You’ve been wanting to see those exhibitions at the Blanton, the ones you’ve heard so much buzz about – Ed Ruscha’s “Drum Skins” and that “Avant-garde Networks of Amauta: Argentina, Mexico, and Peru in the 1920s” show of vintage Latin American visuals – but everything’s been shut down.
You’ve wanted to take a long, calming stroll around the Umlauf’s fabled gardens, too – just like in the Before Times – communing with open-air nature so close to Zilker Park, contemplating the ancient trees and Charles Umlauf’s delightful sculptural work that accompanies those trees … but all of that was shut down, too.
Well, it’s shut down no longer, citizen: The Blanton is again open for visitors (as of Aug. 15) and so is the Umlauf (as of Aug. 18). Of course, there’s still a pandemic on, so there will be plenty of safety measures in both places. Masks, distancing, sanitizer, muttered curses against the coronavirus – you know.
For the Blanton, you’ve also got to make reservations (via the museum’s website) for the morning (between 10am-1pm) or the afternoon (between 2-5pm). The Umlauf requires reservations, too, and they’re keeping distance a viable thing by limiting visitors to just 30 at a time. Note: You’ll probably have more space than that when you stop by, and we reckon it’ll feel so good.
The Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. MLK, 512/471-7324.
Hours: Wed.-Sat., 10am-1pm, 2-5pm; Sun., 2-5pm.
Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Azie Morton, 512/445-5582.
Hours: Tue.-Fri., 10am-4pm; Sat.-Sun., 11am-4pm.
This article appears in August 21 • 2020.