Upon opening to the public in 1954, the McNay’s collection began with a strong emphasis on Modern European and American art, particularly French painting and Post-Impressionism, and now includes over 20,000 objects.
Collection strengths include American art since World War II, Modern European and American prints and drawings, and a collection of over 9,000 Theatre Arts objects focusing on scene and costume designs. More than 150 pieces of French art glass of the late 1800s–early 1900s — the Jeanne and Irving Mathews Collection of Art Glass — are installed in a dedicated gallery.
The museum began in a 24-room Spanish Colonial-Revival home and has expanded to 45,000 square feet and a sculpture gallery and garden.
Exhibitions & Dates
Andy Warhol: Portraits
Jun 20 2019 - Sep 15 2019
120 portrait paintings, prints, photographs and films
Transamerica/n: Gender, Identity, Appearance Today
Jun 20 2019 - Sep 15 2019
Broad survey of artwork from across North America to explore gender identity
Close at Hand: Contemporary Still Life
Jun 20 2019 - Sep 15 2019
contemporary still life prints from the McNay’s collection
Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage
Oct 10 2019 - Dec 29 2019
120+ objects from a collection of scenic and costume designs
Mary Cassatt’s Women
Oct 31 2019 - Feb 9 2020
The ordinary and often intimate moments in daily life of upper-middle class women
Paris: Notre Dame and Beyond
Dec 5 2019 - Feb 23 2020
Paris cityscapes during la Belle Époque