photo by John Anderson

Best Museum

Blanton Museum of Art

The opening of UT's new improved Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art this past spring gave Austin the largest university art museum in the country and the third largest art museum in Texas. With a permanent collection of more than 17,000 works, it is recognized for its old master paintings, modern and contemporary American and Latin American art, and an encyclopedic collection of prints and drawings. Though the old masters shine at the Blanton, this is a museum as cutting edge as it is traditional. Having recently exhibited the graphic flair of Paul Chan; the magical compositions of Daniel Joglar; and video art from Burt Barr, the Blanton continues to blaze the contemporary art trail with upcoming exhibitions including the sculptures, installations, videos, and drawings of Cristian Silva; the installations of Matthew Day Jackson; and performance art by by Michael Smith and Joshua White. The building is cavernous with endless galleries and exhibits, which have already been put to good use in a seemingly endless flow of parties and monthly B-scene gatherings.

The Blanton Museum of Art
200 E. MLK, 512/471-5482
blantonmuseum.org