Category: Museum News

The DoSeum’s new summer exhibit ‘Voyage to the Deep’ opens this week

‘Voyage to the Deep’ opens Saturday May 8, 2021. Photo: The DoSeum, used with permission.

The DoSeum is thrilled to celebrate the upcoming summer season with a new interactive adventure brought to San Antonio from the Australian National Maritime Museum. ‘Voyage To The Deep’ will submerge families in a maritime journey full of fun and engaging activities. On Saturday, May 8, families are invited to join in on the fun and celebrate both the opening of the new exhibit as well as participate in The DoSeum’s Big Day of Play –  a wonderful program featuring  art, reading, and science activities. Children are encouraged to come in ocean inspired costumes. (The DoSeum, 2021)

The exhibition will be on view May 8 through September 25, 2021. Tickets and more information about the exhibit are available online. The DoSeum’s Big Day of Play activities are included with general admission and programs will run from 10a.m. to 4:30p.m. 

The exhibit is based on French author Jules Verne’s 1870 classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and brings to life the deep-sea adventures of Captain Nemo, his fantastical Nautilus submarine, and the mythical world he inhabited. The exhibition’s main attraction is the giant Nautilus where kids can climb aboard and discover the inner workings of a deep-sea submersible. Kids can take control at the helm, peer through the periscopes, crank the propeller, test out the bunks, and explore Captain Nemo’s Cabinet of Curiosities full of wonderful marine specimens. There is even a giant squid to slide down, a bubbly pipe organ to play nautical sounds, and a galley full of strange foods to discover.

Kids engage with fun role play by slipping on a deep-sea dive suit and venturing through the world below the waves including the octopus’ garden with its giant clamshell and then wander through the maze of seaweed in the kelp forest. They can also explore the lost world of Atlantis.

‘Voyage to the Deep’ will keep kids engaged as they learn about marine habitats and creatures as well as technology and engineering used to create submarines and other vessels which bring humans closer to the underwater world. Kids will discover how to operate a submarine and will imagine themselves in an underwater adventure into the deep-sea. The exhibition brings a range of interactive experiences including full-body interactions, mechanical and electro-mechanical exhibits, interactive projections and touchscreens.  

The DoSeum continues to honor commitment to its guests and staff to maintain the safest conditions for a safe and healthy visit. COVID-19 policies regarding capacity and masks remain in place.

The DoSeum is one of the leading children’s museums in the nation; a place where minds are always at play. The DoSeum offers innovative exhibits and experiences to get children excited about concepts in science, math, art, and literacy and encourages them to take their excitement into the world. Through joyful learning and discovery, The DoSeum Experience grows curious minds, connects families, and transforms communities.

“As San Antonio thoughtfully and carefully opens back up and readies itself for an unforgettable summer, The DoSeum is delighted to bring families a bit of reprieve and much joy with this great interactive and educational exhibit. We are proud to offer “Voyage to the Deep” to our community and I’m confident this exhibit will be widely enjoyed by families with children of all ages. As always, we offer families and staff our continued commitment to their health and safety in a safe environment.” – DoSeum Vice President of Exhibits, Meredith Doby

Photography: Recent Acquisitions now on view at San Antonio Museum of Art

Photography: Recent Acquisitions is now on view through Fall 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The latest installation at the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA), Photography: Recent Acquisitions, is now on view through Fall 2021 during standard hours of operation in the Museum’s Arcade Gallery. Spanning different generations and diverse backgrounds, the artists whose photographic works are on view are united by their insightful awareness of everyday life, especially the experiences of marginalized communities. Their ability to capture a formally rich image with socially conscious content makes their voices some of the most vital today. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Influenced by photojournalism and documentary photography approaches, these works are drawn from larger photo-essays or series and often motivated by a personal desire for social change or justice. Featuring works by Danny Lyon, Leonard Freed, and LaToya Ruby Frazier, the installation focuses on photographers who have a close relationship with their subjects—immersing themselves in the communities and the lives of those who inhabit them. Through their cameras, these photographers capture life in America—both monumental and everyday moments—in unforgettable images that explore the connections we have with our surroundings and one another. This exhibition of recent acquisitions was curated by Lana Meador, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Lavanderia #2 by Christina Fernandez

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.

