Get wrapped up in Western fun and meet Cowboy Santa at the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s annual free Cowboy Christmas, 10a.m. – 2p.m., Sunday, December 3. Cowboy Christmas is included with museum admission, making the Briscoe the perfect way to enjoy holiday fun and make memories with your family, especially since this year’s celebration falls on the Briscoe’s monthly “Locals Day.” On Locals Day, all Bexar County residents receive free admission to enjoy the museum. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2023)

Cowboy Christmas features a day of family fun exploring the museum with holiday crafts and visits with Cowboy Santa from 11a.m. – 2p.m. Families are welcome to snap pictures with Cowboy Santa, while a special 12 Days of Christmas scavenger hunt leads you through the Briscoe’s fantastic collection. Christmas crafts, including ornament making, will give everyone a bit of the West to take home.

Holiday Fun with American Cowboys:  Anouk Masson Krantz

Everyone who attends Cowboy Christmas can step into the intimate lives and culture of today’s cowboys through a showcase of stunning black and white photographs during Anouk Masson Krantz: “American Cowboys,” the Briscoe’s exhibition that highlights the enduring traditions around ranching and rodeo life from an outsider’s perspective. American Cowboys shares an intimate look at America’s Western heritage through nearly 100 images captured on solo journeys across the American West by the celebrated photographer Anouk Masson Krantz.

A French fine-art photographer and author based in New York City best known for her American Western work, Krantz has logged more than 125,000 miles traveling the West by herself in her quest to reveal the authentic daily lives of humble and virtuous American cowboy. Krantz’s photography has received worldwide acclaim, including the 2023 Western Heritage Award for her latest artbook, “Ranchland: Wagonhound.” The exhibition is included with museum admission and is on view through January 22, 2024.

Howdy Neighbors:  Ways to Head West and Save

To show how friendly the West is and to thank the San Antonio community for its continued support, the Briscoe Western Art Museum makes the first Sunday of each month “Locals Day,” greeting locals with free general admission. Bexar County residents can enjoy Cowboy Christmas and Locals Day by registering online.

Not a local? The Cowboy Christmas fun is included with general museum admission. As always, children 12 and under receive free admission at the Briscoe, as do active duty members of the military, making the museum a terrific spot for families to add to their holiday plans. Active duty military families receive half-price admission when accompanied by their active duty family member. Year-round, retired and former members of the military also received discounted admission.

The first weekend of each month also includes free museum admission thanks to Bank of America Museums on Us, allowing Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust cardholders to gain one free admission to the museum. Through Museums for All, recipients of SNAP, WIC, and MAP receive free general admission throughout the year.

Fill Your Stocking with the Best of the West

For everyone looking to fill their gift lists, the Briscoe’s Hendler Family Museum Store features something for everyone on your list. Shopping the museum includes holiday finds, home décor, and gifts for men, women and children that aren’t the cookie cutter things you’ll see at traditional retailers. Something sure to be popular in Cowboy Santa’s bag of gifts this year:  gift memberships to the Briscoe. Membership includes free and discounted museum event admission, exclusive member events and so much more, all on the banks of the River Walk.

The museum is open Thursday through Monday, 10a.m. – 5p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.