McNAY ART MUSEUM FACT SHEET
An Overview of the McNay Art Museum
The McNay opened in
1954 as the first
museum of modern art
in Texas
In the late 1920s, artist, educator, and collector Marion Koogler McNay
(1883-1950) built a Spanish Colonial Revival residence in San Antonio that
would later become Texas’ first museum of modern art, opening to the
public in 1954. Today, the McNay Art Museum continues to build upon
her impressive collection with acquisitions in European and American art from the 19th -, 20th-, and 21stcenturies. In 2008, the Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions opened, providing dedicated gallery space
for large feature exhibitions and building upon the McNay’s reputation as a world-class museum.
Becoming the McNay
Ohio-born oil heiress Marion Koogler first visited San Antonio in 1918, shortly after her marriage to Sergeant Don
Denton McNay, who was called to active duty in Laredo, Texas. Later that year Don McNay died from the Spanish
flu. In 1926, Marion moved to San Antonio, where she met and married prominent ophthalmologist Donald T.
Atkinson. The following year, she purchased her first modern oil painting, Diego Rivera’s Delfina Flores, and the
Atkinsons commissioned architects Atlee and Robert Ayres to design a 24-Room Spanish Colonial-Revival house
that would one day become the core of the museum. Marion continued to collect 19th- and 20th-century
European and American paintings, as well as Southwest art from New Mexico. When her marriage to Atkinson
ended in 1936, she returned to using her first husband’s name. At her death in 1950, Marion left her collection of
more than 700 works of art, along with the house, the surrounding 23 acres, and an endowment to establish the
first museum of modern art in Texas. The McNay opened its doors to the public in 1954, and has continued to
serve as a place for the advancement and enjoyment of the visual arts.
McNay Collection
Since Marion Koogler McNay’s bequest of 700 works of art, the collection has expanded to nearly 20,000 works.
Collecting areas are:

19th- through 21st-century European and American paintings, sculptures, and photographs including
works by Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, Marc Chagall, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Georgia O’Keeffe,
Diego Rivera, and more.

A growing collection of contemporary art featuring works by Robert Indiana, Donald Judd, and Alexander
Calder among others.

Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts encompassing theatre design and production in Europe and America
from 1600 to present.

One of the finest collections of prints and drawings in the Southwest, nationally recognized for its focus
on the graphics of the 19th- and 20th-centuries, as well as for the overall quality of its holdings.

