Celebrate Western Heritage at the Briscoe this Holiday Season
FREE CELEBRATIONS AND EXTENDED HOURS
The Briscoe Western Art Museum is welcoming the holiday season with free events, extended hours and new art to enjoy, making it the perfect destination for seasonal fun. Whether it’s celebrating Native American heritage and culture, stepping into the lives of American cowboys or meeting Cowboy Santa, there’s something for everyone as the museum extends its hours for the Christmas season. Mark your calendars, and head west on the River Walk to enjoy new exhibitions and fantastic programming at the Briscoe.
December openings, events and celebrations
Extended Hours: Head West for the Holidays
Located just across from La Villita, the museum is a perfect stop before enjoying the Holiday Parade and the River Walk’s famous Christmas lights. The museum will be closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then open every day Dec. 26-31, closing at 2 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Take the opportunity to explore the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden as you stroll the River Walk for the holidays. The Briscoe will be closed for New Year’s Day. The museum’s regular operating hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday.
New Exhibition: Movement in and on the Western Landscape
Drawing from works in the Briscoe’s permanent collection, Movement in and on the Western Landscape showcases how art has a profound impact on our perceptions of the landscape. Featuring 23 works, the exhibition offers a visual representation of the stories that shape our understanding of the Western landscape not simply as still images – each of the works reflect movement on the landscape.
By showcasing the diversity of the Western landscape through their artwork, artists such as Frederic Remington, Albert Bierstadt, Alfred Jacob Miller, Porfirio Salinas, William Henry Jackson and William R. Leigh convey the complex and ever-changing relationship between humans and the land, inviting us to explore and connect with the land in new and meaningful ways. The gallery is located on the museum’s third floor and the exhibition is included with museum admission.
Putting Western Virtues on Display: Anouk Masson Krantz
Everyone who attends the Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival can enjoy the Briscoe’s fantastic fall exhibition, Anouk Masson Krantz: “American Cowboys”, highlighting the enduring traditions around ranching and rodeo life from an outsider’s perspective. Nearly 100 images captured on solo journeys across the American West by the celebrated photographer Anouk Masson Krantz reflect the greatest virtues of America’s heritage.
A French fine-art photographer and author based in New York City best known for her American Western work, Krantz has logged more than 125,000 miles traveling the West by herself in her quest to reveal the authentic daily lives of humble and virtuous American cowboy. Krantz’s photography has received worldwide acclaim, including the 2023 Western Heritage Award for her latest artbook, “Ranchland: Wagonhound”. The exhibition is included with museum admission and is on view through Jan. 22, 2024. A virtual tour of the exhibition is available online.
From Glass Plates to Pixels: A History of Photography and Craft Your Own Camera
Saturday, Dec. 9, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Presentation at 11 a.m., Pin-hole Camera Workshop, 2to4 p.m.
Included with museum admission, free for Briscoe members
As part of the Krantz exhibition, spend the day in a comprehensive and entertaining look at the history of photography, discovering the evolution from slow, large format wet plates processes to today’s instant digital pixelated imaging. Texas-based fine art photographer Miguel Maltos Gonzales will take guests on a journey that began 200 years ago with the first attempts at fixing photographic images to modern digital technology. He’ll then help guests craft their own pin-hole camera to take home. Participants can bring a recyclable item like a shoe box or cereal box to build their own camera.
Monthly Fun: Hands-on Education, Storytime
Storytime Stampede: Stories and More for Little Cowpokes
Dec. 16, 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Families and caregivers of young children can enjoy Western fun and stories each month at the Briscoe’s Storytime Stampede. Featuring 30 minute programs designed for young children ages 18 months to five years, Storytime Stampede includes stories told and acted out, books read aloud, movement activities, songs and art fun. Adults bringing children to Storytime Stampede receive half-off general museum admission. Children 12 and under always receive free admission at the Briscoe, making Storytime Stampede affordable family fun.
Celebrate Cowboy Life All Season Long at the Briscoe
An oasis of Western beauty along San Antonio’s famed River Walk, the Briscoe campus includes the McNutt Sculpture Garden and features 35 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. The museum’s collection inside the beautifully restored historic building that once housed the San Antonio Public Library spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and the Hendler Family Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. The Briscoe is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Photos courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum.
