McNutt Sculpture Garden and Outdoor Sculptures – San Antonio, Texas

We spent President’s Day weekend 2018 in San Antonio, Texas and had a great time. We stayed at a place off the new part of the Riverwalk which was nice and less busy.  Luckily it was still close to everything we wanted to see and do. While walking around we ended up at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. We enjoyed strolling through their amazing bronze sculptures in the McNutt Sculpture Garden.

We spent quite a bit of time enjoying them and reading the plaques.  There are too many to show on this post so I have shared about half of them on the short video above. Hope you enjoy it.

 As far as the bronze sculptures go, there were 28 of them depicting iconic figures of the American West. Here is a map and list of all 28 sculptures on the grounds of the McNutt Sculpture Garden.  One that we both liked a lot was the El Caporal by Enrique “kiko” Guerra. It was a gift from Marrs McLean Bowman, Patricia and Robert Hayes, Courtney and Mark E Watson Jr, and Barbara and George Williams. Such a great depiction of the time.

One of the sculptures that I really liked was called Golden Wings by Gerrland Balciar.  Below is a picture of the beautiful golden eagle. It was a gift by the Jack and Valerie Guenther Foundation.

Another piece that caught my eye was one called A Cowboy‘s Carnegie Hall. It is by Bruce Greene and was a gift from the Jack and Valerie Guenther Foundation.  Something about it reminded me of my late stepdad and I really enjoyed seeing it while thinking of him.

The other piece I wanted to mention wasn’t actually a sculpture, it is a ceramic tile display named Water Through Time. It is a great mural and shows some of the highlights of San Antonio.  According to the plaque, it was a collaboration between the Briscoe Western Art Museum and the San Antonio Water System.

All of the tiles were hand-painted, which made it even more interesting. We were so happy to stumble upon the amazing McNutt Sculpture Garden and Outdoor Sculptures. If you are in the area, you should definitely check it out. Here is a link to their website with hours, prices, etc. Hopefully next time we will check out their museum.

For those who may be interested, here is their mission statement. Through the preservation of the art, history, and culture of the American West, the Briscoe Western Art Museum inspires and educates the public with engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage.

While we weren’t there in time to tour the actual Briscoe Museum, I wanted to include information in case you wanted to visit it while in the area and check out this wonderful sculpture garden.

Briscoe Art Museum and McNutt Sculpture Garden Information

Address:

210 W. Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205

Phone:

210-299-4499

Hours:

Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 10:00am – 3:00pm

Prices:

$10 Adults

$8 Seniors (65+), Students (with valid ID)

$5 retired Military, first responders, educators, firemen, police officers (with valid ID)

Children 12 & under, Active Military, and their families are free.

FREE for Members- click here to learn more about becoming a member

Parking:

The Briscoe Museum is located within walking distance of several paid parking lots, metered spots, and VIA bus stops. The Riverbend Parking Garage is located directly across from the museum.  Click Here for a map of downtown parking options.

Tours:

The Briscoe Museum offers docent-led tours for adults and students. To schedule a tour please call 210.299.4499 or email Tours@BriscoeMuseum.org. Tours must be booked at least 3 weeks in advance. Self-guided groups are also welcome, but we request that you schedule your group with the Education Department to avoid congestion in the galleries.

Adults

The history, culture, and lived experiences of the people of Texas provide an opportunity for you to learn the stories of the West through conversational and interactive tours. From tours that highlight modern and contemporary Western art to exquisitely crafted artifacts and the architecture of the Museum, you can enjoy an in-depth look at works that illuminate the Western experience.

Adult tours—for groups of 10 or more—highlight modern and contemporary Western art, exquisitely crafted artifacts, architecture of the Museum, and the legacy of Dolph Briscoe, Jr. Docent-led adult tours are $10 a person regardless of membership or other discounts. This price includes Museum admission. They must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance.

Student Tours

The history, culture, and lived experiences of the people of the American West provide an opportunity for students to learn these stories through interactive tours. At the Briscoe, students will explore art and artifact, and draw connections between works of art, personal experiences, and TEKS curricular standards.

Home-school Groups

The Briscoe Museum welcomes home-school groups. However, please note that our docent-led student tours are facilitated at a ratio of 1 docent to 10 students along with 1-2 chaperone(s). In some circumstances it may be more appropriate for home-school groups to opt for a self-guided experience. Please contact Tours@BriscoeMuseum.org to discuss the options most appropriate for your students.

Drop-Ins

Join a member of the Education Department every Friday at 1:30 pm for a Highlights tour. No reservations are required and FREE with Museum Admission.

*There will be no drop-in tour on the following dates:

• June 12 
• July 24
• September 18
• November 20

The Briscoe Museum offers conversational and interactive tours that showcase modern and contemporary Western art, exquisitely crafted artifacts, and the architecture of the Museum. Enjoy an in-depth look at select works that illuminate the Western experience from multiple vantage points.