| The Blanton Museum of Art is a part of the | | | | sculpture of New York's Park Place Gallery |
| College of Fine arts in The University of Texas at | | | | Cooperative, the performance-installation work of |
| Austin, with a permanent collection of substantial | | | | Michael Smith and Joshua White, woodcuts and |
| range and depth. It is the principal art museum in | | | | engravings by Albrecht Drer, or Rembrandt's |
| Austin, with collections and exhibits on a par with | | | | etchings, the rotating exhibitions are world-class. |
| art museums throughout the country. Positioning | | | | The public programs available at the Blanton are |
| itself as a gateway between the University | | | | diverse and exciting. They offer public tours of |
| community and the general public in Austin, the | | | | the museum, guided by knowledgeable docents |
| Blanton is committed to building the finest | | | | who can answer questions about the collections |
| collections possible, being a vital resource for | | | | and exhibits. Each month, they host an art party |
| teaching in a broad variety of disciplines, and to | | | | known as "B-Scene," featuring live music by |
| making their offering available to art lovers of all | | | | Austin bands, gallery tours, art-making activities, |
| ages. | | | | light snacks, and a cash bar featuring their |
| Originally known as the University Art Museum, | | | | signature cocktail, the Blantini. The last Tuesday of |
| the Blanton dates back to 1963, when a new | | | | the month brings the Bach Cantata project, a |
| building for the art department designated some | | | | choral performance held in the majestic atrium of |
| gallery space. The Blaton Museum began collecting | | | | the museum. Hot Art Hip Kids is a program for |
| in earnest throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and | | | | children, and for adults, they also offer educational |
| gained a large group of important paintings from a | | | | lectures on their exhibitions, as well as Third |
| private donation from the acclaimed author James | | | | Thursday, a themed event held in the evenings. |
| Michener. The Blanton took an early leadership role | | | | Classes and workshops on many different |
| in the promotion and preservation of Latin | | | | subjects are also available. |
| American art, founded on the donation of some | | | | With the opening of the new Blanton in April |
| two hundred paintings and 1,200 drawings from | | | | 2006-following a 2 1/2 year building project the |
| the collection of John and Barbara Duncan. Other | | | | museum was for the first time able to house all |
| permanent holdings include the C. R. Smith | | | | of its collections under one roof, becoming the |
| Collection of Paintings of the American West, and | | | | premier art museum in Central Texas. In its new |
| nearly one thousand contemporary prints donated | | | | home, with its rich and versatile collections, |
| by Charles Clark of McAllen, Texas. Now, the | | | | magnificent galleries, fun and diverse |
| museum has over 17,000 works in its permanent | | | | programming, and an enthusiastic and committed |
| collection. | | | | group of staff and volunteers, the museum |
| The museum also offers a great number of | | | | continues its mission to promote the arts in Austin |
| traveling exhibitions, with topics that range from | | | | to the students attending the University of Texas |
| cultural to political art. Whether featuring the | | | | of Austin and the general public. |