2008 for temporary exhibitions and contemporary sculptures on a rotating schedule. Check what’s on view before your visit. These may require an extra ticket cost to visit.
Of note: If you’ve been around, you know that I – despite my best efforts – do not like most modern art. Both times I’ve been to this museum, the temporary exhibits were… not my favorite. But check out the schedule and at least try to appreciate the effort involved.
The McNay Grounds
The McNay sits on 25 acres of landscaped grounds which include gardens, paths, outdoor sculptures, and places to stop and enjoy the setting. If you’re traveling with children, let them outside to follow a path and find a hidden sculpture around the bend.
Instead of spending the entire visit moving from one gallery to another, you can explore the house and galleries and then get outside. Or follow a door outside and come back in when they have calmed down. There isn’t a single marked trail for a brisk outdoor walk; it’s more of a wandering path among the sculptures.
If you don’t have enough time for several hours to visit the museum, you might just consider exploring the art on the museum grounds for free!
The Courtyard / Blackburn Patio
The courtyard with the fountain and beautiful colored tiles is my favorite part of the house. Don’t overlook taking a picture on the tiled stairs! There are also some cool shady areas if you want to be outside but avoid the Texas heat.
The tilework and Spanish Colonial Revival details are even better outside, making the courtyard feel like an true extra room of the house. How many art museums have this – benches next to a Renoir sculpture in the fountain in a beautiful courtyard setting?
McNay Art Museum Hours
The current McNay museum hours are Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday. If you are looking for an evening event during your San Antonio trip, add the McNay on Thursday as it stays open late until 9 PM. Usually it closes at 5 or 6 PM.
The sculpture grounds are open every day longer than the inside, so save these for the end of your trip for when the museum closes. During Standard Time they are open from 7 AM to 6 PM, while during Daylight Saving Time they are open from 7 AM to 7 PM.
McNay San Antonio Museum FAQs
How Long Do You Need at the McNay?
Plan on about 2 to 3 hours for a comfortable visit. You can see the highlights more in a couple of hour. However, allow extra time to enjoy the architecture, explore the sculpture grounds, or see the a temporary exhibition.
The McNay isn’t a museum where you need to rush through dozens of enormous galleries. Part of the pleasure is simply wandering through the old house and noticing the details.
How Much Does the McNay Cost?
General admission tickets for the McNay are currently $23 for adults when special exhibitions are included. Children 12 and under are free with reduced admission for teens, students, and seniors. Because admission can change depending on the exhibitions on view, check the museum’s website before your visit.
Is the McNay on a Reciprocal Membership List?
The McNay is on several museum membership lists including my favorite – North American Reciprocal Museum Association. Usually, with about two visits to a museum, I will have paid for a membership for the year, and this is true with the McNay. However, you have to get one of their more expensive membership levels to get reciprocity and have to get the most expensive to get NARM.
This mean, if you know you’re heading out on a road trip, plan ahead with a museum reciprocity pass. However, if you’re getting a museum membership just to get reciprocity for lots of museums on your family vacations, I wouldn’t get my pass at this museum. It sounds mean – but it’s about 4x as expensive here for some reason.
READ NEXT: All the details on my museum post about how this saves my family big money!
Are There McNay Art Museum Free Days?
The McNay Museum has lots of ways to get free admission and other free days on the calendar!
- Thursday evenings from 4 to 9 PM thanks to HEB
- First Sunday of each month from noon to 5 PM .
- Free first full weekend for Bank of America cardholders
- Always free for active and retired military members through USAA
- Always free for SNAP and WIC recipients through Museums for All
- Always free for students and faculty of local colleges
Special exhibitions may still have an additional charge. Additionally, the sculpture garden outside scattered around the grounds is always free and a perfect free thing to do in San Antonio.
Is the McNay Art Museum Wheelchair Accessible?
The McNay provides an accessible entrance and elevators, and most of the galleries are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs are also available from the museum. Some areas require additional assistance, so visitors who need specific accommodations can contact the museum before visiting.