Medieval and Renaissance art

Art of New Mexico
Learning at the McNay
Central to the McNay’s education programs are tours for adult and student groups, conducted by volunteer
docents since 1964. However, the museum also regularly offers weekly educational programming in the form of
gallery presentations by curators, scholars, and musicians, including concerts and theatrical performances,
lectures, panel discussions, films, and workshops for teachers, teens and families.
In addition to the programming provided by the museum’s Education Department, the McNay offers the McNay
Art Museum Library, a noncirculating fine arts research facility with more than 30,000 volumes and 28,000 vertical
files that serve museum staff, docents, and visitors.
Docents | Touring the McNay
In 1964, a group of eight Junior League volunteers led by Marcia Gygli King and Peggy Pitman Mays offered tours
of the McNay for student groups. Fifty years and thousands of tours later, the Docent Council numbers well over a
100 members and continues to provide opportunities for the public, particularly school groups, to enjoy and find
meaning in works of art in the collection and special exhibitions.
Student and adult groups can sign up for a variety of tours, including those with a focus on Marion Koogler
McNay’s original bequest, the museum architecture, and feature exhibition tours.
Tours must be scheduled in advance for any duration up to an hour in advance. The fee for an adult group of 10 or
more is $5 per person, which includes admission to the museum. (For select exhibitions, an additional fee may
apply.) No other discounts for admission apply for adult groups.
To book a tour, contact the McNay Scheduler at tours@mcnayart.org
Membership
The McNay offers varying levels of membership, starting at $55 for an individual membership. Yearly benefits
include unlimited free admission to the museum and ticketed exhibitions, invitations to members-only exhibition
previews, a complimentary subscription to the museum’s magazine, Impressions, and e-newsletter, What’s Up @
the McNay, museum store discounts, and free or discounted rates for educational programs and annual events
like the McNay Print Fair.
McNay as a Venue | Creating your Special Event
A popular venue for weddings and corporate events, the McNay’s exquisite architecture, beautifully landscaped
grounds, and internationally renowned art collection offer a unique opportunity to entertain in style. With more
than eight rental space options throughout the museum and on the grounds, there is something for every taste
and budget. The McNay Events team regularly hosts bridal open house events in addition to offering
walkthroughs (by appointment only).
To book an event, contact McNay Rentals at 210.805.1782 or rentals@mcnayart.org.
2014-2015 Feature Exhibitions
Intimate Impressionism from the National Gallery of Art
September 3, 2014 | January 4, 2015
Treasures for San Antonio: 60th Anniversary Gifts and Recent Acquisitions
February 4 | May 17, 2015
Lesley Dill: Performance as Art
June 3 | September 6, 2015
Awards
San Antonio Express-News
2014 & 2013 Reader’s Choice Awards
Local Museum Category: Silver & Critics’ Choice Award
San Antonio Current
2014 Reader’s Choice Awards
Best Museum Category: Second place
Texas Association of Museums
2013 Gold Citation Award for Excellence in Publication and Media Designs
Books and Catalogues Category: Exhibition Catalogue: Andy Warhol: Fame and Misfortune
2013 Silver Citation Award for Excellence in Publication and Media Designs
Non-Print Category: Exhibition Video: Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection
Austin American-Statesman
2012 Best Coffee Table Books
Exhibition Catalogue: Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection
Trip Advisor
2014 Certificate of Excellence
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Yelp.com
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Admission
McNay members FREE
Children 12 & under FREE
Adults $10–$20*
Students w/ I.D. $5–$15*
Seniors (65+) $5–$15*
Active Military $5–$15*
Hours
Su Noon–5 pm
M Closed
Tu 10 am–4 pm
W 10 am–4 pm
Th 10 am–9 pm
F 10 am–4 pm
Sa 10 am–5 pm
* Admission rates vary depending on featured
exhibitions and galleries on view. Visit mcnayart.org
or call 210.824.5368 for current pricing. FREE
Thursday nights, 4–9 pm and FREE first Sundays,
noon–5 pm Free admission to main collection
galleries. Optional admission to featured exhibitions
for an additional charge.
Contact Information
McNay Art Museum
6000 North New Braunfels | PO Box 6069
San Antonio, Texas 78209-0069
210.805.1754 | info@mcnayart,org
www.mcnayart.org
Closed New Year’s Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, and
Christmas. During Daylight Saving Time, the
grounds are open 7 am–7 pm. During Standard
Time, the grounds are open 7 am–6 pm.
Voilà Sundays
Extended hours 5-7 pm
September 3, 2014 | January 4, 2015
The McNay by the Numbers
1883 | Year Marion Koogler was born to Clara and Dr. Marion A. Koogler in DeGraff, Ohio
9 | Age at which Marion produced her first watercolor, titled Fisherman
1903 | Year Marion graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago
1913 | Year Marion traveled to the Armory Show in New York City, the inspiration for her own collection
1917 | Year Marion married Sargent Don Denton McNay and first visited San Antonio
10 | Number of months they were married before Don Denton McNay succumbed to the Spanish Flu
1926 | Year Marion returned to San Antonio and met Dr. Donald T. Atkinson, whom she would later marry
1927 | Year Marion purchased her first oil painting, Diego Rivera’s Delfina Flores
24 | Number of rooms in the home Marion built that would later serve as the core of the museum
700 | Number of works in Marion’s collection when she died in 1950
1954 | Year the McNay Art Museum, Texas’ first museum of modern art, opened to the public
112 | Number of works included in the inaugural exhibition, Paintings and Drawings by Pablo Picasso
20,000+ | Number of works in the McNay Art Museum’s collection today
2008 | Year the Jane & Arthur Stieren Center opened, increasing feature exhibition space
112, 035 | Number of museum square footage
500 | Number of works normally on exhibition
14 | Number of exhibitions presented annually on average
23 | Acres of land the McNay occupies
125,000+ | Number of people who visit the museum annually on average
4,000+ | Number of members
303 | Number of workshops, lectures, gallery talks, films, concerts, performances and family programs annually
51, 567 | Number of individuals the McNay serves annually with education programs
8 | Number of volunteers who first began offering tours in 1964 and started the docent program at the McNay
14,000+ | Number of students given free docent-led tours annually
30,000+ | Number of volumes available to the public at the McNay Art Museum Library for fine arts research
388, 286 | Number of annual museum website visits
26,724 | Number of followers for the museum’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
60 | Number of years the McNay is celebrating in 2014