SAN ANTONIO – The McNay Art Museum announced Wednesday a $6.25 million Landscape Master Plan.
The plan will activate and enhance the outdoor museum experience with additional works of art, "invisible" fencing, new landscaping, and increased accessibility -- ensuring everyone feels welcome and at home at the first modern art museum in Texas, a news release said.
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"By physically opening up the McNay to our entire community, we are honoring the legacy of our founder," said McNay Director Richard Aste. "During World War II, when our country needed more beauty and inspiration than ever, Marion Koogler McNay shared her home and world-renowned modern art collection with students and soldiers across San Antonio. Seventy-five years later, her commitment to excellence and inclusion have helped position the McNay for the next all-embracing chapter."
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Phase I construction is underway and slated for completion by the spring of 2020. The existing tall hedges along the edge of the property will be replaced with aesthetic fencing and native drought-resistant plantings, creating even easier access to the McNay's original 1929 residence. The museum will remain fully open throughout construction and will utilize intermittent entrance detours as needed.
As part of the plan, the greenspace at the intersection of Austin Highway and North New Braunfels is being absorbed into the McNay campus. This area will be known as the Mays Family Park in honor of the generous $2 million lead gift from the Mays Family Foundation. The Park will feature the museum's monumental masterpiece, Ascent, by Russian-born American sculptor Alexander Liberman, as well as additional outdoor works of art and landscaping that will enhance the overall visitor experience.