McNay says welcome with $6.25 million landscaping makeover that brings the San Antonio art museum out of hiding
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The McNay Art Museum is celebrating something big on Sunday: the very first major renovation of the museum grounds in its 67-year history.
The $ 6.25 million renovation, which took nearly two years, transformed the site from an enclosed campus hidden behind wrought iron fences and thick hedges into a park-like space that was made more inviting.
The project has been in progress for a long time.
In 2005, CEO Tom Frost hosted a series of focus groups asking people from across San Antonio what they thought of the museum. It was an eye opener for Frost, who served on the board from 1971 until his death in 2018.
“The feedback he took was that the museum was hidden behind the hedges, which gave it a sense of exclusivity,” said Don Frost, the son of Tom Frost, who is currently chairman of the board. “And papa didn’t want that.”
Tom Frost worked with museum staff, his fellow board members, and the museum’s directors – first with Bill Chiego, who retired in 2016, and then with his successor, Rich Aste – to develop a landscaping master plan that creates a sense of welcome should .
It was designed to open up the grounds and make it clear that the McNay is open to everyone.
What: A family day to celebrate the renovation of the McNay site, including a ribbon cutting for the site, lawn games, and a community mural project.
When: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels.
Entry: Free of charge, but registration is recommended at mcnayart.org.
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Places that have long been popular with shutterbugs seeking picturesque surroundings – like the O’Neil Ford-designed fountain and the Asian-inspired garden nearby – were left untouched. There are also several new selfie-friendly outdoor art pieces on the premises.
The renovations began in September 2019 and were completed in August. A severing Sunday will celebrate its graduation, followed by the first personal family day since the pandemic began.
“We want the McNay to be everyone’s backyard, so there’s that sense of belonging, and I believe the Landscaping Master Plan does,” said Don Frost, who led the fundraiser for the project. “It definitely improves the McNay’s outdoor experience.”
It’s also in line with the drive to make the museum’s exhibitions and collections more inclusive, he said.
“What the McNay does is be San Antonio’s place of affiliation,” he said. “I’m so happy with Rich Aste’s ability to move forward quickly, and he’s doing it beyond the landscape. He’s done it in our exhibitions, he’s done it in our art purchases. “
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The sculpture “Deer” by artist Tony Tasset looms over the grounds of the McNay Art Museum. It is one of four outdoor artworks that were installed during the renovation of the site.
Kin Man Hui / Photographer
The McNay has a long history. It was once the home of Marion Koogler McNay, an artist and collector. She built the villa in Spanish-Mediterranean style in 1927 on what was then a goat farm. McNay, who died in 1950, left the house and grounds to the City of San Antonio to build a museum. Her wish came true in 1954 when the McNay opened as the state’s first modern art museum.
“In a way, we’re going back to Mrs. McNay’s origins,” Aste said. “When she moved here, it was very open at the time. The hedges and stone gates were added later as the city grew around us. But when she and her third husband invested in this property, we were in the country.
“In the decades that followed, they created the hedges and stone gates to create a sense of oasis and tranquility, and that was very successful. In later years it wasn’t clear from the outside that we were an all-encompassing, all-encompassing art organization waiting for you inside. “
The wrought iron fence is no more. It was replaced by “invisible” fences, vertical stainless steel posts that are embedded in a concrete beam around the campus. Passers-by can peek through the posts and glimpse an inviting 25-acre space dotted with ADA-accessible walkways, native plants, and artwork.
You can also see the museum from the street. It had previously been hidden behind hedges and only gradually became visible as visitors walked through the site. That was by design, said John Gutzler, director at Ford Powell Carson, the architecture firm that worked on the project.
On the grounds of the McNay Art Museum, new walkways were added as part of a redesign to make the campus more park-like and inviting.
Kin Man Hui / Photographer
“Architecturally, they wanted to create a sense of mystery back then,” he said. “When you started, you got a look at the building. We’re a little more impatient today. “
The hedges are gone now and the remaining green has been given a 21st century upgrade. A total of 142 new trees and 7,892 bushes were planted. Sustainable, drought-resistant plants include bald cypress, yucca, Mexican feathergrass, and sage, courtesy of urban landscape architect Austin dwg.
A beautification fund was set up to take care of the plants.
The winter storm in February did a lot. The ground staff took all possible preventive measures in advance, including covering some plants. When everything was thawed, the death toll was around 10 percent, said Luis Barthel, director of the museum.
It could have been a lot worse, he realized.
“We managed to get through that really well and not have to start from scratch,” said Barthel. “That is the thoughtfulness behind using native plants and making sure everything we do is sustainable.”
Outdoor art
During a tour, students walk past the “Standing Tulip” by the artist Tom Wesselmann at the entrance to the McNay Art Museum.
Kin Man Hui / Photographer
The grounds are littered with sculptures, some of which are now visible from the sidewalk and street. This also includes “Ascent”, a monumental abstract sculpture by Alexander Liberman. It has a prominent spot in Mays Family Park, the newest part of the site.
The Liberman stands in what was once a small piece of land across from a turn lane on the Austin Highway.
“By taking the big Liberman, a big, big sculpture, on the corner, it becomes a fulcrum for this intersection,” said Gutzler. “So it does exactly what people are supposed to do in a museum – when you hug a sculpture, you look at it from multiple angles. Instead of getting out of the car, you can stay in your car at different times of the day and at night and see it from different angles. “
The museum bought the property, which became Mays Family Park in 2004, and after that the board began discussing whether it should be left alone or incorporated into the campus. This prompted Tom Frost to meet with focus groups and lay the groundwork for redesigning the site.
“Our campus has grown from 23 to 25 acres,” said Aste. “And we could have stopped there, but at that point the leadership said, ‘This is an opportunity to open the McNay to everyone.'”
The two entrances to the museum have been widened and embellished and the lighting and signage have been improved.
Safety concerns were also raised.
The house of the late Marion Koogler McNay remains a focal point on the grounds of the McNay Art Museum.
Kin Man Hui / Photographer
“We wanted to separate traffic, car traffic, from pedestrians, because we’ve never had that before,” said Gutzler. “We always had people walking on the little street and it was always kind of dangerous. (With the modifications) it becomes crystal clear where the defining areas for the cars are, where they have to stop, where they have to continue. “
Thank you notes are embedded in both entries. The road leading from North New Braunfels was named in honor of former chairman Tom Frost Way. And the Austin Highway entrance was called the Russell Hill Rogers Sculpture Gateway, a nod to the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts. The longtime supporter funded the purchase of 22 of the 29 outdoor sculptures in McNay’s collection, Aste said.
“They single-handedly made us become an open-air art museum in 1997 when they started that relationship with us,” Aste said. “That’s why we wanted to acknowledge your commitment to McNay.”
Visitors who have not visited the museum in a while may notice some additions to the outdoor art collection. Four new acquisitions were installed during the construction work: “The Sole Sitter” by Willie Cole, “Standing Tulip” by Tom Wesselmann, “Hashtag-Orange” by Alejandro Martín and “Deer” by Tony Tasset.
Two more sculptures will be added to Mays Family Park over the next year or so, Aste said.
And work on the site continues. The physical overhaul is phase I.
“The next chapter is to activate those 17 acres on campus that don’t have buildings, whether it’s more outdoor sculpture galleries or event space and rental options, visual and performing arts opportunities, because here at McNay we do both,” said Branches. “There is so much potential and opportunity. So stay tuned. “
dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
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