Things to Do in Austin When It Rains: Art Lovers Edition

By Cindy Widner@CurbedAustin Jun 2, 2016, 4:50pm CDT

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By Cindy Widner@CurbedAustin Jun 2, 2016, 4:50pm CDT

We don't technically have a monsoon season in Austin (yet), but the past few weeks (and the past few late-spring seasons) make a good case for declaring one. It can really put a cramp in an outdoorsy city's style.

Not to worry. As we all know from our interminable summers, there's plenty of good stuff happening indoors around here—including a cornucopia of offerings from the many visual artists whose work is on display throughout the city. For the art lover and the art-curious, we have the perfect rainy day gallery and museum guide right here. It works in other kinds of weather, too.

MASS Gallery

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David X Levine • a subtle statement on view in our current exhibition, 'Extended Technique'. Open today til 5 ~ #massatx

A photo posted by MASS // ATX (@massgallery) on May 22, 2016 at 1:17pm PDT

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507 Calles St Ste 108, Austin, TX 78702

Mexican American Cultural Center

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A photo posted by kate❤️⛵️ (@katimeals) on Aug 22, 2015 at 1:08pm PDT

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600 River St, Austin, TX 78701

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Wally Workman Gallery

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A photo posted by Wally Workman Gallery (@wallyworkmangallery) on Sep 30, 2015 at 10:08am PDT

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1202 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703

Harry Ransom Center (HRC)

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Known recently for its aggressive pursuit of writers' archives, the Harry Ransom Center possesses a stunning amount of written work, from an original Gutenberg Bible to David Foster Wallace's heavily annotated self-help collection. Less well-known but equally impressive is its spectacular, wide-ranging collection and preservation of items and documents from the worlds of film, history, theater, and art. Renowned San Antonio-Austin architectural firm Lake|Flato remodeled the 1972 building in the mid-2000s, providing a bigger, more welcoming venue for its museum exhibits. The downstairs museum is open regular hours, but call ahead if you want to see some of the many wonders they keep in upstairs archives.

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University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78705

(512) 471-8944

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Art on 5th

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A photo posted by Artwork of Chris Guarino (@artworkofchrisguarino) on May 26, 2016 at 1:11pm PDT

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3005 S Lamar Blvd Ste C110B, Austin, TX 78704

(512) 481-1111

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grayDUCK gallery

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Located in the still quite arty central Eastside, grayDUCK exhibits contemporary work of national and local artists in its 100-year-old former bungalow—now stripped down and made into a minimalist space that works well for showing off the art. The gallery is also a neighborhood and social hub and hosts a variety of performance events.

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2213 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

(512) 826-5334

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George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center

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George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural CenterThe Carver is both Austin's first library and an emblem of its segregated past, but it has survived and ultimately thrived as a keeper of local histories personal and public. The small original library has been restored and is now a genealogy center; the adjacent building currently serving as the Carver Library has also been refurbished and become an active neighborhood hub. The cultural center, the site's crowning glory, hosts events, meetings, and performers, as well as being used for such municipal purposes as being a polling place. It recently became home to a moving Juneteenth sculpture and monument on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the date when enslaved Texans finally found out they were free.

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1165 Angelina St, Austin, TX 78702

(512) 974-4926

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Mexic-Arte Museum

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Founded in 1984, Mexic-Arte preserves and exhibits traditional and contemporary Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture in consistently magnificent fashion. The mere fact that it has survived on Congress Avenue all this time is testament enough to its lasting relevance, but the quality of its exhibits and its traditional Dia de los Muertos parade leave no doubt. We like its somewhat traditional but eternally relevant building, but the museum is pursuing a new Fernando-Romero-designed plan on its current site, so its ultimate appearance could change radically.

419 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

(512) 480-9373

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Women And Their Work

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For over 37 years, Women & Their Work has been in Austin for almost four decades. Its groundbreaking exhibitions, performances, and educational workshops focus on contemporary art created by women living and working in Texas and beyond.