San Antonio Museum of Art announces American Impressionism exhibit

America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution opens at the San Antonio Museum of Art on Friday, June 11, 2021. Photo: google

On June 11, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) will open America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution, an exhibition that explores the development of Impressionism in the United States. While Impressionism made its public debut in Paris with a shocking exhibition in 1874, the style did not fully take hold in America until more than a decade later, after a major exhibition of French works in New York in 1886. With this belated arrival, American Impressionism might be understood merely as the adaptation of techniques and visual vocabularies honed by French masters. Through more than 70 works assembled from public and private collections, America’s Impressionism redefines our understanding of the movement to show how American artists drew upon transatlantic exchange to create an independent movement, uniquely shaped by American sensibilities and regional landscapes. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Originally curated by Amanda C. Burdan of the Brandywine River Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, the exhibition is also co-organized by SAMA and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee. At SAMA, it is curated by Yinshi Lerman-Tan, Acting Associate Curator of American and European Art. It will remain on view at SAMA through September 5, 2021, and then travel to the Brandywine. The exhibition is also accompanied by a catalogue published in conjunction with Yale University Press, which includes a full complement of color plates and new essays on the subject by the exhibition’s curators. 

Impressionism has been one of the most enduring styles of art ever produced, and its complex and often contradictory American expression has captured interest for more than a century. Yet, the development of American Impressionism remains understudied, and the artists who worked within the genre have not been given ample credit for the ways in which they made this imported style wholly their own. Featuring works by Cecilia Beaux, William Merritt Chase, Willard Metcalf, Emma Richardson Cherry, Jane Peterson, and Theodore Wendel, among numerous others, the exhibition reveals a more nuanced history of the artistic exchange between the U.S. and France in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and the trajectories of Impressionism across the Atlantic. 

As Impressionism spread west, Texas, too, became an important place. To engage audiences with this history, SAMA’s presentation of America’s Impressionism will include outstanding works by Texas artists, including Onderdonk, Dawson Dawson-Watson, and José Arpa, among others. These paintings are drawn from SAMA’s permanent collection as well as from local private collections. American Impressionists were attracted to Texas’ varied landscapes, from the wildflowers of the hill country to the plains of North Texas and the arid West Texas countryside. 

The SAMA presentation is further distinguished by the incorporation of masterworks from the San Antonio-based Marie and Hugh Halff Collection, a premier collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American impressionist painting. Among the numerous works to be featured are Frederick Carl Frieseke’s striking painting The Bathers (about 1914), Childe Hassam’s The New York Bouquet (1917), and Edmund C. Tarbell’s Girl Cutting Patterns (1907-8). These works from the Marie and Hugh Halff collection deepen and broaden SAMA’s iteration of the American Impressionist story for San Antonio audiences, made possible by the dedication and vision of San Antonio collectors.

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community. 

2021-06-11T10:32:00

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Opening of ‘America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution’

Celebrate Mother’s Day with the Briscoe Western Art Museum

The Briscoe Western Art Museum has membership packages perfect for Mother’s Day. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

This year, celebrate mom by lassoing the perfect gift this Mother’s Day:  the wide open spaces of the West. Let mom get away from it all and head West whenever she likes with a membership to the Briscoe Western Art Museum, where she can soak in art and beauty all year long. The Briscoe is offering Mother’s Day membership specials paired with fantastic gifts from the Museum Store to make Mother’s Day gift-giving a breeze. All mothers receive free museum admission on Mother’s Day, the perfect way to surprise mom with her gift. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Now through Mother’s Day, save 30-40% off select membership packages that include a year-long membership to the museum along with gifts for mom to enjoy. The membership specials may be ordered online with gift pickup from the Briscoe’s Museum Store. Package options include:

