Hollywood in Austin

Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro take the stage at Austin museum's unforgettable gala

Harry Styles was not the only celebrity to grace Austin with his presence over the weekend: Hollywood legends Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep were just down the street for the Harry Ransom Center’s Celebration of Film gala on Saturday, September 24.

Dazzlingly-dressed guests had the chance to walk their own red carpet, exiting their vehicles at the AT&T Conference Center on campus at the University of Texas at Austin. Members of the Texas Blazers, a student service organization, were on hand to guide guests down to the Zlotnik Family Ballroom, where a photo marquee opportunity awaited in front of the iconic José Parlá mural.

The 4,000-foot mural also served as a backdrop to the cocktail reception, towering over guests during the pre-dinner hour. As guests took their seats for the delicious meal, Harry Ransom Center Director Stephen Enniss kicked off the celebration with a welcome talk. His speech, along with an accompanying film by local production firm Revelator, highlighted the Center's 65 years of archiving important American cultural history, and introduced the story behind the new Robert De Niro Curator of Film endowment.

Enniss in turn introduced the night's master of ceremonies, Leonard Maltin, a film critic and Hollywood legend in his own right. Maltin shared his experience watching De Niro's career develop in real time, tracing anecdotes all the way back to Mean Streets and even earlier. He also introduced the inimitable Meryl Streep, who took the stage to share a few words in honor of De Niro's contribution — not only to the Harry Ransom Center, but to the arts as a whole.

Streep's speech was, perhaps unsurprisingly, equal parts moving, delightful, and hilarious, complete with her own De Niro impression. You can view the speech here:

Meryl Streep's speech at the Harry Ransom Center gala on Saturday, September 24.Courtesy of Harry Ransom Center

By the time the man of the hour took the stage, the audience was well-practiced in the standing ovation. De Niro dazzled, tracing his heart for preservation to his father's art studio, which he has kept in pristine condition long after his passing, as a way of remaining near. He also charmed, joking that if he had seen his own "junk" displayed as nicely as it now is at the Harry Ransom Center, he might have considered keeping it.

Thankfully for UT students, Austinites, and film lovers everywhere, he didn't. The De Niro Papers are now on display at the Center, and Saturday night's guests had the privilege of viewing them first at the gala's official after party.

Hosted by brothers Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, and Andrew Wilson, the Post-Production After Party not only provided a glimpse of the De Niro papers, but also a chance to see their mother's stunning photographs in the Center's current exhibit, The Writers: Portraits by Laura Wilson. More cocktails flowed, music blared, and photo booths provided guests the chance to preserve their own memories of one truly unforgettable night.

Photo by Rick Kern / Getty Images

Streep and De Niro brought Hollywood to Austin at the Harry Ransom Center's 65th anniversary gala.

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration