Blanton Museum of Art

Description:

• Located on the University of Texas campus (across the street from the Bob Bullock Museum), this museum was built a couple of years ago to hold the university's art collection, which is ranked among the top university art collections in the United States. Most notable is the Suida-Manning Collection, a gathering of Renaissance works by such masters as Veronese, Rubens, and Tiepolo that was sought after by the Metropolitan museum, among others. Other permanent holdings include the Mari and James Michener collection of 20th-century American masters, a large collection of Latin American art, and a collection of 19th-century plaster casts of monumental Greek and Roman sculpture.

  The museum has been a big success in its first few years, attracting large crowds. The directors are working hard to increase public involvement through a variety of events. On the first Friday of every month, it hosts a little happening called "B scene," which mixes art with live music, wine, finger foods, and socializing. It costs $10, runs from 6 to 11pm, and is fun. Check the website for their other events that mix things such as yoga with the arts. The Blanton opened a second building in early fall of 2008, which holds a cafe for visitors, in addition to administration offices and lecture halls.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010