  • “Lone Ranger” Individual Membership: Allow mom to escape to the museum on her own with an individual membership, along with a Cacti garden tea towel and dish set from the Briscoe’s Museum Store, $65.
  • “Roam on the Range” Duo Membership: A membership for two that allows mom to share the beauty of the West and the museum’s events with a guest, along with a Cacti garden tea towel and dish set, a Votivo red currant travel candle, and a Bee Bella lip balm from the Museum Store, $85.
  • “The Whole Posse” Family Membership: Museum admission for two adults and all children/grandchildren under 18, as well as a Cacti garden tea towel and dish set, a Votivo red currant travel candle, a Bee Bella lip balm, and the book “The Texas Ranch Sisterhood:  Portraits of Women Working the Land” from the Museum Store, $100.

Each gift membership provides unlimited access to the Briscoe’s unforgettable exhibitions, lectures, and community events for a full year. Memberships are instrumental in helping the museum preserve and present the art, history, and culture of the American West. Memberships are tax-deductible. Full membership benefits are available online.

Spend Mother’s Day exploring the Briscoe, where the talent, skill, and nuanced storytelling of Western women is showcased in its collections and exhibitions. Through May 9, enjoy the scenic landscapes, inspired Native Americans and classic cowboys, stunning wildlife and a strong representation of Western women featured in the Night of Artists 20th Anniversary Exhibition and Sale. Night of Artists features the best contemporary Western artists in the country, including a wide range of women artists. If you are looking to step up your Mother’s Day gift, some works in Night of Artists are available for purchase. 

For more stories of Western women, stroll the Briscoe’s Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers:  Women of the West Gallery. Highlighting works that feature Western women and those created by women artists, the gallery includes both a mixture of art about women and by women artists. The diverse stories represented include Native American women from diverse cultures, working the land, as well as Hispanic women promoting the culture and legacy of Mexico; immigrant women looking for new and better opportunities; freed women forming colonies; and women ranchers reclaiming the West.

An oasis of Western beauty just off San Antonio’s River Walk, the Briscoe campus features 32 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. From the McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history, and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online. The museum is operating with health and safety protocols that require both staff and guests to wear masks.

Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Night of Artists

Live auction from the outdoor sculpture garden. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the event that sparked the museum’s creation, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is expanding its signature exhibition and sale to create a hybrid format. One of the premier Western Art events in the world is now in-person and online, allowing everyone to view and participate in the museum’s Night of Artists 2021 Exhibition and Sale. Night of Artists includes the viewing and sale of more than 250 new works of painting, sculpture and mixed media by 75 of today’s leading contemporary Western artists. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Featured artists include Logan Maxwell Hagege, Martin Grelle, Billy Schenck, Mark Maggiori, Kim Wiggins, George Hallmark, Michael Ome Untiedt, Teresa Elliott, Paul Rhymer, Stefan Savides, Mary Ross Ruchholz and C. Michael Dudash.

Open now, the Night of Artists Online Art Auction concludes during the event’s Grand Live Auction at 10p.m. on March 27, which will be livestreamed to registered bidders. Night of Artists then continues as a public exhibition and sale March 28 – May 9 at the Briscoe and online. Bid registration in the Online Art Auction and the Grand Live Auction is free. The Grand Live Auction includes online and in-person bidding, phone, mobile app and absentee bidding. 

Night of Artists serves as the primary fundraiser for the museum, benefiting the Briscoe’s full array of exhibitions, engagement and educational programs throughout the year.

Opening March 28, the Fixed-Price Sale features works not previously sold through auction. Available at a price set by the artist, these limited remaining works may be purchased online or in person.

“Expanding the event online provides a larger platform to showcase the beauty and impact of the rich stories illustrated through Western art. We look forward to sharing it with everyone.” – Michael Duchemin, President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum.

San Antonio Museum of Art offers Master Classes this April

The Latin American Popular Art collection is one of the San Antonio Museum of Art’s extensive collection. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

The San Antonio Museum of Art is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and museum curators are hosting a virtual Master Class series to celebrate the museum’s extensive collection. Each Monday in April, art enthusiasts will hear from the curators about their favorite pieces from the museum’s 40-year history of collecting art from around the world. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Master class dates are April 5, 12, 19, and 26. Tickets for the series are $200 and registration for the event is available online.

