Once upon a time, before the travel blogging and the stay-at-home mom gig, I earned a graduate degree in Art History. Needless to say, I have pretty strong opinions about what kind of art I like (Italian art from 1400-1650) and what kind I don’t like (American painting from 1950-present).
To be honest, most of the paintings at the Museum of Western Art didn’t capture my interest. However, I did enjoy our visit, thanks to a small room off to the left of the main gallery.
The Museum of Western Art offers a unique space especially for kids. Visiting an art museum with a child can be challenging, and the fact that this museum features a room dedicated to kids made our visit well-worth the one-hour drive from San Antonio.
The small gallery teaches children about the families who ventured westward. Kids can try on cowboy hats, sit in a stagecoach, and pretend to do laundry the old-fashioned way. At first, E. seemed a little bored. I think she was looking for all of the bells and whistles that you might find at a children’s museum. But once she discovered that she’d have to use her imagination and make her own fun, she started to have a blast. When it was time to go, it took some convincing to get her to leave the children’s gallery and explore the rest of the museum.
I recommend a trip to the Museum of Western Art if you are particularly interested in American art, if you are passing through Kerrivlle, or if your child is learning about frontier life at school. With military discounts (admission for adults with military ID is $4) and free admission for kids under age 8, a visit to the museum is inexpensive and a great activity for these extremely hot summer days when outdoor activities aren’t an option.
The Museum of Western Art is located at:
1550 Bandera Highway
Kerrville, TX 78028
(830) 896-2553
Before you go, you might be interested in reading my post 5 Tips for Taking a Toddler to an Art Museum.
Note: I paid the regular admission price to visit the museum and was not compensated for writing this review. All opinions are my own.
