A Behind-the-Scenes Look at The McNay
What is the McNay?
San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum, founded in 1954, is the first modern art museum in Texas. The museum focuses primarily on 19th and 20th-century European and American art by renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, and Georgia O'Keeffe.
The collection features over 20,000 objects that can be found in the main art wings and even outside throughout the 25 acres of gardens. The research library contains over 30,000 volumes of texts—which could keep you digging for secrets for decades!
The McNay’s Unique History
The McNay’s history in the art world actually dates back before its founding in 1954. The original 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion was originally designed and owned by avid art collector Marion Koogler McNay.
A collector and artist herself, she included many of her own personal touches throughout the design of the 24-room estate. When you walk through the museum, look down to find handmade decorative tiles and up to take in the elegantly painted ceilings. She designed the patterns herself, and they are their own works of art!
After her death, Marion bequeathed her estate and art collection to the city of San Antonio, wishing it to be turned into a museum. Since then, the collection has expanded to the impressive array of works it is today.
Art Collections at the McNay
McNay's permanent collection includes over 20,000 items on display, including classical European and American works and modern and contemporary pieces. Every gallery holds something different, so keep an eye out—each work of art has its own secrets to discover!
For example, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s Portrait of Hans Frisch contains a hidden fingerprint. Will you be able to find it? Other works, like Claude Monet’s impressionist water lilies, hold their own intrigue. What will you see in the brushstrokes? The mystery is building!
Discover McNay Secrets On Your Own
With new exhibits rotating throughout the McNay, it's always a great time to visit and discover new secrets on your own. Check out these exhibits happening this fall!
de la Torre Brothers: Upward Mobility
March 1, 2024 - September 15, 2024
The "de la Torre Brothers: Upward Mobility" exhibition showcases the vibrant works of brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre, who explore the rich cultural intersections of the United States-México border. This exhibit features their signature maximalist style through diverse mediums, including glass sculptures, lenticular prints, video, and immersive installations, across four dynamic galleries.
de la Torre Brothers: Latin Exoskeleton
September 15, 2023 - September 15, 2024
Brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre have transformed the AT&T Lobby wall by combining trompe l’oeil wallpaper with lenticular images, creating a visually captivating and immersive experience.
Orly Genger: Stomping Ground
October 14, 2023 - October 27, 2024
Austin-based artist Orly Genger brings the McNay Sculpture Garden to life with a vibrant installation made from brightly painted, recycled lobster rope.
Women Artists of the Ballets Russes: Designing the Legacy
October 10, 2024 - January 12, 2025
The McNay offers the unique opportunity to explore Ballet Russes’ groundbreaking work through the experiences of four women: composers Natalia Goncharova, Sonia Delaunay, and Alexandra Exter, and dancer and choreographer Bronislava Nijinska. The exhibition pairs holdings from the McNay’s esteemed Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts with musical scores, compositions, and ephemera on loan from other institutions, offering deeper insight into the works on view and the women who created them.
Whitfield Lovell: Passages
October 23, 2024 - January 19, 2025
The most comprehensive exhibition to date of Whitfield Lovell’s masterful compositions, arrangements, and multi-sensory installations, 'Passages' focuses on aspects of African American history while raising universal questions about identity, memory, and America’s collective heritage.
Spotlight: San Antonio’s K-12 Artists Embrace Ian Dawson
May 18, 2024 - May 18, 2025
Spotlight has been a platform for celebrating the creativity of student artists inspired by works from the McNay collection. This year's program saw over 1,300 students from 37 San Antonio schools respond to Ian Dawson's Henri and Henrietta, producing a diverse array of art across various media.