The San Antonio Museum of Art enriches lives through exceptional experiences with art. Its mission is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret significant works of art, representing a broad range of history and world cultures to strengthen our shared understanding of humanity.

Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage exhibit at The DoSeum

Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage is on display at The DoSeum until Sunday, March 28. Photo: The DoSeum, used with permission.

The DoSeum is celebrating learning in all its forms by inviting students to participate in their current exhibition Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage by submitting works of art. The exhibition encourages our community to reflect on attitudes and assumptions about individuals who learn differently and inspire us to be a more inclusive and equitable society. Joyful learning is at the core of The DoSeum’s mission. Everyone learns differently, and there is amazing potential in every child to be the best learner they can be. (The DoSeum, 2021)

The popular exhibition, which opened last fall, is currently being updated. In addition to displaying works of art by students, a newly installed resource center features learning elements to inspire all minds to play, but especially for students diagnosed with dyslexia. These updates include 3D puzzles, building manipulatives, graphic novels, and gestalt images. The DoSeum’s education department has also planned art-themed pop-ups in the galleries through the run of the show, which closes March 28.

Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage is an art and science exhibition that explores the successes of those who think outside the box when faced with the challenges of dyslexia. The exhibition defines some of the tools and resources for identification, intervention, and pathways to success. Families learn about what dyslexia really is, and the truth behind some of the negative myths perpetuated in society. Guests have fun playing various spatial and word games learning how the right and left sides of the brain are engaged, including an oversized tile spelling game, color block puzzles, and digital interactive educational games for all ages. A unique local feature will be listening to stories from San Antonio youth and local world changers about their experiences growing up with dyslexia before and after intervention. Children and caretakers walk among the life-size illustrations of some of the most influential visionaries who have changed history.

During the exhibit run at The DoSeum, a unique portion of Beautiful Minds will feature Artist in Residence Sarah Sudhoff’s interactive installation The Reading Brain. The installation will allow families to be immersed in the reading brain’s inner workings through a multi-sensory, data-driven interactive installation.

The DoSeum has longer timed sessions for guests. As always, it has taken care to implement the best cleaning and sanitation practices and continues to implement new measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and continue prioritizing the health and safety of its staff and guests.

Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage is a Science Museum Oklahoma and Whiteboard Exhibits Project. The DoSeum thanks supporters of Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage

“Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage has already been enjoyed by over 16,000 visitors. During the final weeks of the exhibit, we have enhanced our galleries with new components and opportunities for families to interact and reflect in ways in which learning with Dyslexia offers a creative advantage. At The DoSeum, we are in the business of helping children achieve their full potential by providing opportunities for outside of the box learning, this exhibition and its recent new additions do just that.” – Meredith Doby, VP of Exhibits

The DoSeum is one of the leading children’s museums in the nation; a place where minds are always at play. The DoSeum offers innovative exhibits and experiences to get children excited about concepts in science, math, art, and literacy and encourages them to take their excitement into the world. Through joyful learning and discovery, The DoSeum Experience grows curious minds, connects families, and transforms communities. The DoSeum is a 501 c3-non-profit organization.

San Antonio Museum of Art offering new ‘Learn’ platform

The San Antonio Museum of Art has a new ‘Learn’ tab on their website for educators and families. Photo: google

The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) has just launched the “Learn” tab on their website, a new platform that allows educators/students, families, and adults to experience SAMA’s collection using virtual and in-person programs, online resources, lesson plans, and more. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

For educators, SAMA’s “Learn” tab will provide resources that will help to integrate the arts into any virtual or in-person classroom, including detailed lesson plans and story time videos for all ages; bilingual videos are also available.

For families, SAMA’s “Learn” tab provides inspiring at-home art activities and story time videos to encourage the integration of arts at home.

For adults, SAMA’s “Learn” tab offers a variety of virtual learning opportunities, including webinar and program recordings and an interactive deep dive into art jargon, from composition to medium, and more.

