Area Museums Support A Thriving North Texas Art Community

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth have collections that span centuries. This allows people to experience the evolution of art across different cultures and time periods.   These and other major museums such as the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas help position Dallas/Fort Worth as a hub for arts and culture.  The world-class art collections and striking architecture of museums like the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Dallas Contemporary are city landmarks. All signify the city’s commitment to cultural development and innovation.

Tourists and locals who visit larger museums are often motivated to seek out other smaller museums. They often explore galleries and emerging art spaces in the area. This creates an ecosystem of art that drives traffic to institutions of all sizes.

Crow Museum of Asian Art Opens a Second Location at UT Dallas

After years of research, planning and construction, The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) celebrated two major milestones. The development of the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum Arts and Performance Complex is part of a 12-acre cultural district plan.

In September, the second location of the Crow Museum of Asian Art opened to the public. It plus the additional galleries together comprise the UT Dallas Art Museum.

Founded in 1998, the Crow Museum celebrates the arts and cultures of Asia. From ancient eras to contemporary times, its collection includes through a variety of permanent and traveling exhibits. The new UT Dallas space joins the original Crow Museum located in the heart of the Dallas Arts District.

The UT Dallas Art Museum is Phase I of the O’Donnell Athenaeum master plan.

Approximately 58,000 square feet, the Phase I building includes 12 galleries. It also houses the Brettell Reading Room. It is also home to a dedicated art object study room, a conservation studio, lecture and event areas and the Lotus Shop. Outside, covered outdoor space displays the beginnings of an outdoor sculpture garden.

The inaugural exhibition calendar will highlight significant objects from the Crow Museum’s collection. This includes contemporary installations from global artists in two galleries. Two galleries highlight the multi-year partnership between UT Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art. And one gallery showcases the University’s growing collection of donated Latin American folk art. The first-floor exhibition corridor features new works from celebrated Dallas photographer Carolyn Brown.

The official opening of the UT Dallas Art Museum was simultaneously followed by groundbreaking ceremonies for Phase 2 of the O’Donnell Athenaeum.  A new 680-seat performance hall and music building will become part of the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology at UT Dallas. It is projected to open in the fall of 2026. 

The Meadows Museum is the leading U.S. institution focused on studying and presenting the art of Spain.

In 1962, Dallas businessman and philanthropist Algur H. Meadows donated his private collection of Spanish paintings and funds to start the museum at Southern Methodist University. It opened to the public in 1965, marking the first step in fulfilling Meadows’s vision to create “a small Prado for Texas.” Today, the Meadows Museum is home to one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Spanish art outside of Spain. The collection spans from the 10th to the 21st centuries. It includes medieval objects, Renaissance and Baroque sculptures, and major paintings by Golden Age and modern masters.

In September, Meadows announced the acquisition of four new pieces. The paintings by renowned Spanish artists Ignasi Aballí and José Hernández, along with two by Miguel Zapata, continue to build its world-class collection.


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