Must-Visit Museums

This is your ticket to explore all of Austin's best museums for free

Photo courtesy of The Blanton Museum of Art

There is no better time to explore Austin-area museums, cultural institutions, and preservation organizations than during the 20th annual Austin Museum Day on Sunday, September 17. Nearly 40 local participating museums have teamed with the Austin Museum Partnership to waive admission fees, host family-friendly activities, and curate special programming for the day.

Here are the best and most interesting offerings for Austin Museum Day:

Oakwood Cemetery
Save Our Cemeteries, a local preservation nonprofit, will be hosting guided tours of Oakwood Cemetery — Austin’s oldest final resting place — for Austin Museum Day. The cemetery, which dates back to the 1850s, houses some of Austin’s most recognizable names — Zilker, Barton, Bergstrom, Hogg — and overlooks the capitol building. Volunteers will be onsite early to give guided tours of the grounds, and self-guided markers will be present all day until close at sundown. Guided tours 9-11 am; self-guided tours 9 am-6 pm.

Mexic-Arte Museum
The Mexic-Arte Museum will host a slew of fun art-themed activities to celebrate its newest exhibition "Frida and Diego: A Smile in the Middle of the Way." The exhibition runs concurrently with "Love and Death: Community Altars" and celebrates the life and works of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo through the photographs of Peter Jules, Ansel Adams, Leo Matiz, and more. Hands-on art instruction, costuming ideas for the upcoming Viva la Vida Festival and Parade, and a special flower crown demonstration will punctuate the roster of special events. 1-4 pm.

Women and Their Work
Women and Their Work gallery harnesses its annual Red Dot Art Spree into a playful game of "I Spy" for Austin Museum Day. While visitors take in a selection of more than 150 works by some of the best contemporary artists in Texas, they may notice a few hidden details upon closer inspection. Notable works include pieces from Emily Fleisher, Carly Weaver, Chloe Yingst, Heather Sundquist, and Melissa Borrell. 11 am-6 pm.

LBJ Presidential Library and Museum
Celebrate the cultural legacy of the Public Broadcasting Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1967, with "On the Air: 50 Years of Public Broadcasting" currently on view at LBJ Library and Museum. The exhibit, which showcases artifacts from classic PBS programming, will take on an added dimension for Austin Museum Day with an appearance by Grover from Sesame Street, story time with the KLRU-TV Austin vice president of education Benjamin Kramer, and music by the River City Pops. Museum visitors park for free in lot No. 38, located off Red River Street. 9 am-5 pm.

Austin History Center
Whereas the Austin History Center isn’t technically a museum, its work is still that of curation and preservation. For Austin Museum Day, the center will host genealogy- and preservation-related events alongside current photography exhibitions "Finding Refuge in Austin 1848-1980" and "Austin at Mid-Century: Photographs of Dewey Mears." Activities center around Austin family histories and include a preservation station and community pop-up exhibit, an oral history booth, and a family tree-making station for the kids. 1-4 pm.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fall flowers are blooming at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Austin Museum Day activities are sure to showcase it all. Drop-in tours will run all day, with a seed-planting demonstration, story time in the outdoor classroom, and a UT entomology exhibit. Patrons can also meet featured artist Laurel Daniel and attend a book signing in the Wildflower Center store. 9 am-5 pm.

Blanton Museum of Art
The spirit of Rangoli, the art form native to Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, is alive at the Blanton on Austin Museum Day. In conjunction with the current special exhibition "Epic Tales from Ancient India: Paintings from the San Diego Museum of Art," the Blanton will host traditional Indian dance and storytelling by Aruna Kharod, a Rangoli-inspired community art project, free frozen popsicles from Mom & Pops (while supplies last), and 30 percent off all Indian merchandise in the museum catalog. Free parking is available in the Brazos Garage. 1-5 pm.

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Outside the Lines

Buda artist releases intuitive drawing book with fun prompts

Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

Artist Ronald Gross creates an intuitive drawing with crayon, which he considers a "joyful" medium.

Buda-based artist and writer Ronald Gross released a book in November called Unlock Your Creativity: A Guide to Intuitive Drawing, which will walk aspiring expressers through drawing without worry. On December 6, he'll be on hand to help in an intuitive drawing demo at Buda Public Library's Holiday Open House.

The book is a hands-on guide that teaches readers how to lean into their own desires and intuitions when drawing, whether they feel like an artist or not. In this way, intuitive drawing should feel relaxing, meditative, and ultimately, beneficial for mental health. If you find coloring books relaxing and meditative, intuitive drawing may have the same effect on you.

"Intuitive drawing is the practice of creating art without a specific plan or outcome in mind," says Gross. "It’s about letting your hand move freely, guided by emotion, curiosity, or subconscious impulses; not about making something perfect."

An intuitive drawing by author and artist Ronald Gross. Intuitive drawing is simple, joyful, and according to Gross can calm the mind much like meditation. Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

This book presents exercises to access a mindful state: freeform doodling, blind contouring drawing, drawing from the imagination, and drawing from emotions. For artists feeling stuck, Gross also includes plenty of exercises for overcoming creative blocks and even discusses ways intuitive drawing can be applied to other creative projects and areas of life.

In the December workshop, Gross will give a quick demonstration on how to create an intuitive drawing using nothing but lines, shapes, and simple marks. Then participants can try it out with a variety of crayons, because crayons are "tactile" and can quickly transport people into a "playful, unselfconscious space," according to Gross.

"The workshop is all about creating a supportive, judgment-free space to explore intuitive drawing," he says. "Attendees will leave with tools to keep practicing on their own and, hopefully, a renewed sense of creativity and playfulness."

An intuitive drawing from author and artist Ronald Gross. In college Gross was taught how to take a doodle and elevate it into fine art.Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

Gross's own journey into intuitive drawing started at a young age, when he would doodle and sketch throughout the school day. Years later at the Academy of Art University, a professor encouraged him to lean into this more intuitive and abstract style of art. Since then, Gross has been exploring intuitive drawing's ability to access a meditative state, as well as tap into the subconscious mind.

"When you draw intuitively, you’re fully present in the moment," Gross says. "Your mind quiets, and you become attuned to the flow of your thoughts, feelings, and physical movements. It’s akin to meditation, only instead of sitting still, you’re actively channeling your inner experience onto the page."

An intuitive drawing by author and artist Ronald Gross. Gross's intuitive drawings each evoke a different feeling through his simple use of color and linework. Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

Gross adds that over time, doing some of the exercises included in the book may even help boost confidence, since intuitive drawing can help people learn to trust their instincts.

"Intuitive drawing can unlock creativity, reduce stress, and help people reconnect with their inner selves," he adds. "It offers a space to process emotions, spark ideas, and break free from perfectionism or overthinking."

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