Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Lake Austin

"You don't have to travel far to find green space in Austin, but rarer is the kind of serene, secret-garden quality the Umlauf has in spades. A short walk from town twin jewels Zilker Park and the Barton Springs Pool, this South Austin outdoor space encourages hands-on appreciation of dozens of works by 20th-century sculptor and long-time Austin resident Charles Umlauf. (The bronze statues have been weather- and human-proofed with a wax coating.) Art and nature commingle in magical ways here, and it's catching."

"ZilkerHours: Free this summer, Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 4pm; and Saturday through Sunday, noon to 4pm. Free throughout the year on the first Sunday of each month, noon to 4pmThrough August, jaunts across all four acres of native Texas plant gardens and original Charles Umlauf sculptures are absolutely, completely, 110% free."

"This museum and outdoor sculpture garden focuses on the artistic works of American sculptor Charles Umlauf who lived and worked in Austin for 40 years. Children 12 & under always free as well as Active Military & their families. They're open on Tuesdays thru Fridays from 10 AM – 4 PM, and on Saturdays & Sundays from 11 AM – 4 PM."

"Representing one of the city's largest cultural influences and populations, the Mexic-Arte Museum showcases traditional and contemporary Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture. Founded in 1983, the museum features rotating exhibits, many of which are thought-provoking statements about current issues, like immigration, border control, and acceptance of Mexican culture in Texas. There are numerous installations and topic-focused galleries that include the artwork or sculptures of one or more artists, and several that are collections of photography, painting, and multimedia work that represent populations within the culture."

"Take a break from the stresses of life by visiting these hilarious comedy clubs in Austin!. Afterwards, be sure to check out the Stuff to Do in Austin City Guide page and let us know what you want to see next!. Also, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok and tag us in your photos @StuffToDoInAustin!"

"Since its founding in 1984, the Mexic-Arte Museum has been designated the Official Mexican and Mexican American Fine Art Museum of Texas by the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas. The Museum is free on Sundays."

"Women & Their Work is a visual and performing arts organization located in Central Austin that serves as a catalyst for contemporary art created by women living and working in Texas and beyond. For 40 years, Women & Their Work has brought groundbreaking art to Austin, with exhibitions, performances, and educational workshops. Founded in 1978, Women & Their Work has actively developed the careers of more than 1900 artists, presenting hundreds of visual art exhibitions, music, dance and theater events, spoken word, literary readings, film festivals, and educational workshops."

"Saturday was the opening night of "Barnacles of Existence” by Jill Bedgood. Thanks to everyone who came out! Be sure to stop by the gallery and check out the show now until April 27th! #womenandtheirwork #wtwgallery #atxgallery #jillbedgood #sculpture #womenartists #atxart #barnaclesofexsisitance #exhibition #newwork #marble #reliefs #openingnight. A post shared by Women & Their Work (@womenandtheirwork) on Mar 11, 2020 at 10:14am PDT. Women & Their Work is an art gallery established in 1978 that focuses on women and their artistry."

"utvac.orgThis 10,000-square-foot space in the University of Texas' Art Building features five galleries devoted to work by undergraduate and graduate students of UT, as well as department faculty and emerging artists from around the country and world. The multiple exhibition areas allow visitors to experience a variety of art in a concentrated space, showcasing the individual and collaborative experimentation taking place within the UT art community and beyond. It is an impressive display of the vast resources and sophistication of the UT art program, tucked into the belly of the UT campus."

"Situated in the Department of Art and Art History, the Visual Arts Center (VAC) provides pivotal exhibition and research space, and serves as a creative hub in the university’s active arts community. Within its five gallery spaces, the VAC exhibits new work commissioned from established national and international artists, as well as the work of talented students just entering into their professional artistic careers."

"Visual Arts Center is a local gallery found inside the University of Texas at Austin campus. Established in 2010, this exhibition place aims to empower artists with the various programs that they have. Visual Arts Center houses five different gallery places meant for artists in residence and for other solo and group art display."

"The South Austin Museum of Popular Culture collects, conserves, and exhibits vintage posters and live music ephemera from the 1960s through today to educate future generations on the rich and unique culture that makes Austin the Live Music Capital of the World. SouthPop seeks to enrich a growing and changing the community by becoming the premier source in Texas for art and artifacts of local music history from the 1960s to the present and its impact on local, national, and international culture. To learn more about South Austin Museum of Popular Culture click here."

