Museums Archives - Page 3 of 3 - The Austinot

Elisabet Ney Museum: Meet a Woman Ahead of Her Time

July 11, 2014 by J. Alan Nelson 3 Comments

Elizabet Ney Museum

The Elisabet Ney Museum in Hyde Park

You don’t know it, but you know Elisabet Ney.

Her sculptures are part of your mental landscape. She’s credited by many for making Austin the Austin it is today – a center of culture. For anyone interested in the arts or Texas history, visiting the quiet little museum in the midst of a wildlife habitat at 304 E 44th Street in Hyde Park is a must.

Elizabet Ney Self Portrait

Elisabet Ney self portrait

In the Austin of the 1880s, German sculptor Elisabet Ney insisted she be treated as an individual. The daughter of a stonemason, she won over misogynists and pushed herself to the highest power circles in Europe and United States. She always had short hair, which was extremely unusual for the times. She wore comfortable clothes, refusing corsets. She never took her husband’s name. [Read more…]

Art.Science.Gallery. Is Intriguingly Innovative

January 28, 2014 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Art.Science.Gallery.

Art.Science.Gallery in East Austin (Photo credit: Art.Science.Gallery.)

This guest blog article is by Madison Torres.

Art AND science? Though they’re typically viewed as unrelated subjects, Hayley Gillespie, founder of Art.Science.Gallery., understands the two disciplines actually merge together in a unique way.

Hayley first opened Art.Science.Gallery. as a mobile gallery in 2012. After more than a year and much anticipation, the gallery launched its first exhibition at its permanent location in the center of East Austin. It’s one of the nation’s first art galleries to feature exclusively science-related artwork. The gallery strives to make science more accessible through visual arts. As a result, the venue is building a community of artists and scientists who want to share their knowledge and experience with the public. [Read more…]

Join in the Big Sing at Blanton Museum of Art

October 14, 2013 by Cris Mueller Leave a Comment

The Blanton Museum of Art

The Blanton Museum of Art (Photo credit: BlantonMuseum.org)

Have you ever been caught singing in public, in your car, in the grocery store, at work? Now’s your chance to belt out melodies in participation with the Austin community, at Big Sing – where the audience is the choir!

Grammy-nominated Conspirare will be hosting this season’s first Big Sing event on Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 6:30 PM. The free event will take place at The Blanton Museum of Art, located at 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Big Sing & Carillon 09 034 - Copy sm man & music fr back

Photo credit: E. Stuart Phillips

Emphasizing the current installment of artwork on display at The Blanton, this edition of the beloved and free Big Sing event invites Austin locals to participate in the singing of songs from the German Renaissance era, featuring Hans Leo Hassler, Johann Walter, and Martin Luther.

There will also be popular music featured from other times and places. In the past, Big Sings have included familiar rounds, spirituals, Beatles songs, the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, and popular 20th century standards from the Great American Songbook. [Read more…]

Coming Soon: Thinkery, the New Austin Children’s Museum

September 27, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome 3 Comments

Light Lab Austin Children's Museum

Playing with colors in the new Light Lab at Austin Children’s Museum

Perhaps you have noticed that the Austin Children’s Museum is currently closed? Don’t fret, construction on the Thinkery (the official name for the ACM) is only temporary, and the museum is currently scheduled to reopen in December. Future museum guests will be heading to a new location, a brand new facility in the rapidly expanding Mueller Development.

In Austin’s continuously changing landscape, relocations are inevitable, and the best moves involve careful planning and long desired improvements. One of the most obvious limitations of the downtown location was the limited space for both existing and future exhibits. The new museum in Mueller is almost quadruple [Read more…]

Museum of the Weird on 6th St. Draws National Attention with Oddities

September 18, 2013 by David Thomas 1 Comment

Steve Busti Owner of Museum of the Weird

Hanging out with Steve Busti, enthusiastic owner of Museum of the Weird

Austin is weird, right? It’s how we’ve branded the city.

We’ve all seen the tie-dye shirts, but how weird is Austin really? Is it mermaid mummy weird? Is it shrunken head weird? The Museum of the Weird on 6th St. is that weird.