If you are visiting with a wheelchair, I’d allow a little extra time rather than trying to rush through the historic house and grounds.
Where is the McNay Art Museum?
The McNay is in the Alamo Heights area, northeast of downtown San Antonio. It isn’t within walking distance of the main downtown attractions, so you’ll want to drive or use a rideshare. Pay attention to rush hour as that may add some extra time!
As a general planning guide, the McNay is roughly 10 to 15 minutes from the Alamo, RiverWalk, and downtown San Antonio areas. This is a longer 20 to 30 minutes if you are finishing your San Antonio Mission day with a museum trip.
Is the McNay Good for Kids?
The McNay is great for kids, especially if your children aren’t already museum lovers. This museum is a good size, and the historic house gives kids something different to look at besides paintings on another boring wall. The outdoor grounds and sculpture also provide an opportunity to get outside and move around.
For families who homeschool or enjoy using travel as an educational experience, the McNay can also be a good place to talk about modern art, architecture, Spanish Colonial Revival design, collecting, and the history of San Antonio.
READ NEXT: If taking your kids to a museum makes you nervous, read my museum-expert-mom post about how to rock a museum with kids.
Does the McNay offer student field trips?
The McNay field trips are free! Check out the info on this McNay website and plan ahead. This homeschool mom would love to be able to take advantage of these programs if we lived here. It does say that for larger groups you need to let them know if your group wants to take a picnic for the grounds; don’t forget to ask!
Do You Need a McNay Tour?
No. You can visit independently, and the museum has a free digital guide available through Bloomberg Connects.
The museum also offers guided tours, including an Art and Architecture tour that specifically focuses on the Spanish Colonial Revival residence and the Stieren Center. That would be the tour I’d consider if architecture is your primary interest.
What famous artists are at the McNay?
The collection includes works associated with artists such as van Gogh, Picasso, O’Keeffe, Rivera, Gauguin, Hopper, Pollock, Renoir, Chagall, and Cézanne. Because the museum rotates pieces from its collection, the specific works you see can vary.
Can you take pictures at the McNay?
There are a lot of McNay photography policies including the outdoor grounds. Check the museum’s online policies for current photography rules.
Nearby San Antonio Attractions
Make sure the four historic San Antonio Missions are on your San Antonio trip itinerary. Let me help you with my detailed post. San Antonio Missions: How to Visit this Texas History Site
If you’re on your Texas road trip or live in Texas, make sure you check out my Houston, Dallas, and Wichita Falls articles. And say hi to my home state for me!
My McNay Review
The McNay Art Museum is definitely worth adding to any San Antonio itinerary, especially if you’re interested in architecture. The art collection gives you plenty to see, but the thing that makes the museum memorable is the opportunity to walk through Marion McNay’s beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival home.
Add the courtyard, gardens, and outdoor sculpture, and the McNay becomes much more than another art museum. Plan for a couple of hours and take the time to appreciate the house itself instead of rushing through it just to see the famous paintings.
My Favorite Travel Resources
- Booking.com – This is my go-to website for hotels, apartments, and even vacation home rentals to easily find places for my group of 6.
- Trip Advisor – This travel planning and booking website has been my go-to for decades. I especially use it to find nearby restaurants and activities.
- Viator – My go-to to find for city tours and experiences.
- Omio app and website – European train travel is easy for booking and keeping all tickets organized
- Radical Storage – Busy travel days sometimes means needing to leave your suitcase somewhere trustworthy. This worldwide option makes it easy.
- Welcome Pickups – I just found this company, but I plan to use them next time we need an airport or port transfer!
Thanks for stopping by my little corner! Here’s to your next adventure.
I’m Bobbie. After years of planning detailed family trips, I’m diving into travel advising. I’d love to take away the stress and plan a trip for you. Let’s get started today – click here to start.
You can count on me to share honest reviews and answer the questions you need to plan your own trip. My family of six is on a mission to discover all of Georgia’s amazing places, experience amazing road trips across the United States, and create a homeschool life along the way. We even world travel when we can!
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