The San Antonio Museum of Art enriches lives through exceptional experiences with art. Its mission is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret significant works of art, representing a broad range of history and world cultures to strengthen our shared understanding of humanity.

Spring Break at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

Spring Break at the Briscoe includes Briscoe’s Lil Partners Saddlebags. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

This spring gather the family and head West with the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Lil Partners Saddlebags. A fun way to learn about the West, each Lil Partners Saddlebag tells the tale of the West from multiple perspectives and includes six activities for children and families to enjoy. Packed in the Saddlebag is a museum pass admitting two adults to the Briscoe. Children under 12 always receive free admission, making the Saddlebags the perfect way for your family to head West this spring. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Briscoe is extending its monthly “Locals Days” programming to include March 11-14, in addition to its regular monthly third Sunday, March 21. To thank the San Antonio community for its support, “Locals Day” at the Briscoe greets locals with 50% off general admission. As always, children 12 and under receive free admission, as do active duty members of the military, making the Briscoe a terrific spot for local families to enjoy during spring break.

Lil Partners Saddlebags activities include crafting Puebloan-inspired pottery, making a roaming bison torn paper collage, creating Papel Picado, fashioning your own cowboy boot and paper cowboys, as well as western coloring sheets. All the supplies and directions are included along with the museum pass for two, as well as a special one-time 15% discount on children’s items in the Briscoe’s Museum Store so Lil Partners can head home with more western fun to enjoy. Lil Partner Saddlebags are $20 for Briscoe members and $25 for future members. The admission for two alone is a $24 value, making the kits a terrific spring break deal. To pick up a kit, Lil Partners and their families can visit the Museum Store in person or online or call 210.299.4499 to arrange for a curbside pickup. Saddlebags are available through March 31 and can be shipped for an additional fee.

A must see for all ages – and the perfect place to sit and enjoy your Saddlebag crafts – is McNutt Sculpture Garden, the Briscoe’s lush public outdoor space featuring a beautiful courtyard surrounded by bronze sculptures that depict iconic figures of the American West. The sculpture garden offers the perfect respite during any River Walk visit, with tables, chairs, and benches to rest and enjoy the view.

Due to COVID restrictions, the Briscoe’s Lil Partners program also offers story times online to introduce little ones to the excitement and adventure of the American West. Museum visitors may enjoy self-guided tours, watch short videos and learn more about the artists behind the works through the Briscoe’s app, available on Google Play and in the Apple Store. Lil Partner activities for children are also available on the app, as well as the museum’s website through the museum’s “Beyond the Briscoe” program. The entire family can enjoy a museum scavenger hunt that explores the museum, play musical match-up or musical bingo, bringing the museum’s extensive collection to life for all ages.

Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online. The museum is operating at reduced capacity with health and safety protocols that require both staff and guests to wear masks as well as visitor temperature checks upon entry.

Preserving and presenting the art, history, and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building.

Brownsville Repertory Theatre presents ‘Hamlet’

Brownsville Repertory Theatre presents William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ this January 29-31. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Coming up this week is the Brownsville Repertory Theatre’s production of ‘Hamlet’’ presented at St. Joseph Academy’s Garza Student Center.  ‘Hamlet’ centers around the death of the King of Denmark. Consumed with grief, Prince Hamlet determines to avenge his father’s apparent murder, with devastating consequences for his family and the Kingdom. Cast features seven student actors and one member of the Brownsville Repertory Resident Artist Company including Madelynn Gonzalez as Ophelia and Mariclara Rivera Marrero as Polonius. Showtimes are Friday January 29, Saturday January 30, and Sunday January 31 at 7p.m. both in person and via livestream for those interested. Tickets are $15 General Admission and are available online. (Brownsville Repertory Theatre, 2021)

‘Hamlet’ is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare and set in Denmark. It depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. The King of Denmark’s ghost tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet’s uncle. Hamlet fakes madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. The play ends with a duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet’s opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed.

Through a partnership with Revival of Cultural Arts (ROCA), Brownsville Repertory Theatre is professional theatre committed to providing live theatre education by means of creative, thoughtful, and high-quality year-round programming.