The Iceman Cometh

When Steve Busti was just a young lad, he went with his aunt to a K-Mart. In the parking lot was a man with a truck, taking money from a line of people as they peeked into the back of it.

Steve’s aunt paid the man and lifted Steve up so he could see into the back of the truck. He came face to face with the world famous Minnesota Iceman – an ape-man frozen in ice, of controversial origin, which has attracted the attention of the FBI, Smithsonian Museum, U.S. Customs and Vice President Walter Mondale. The world famous moniker is not hype. The Iceman has attracted the attention of international paleontologists and scientists. [Read more…]

Laguna Gloria: Historic Outdoor Paradise in the Middle of Austin

January 8, 2013 by Brittany Highland 5 Comments

Laguna Gloria Austin

Laguna Gloria on Lake Austin

There’s a quiet retreat waiting for you. And if you live in Austin, it’ll only take you a few minutes to get there.

Feel free to take your dog, child, significant other, or best friend. But you may find that Laguna Gloria becomes your favorite place in Austin to explore all by yourself. [Read more…]

Texas Military Forces Museum Is the Best Kept Secret In Austin

September 20, 2012 by Eric Highland 8 Comments

The Texas Military Forces Museum Great Hall in Austin Texas

Great hall at Texas Military Forces Museum

The military knows something about keeping secrets. The Texas Military Forces Museum, however, shouldn’t be one of them.

Imagine a world class museum in the heart of Austin that is not only accessible to the general public, but free.

That’s right. Free. [Read more…]

Pushing Boundaries at AMOA-Arthouse’s Austin Art Exhibit

April 18, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 4 Comments

Austin art is the heart and soul of this city. Dallas has its shopping malls and sky scrapers. Fort Worth has railroads and industry. Lubbock has…sand.

Our art is what makes this city so characteristically weird and eclectic. From live music to oil painting – it doesn’t matter. There is nothing more Austin-esque than creating, appreciating and supporting local Austin art.

Luckily for us Austinites, the AMOA-Arthouse at the Jones Center is currently hosting its annual Five x Seven art exhibit and fundraiser. You can support one of most eclectic museums in town by purchasing inexpensive and handmade local art. Which is much better than sand.

The Five x Seven exhibit is based on a challenge. Years ago this Austin art museum challenged artists to submit works of art that were no bigger than five by [Read more…]

The Blanton – A Great Austin Museum For UTexas Students

April 3, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 4 Comments

Visiting an Austin museum can be a rare experience for UTexas students who would rather spend their downtime on 6th Street. The Blanton Museum of Art, however, is something every Longhorn should take the time to see. I spent an afternoon walking around the museum to pin down exactly why I love it so much. If you haven’t been, I definitely encourage you to spend some time enjoying its many exhibits.

The museum is ever-changing and alive because Blanton’s collection grows and changes all the time. No two visits to the Blanton Museum are the same. I remember visiting their Turner to Monet exhibition once and, despite my deep respect for the 19th century masters, intended to skip the exhibit during my next visit. But alas, the museum had moved on to a new exhibit by the time I returned! The museum has exhibited everything from famous portraits to Central American folk art. [Read more…]

Top 5 Reasons to Visit the Texas State History Museum

March 5, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 1 Comment

The Lone Star State is filled with things to be proud of. One of the factors that contributes significantly to Texas pride is the deep and rich history of the state. If you’re trying to convince your friends that Texas really is the best place in the world, the Bullock Texas State History Museum is for you.

Here are my top five reasons why the Bullock Texas State History Museum is worth experiencing:

1) It is beautiful. Right away, I noticed the giant lone star in its courtyard. The Lone Star symbol came about during the Texas Revolution in the mid-1830s, when Texas won its independence from Mexico. Today, it remains a manifestation of independence and the Texan fighting spirit.

Powerful without being ostentatious, the museum’s star says a lot about the Texas state of mind. I could not help but gawk at its elegance and size.

Behind the star is the larger-than-life museum. Massive stone pillars run from floor to ceiling, interspaced by crystal clear windows. I half-expected to [Read more…]