"To get a glimpse of this integral part of Austin’s culture, head to SOUTHPOP!. Also known as AusPOP, the museum has over 3,000 artifacts and 10,000 photos to peruse. The collection includes a huge assortment of music posters spanning decades, from the 1960s to today."

"China Dynasty has been proudly serving South Austin for 36 years. Your King Chen and his wife May Pao started the first China Dynasty in 1984 on William Cannon. It was a tough beginning, but with the help of friends and family, the restaurant slowly turned into a local’s favorite."

"Taylor, TX Though we have a ton of great beer in the city proper, beer aficionados know there’s sudsy gold in them thar hills -- and anyway, you’re not truly Texan unless you love a good road trip. Make the scenic drive from Austin to Taylor (or take the $8 train) to visit the compellingly named Texas Beer Co; though still young, they’ve been a force in making Taylor a destination, partnering with the city to host regular events and working to energize the city’s Downtown area. Their taproom is beautiful, and the beers are highly drinkable -- especially the well-balanced Hoppy Duck IPA, and the surprisingly refreshing Blacklands porter."

"You’ve definitely seen their Pecan Porter around town, but this old-school Austin brewery does so much more than that!. They rotate through a whole slew of IPAs (black, white, juicy, mosaic, double), some funky sours, and rich, frothy dark beers like the Oatmeal Cream Stout. 512 Brewing is only open to the public on Saturdays from noon-4."

"Their core beers include Wit (a light, white beer), Pale, IPA, SMaSH Mosaic, Juicy IPA, and a Pecan Porter. They are perhaps best known for their smooth, full bodied Pecan Porter and using as many local ingredients as possible. Their 512 IPA is a local favorite as well."

"All the food is made in-house and by hand, with organic ingredients when possible. We recommend you go bold and try the latest “Off the Map” pie, which varies by the month. Featuring funky, unexpected combinations and ingredients, each month’s offering basically exemplifies Austin: totally weird and totally awesome."

"South Austin The St. Elmo development (which seemingly popped up overnight) is anchored by booze, and alongside Austin Winery,Skull Mechanix, and Still Austin Whiskey, you’ll find the highly (and deservedly) popular St. Elmo Brewing. The seating inside is community-style, with easy access to view the inner workings of the brewery, and the dog-friendly yard plays host to Trivia Tuesdays and live music on Grassy Thursdays. The beers here are named like so many favorite children; take a turn with the classy Evangeline Saison, be bold with the Jan German IPA, or drown the sorrows of the world with Angus."

"South Austin beer studs St. Elmo did us a solid this year by surprise-releasing their 2019 ABG Best Everyday Beer mega-hit Carl kolsch in sixers and sending them out to market for all of us to enjoy in our own living rooms while listening to Positions for the dozenth time in a row. That alone is worthy of a lofty ranking. But if you've visited St. Elmo's biergarten anytime recently, you'll know that they are still making approximately 482 flawless beers every negative nine seconds, including this writer's favorite beer of 2020 in Canopy double dry-hopped hazy IPA."

"In addition to its inventive beers, this new brewery also serves pour-over coffee and delicious Asian fusion bites from its resident food truck, Soursop. The large beer garden would also be a great place to hang out and listen to live music on a warm night."

"Festival Beach Park is the common name for Edward Rendon Senior Metro Park at Festival Beach, which is admittedly a mouthful. This beautiful public park is located along the river, and it has a dock where people launch kayaks and long rowing team boats, and some lovely trails for hiking and biking. There is a boat ramp for launching boats in the Colorado River, and a small and pretty inlet of water that ventures into the park."

"Next, check out Zilker Park, a 360-acre oasis in the heart of downtown that’s the site of festivals and free music at Zilker Hillside Theater, plus it’s home to Zilker Botanical Garden, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum and Barton Springs Pool, a spring-fed swimming spot with grassy hills for sunbathing. Make it a boozy afternoon and pull up a chair in the taproom of urban winery Infinite Monkey Theorem for a flight of Texas-made wine. Or head to Duchman Family Winery in Driftwood (just a half-hour drive out of Austin), where you can take a tour and sample wines in a lovely Italianate villa, including Duchman’s award-winning Vermentino. Stop in the North Austin warehouse and taproom of Austin Beerworks, where weekend tastings feel more like a backyard barbecue, with live music and bites from local food trucks."