Everyone was very nice and helpful. The artwork was amazing. Plenty of parking and food spots for a…read morefamily outing.

'OMG girl, run! I'm afraid he's going to injure you!'…read more This was an explicit warning I received from fellow (and skilled) salsera Dej M. during one of MACC's Pura Salsa meetups. Some background information: The gracious Marion and Jason hold these dance socials the first Thursday night in the facility's auditorium. Counterintuitively, they get started early with a 6-7p beginner lesson and continue to blast the salsa jams until about 10p. Start early, end early, for the sake of the 8am weekday workforce. Thank you a thousand times for this, Marion. There are usually some very skilled partners at these dances, and one lead was able to safely lift my salsera friend and I (off the ground, though not simultaneously) without breaking a sweat, despite our misgivings. He had adequate upper body strength for that feat, fortunately. These meetups are worthy of more dancers than the typical 12-15 couples who are lucky enough to spread out on the auditorium's HUGE wooden floor, so bring on more people, Party People. Other events hosted by MACC have been a Day of the Dead community celebration, complete with a paint-your-own-sugar-skull crafts area, live latin band, theater dance performance, wacky altars for loved ones gone, and of course a giant paper mâché skull. They currently host flamenco, yoga, power spanish (feel the power!) and martial arts classes as well. I'm a fan.

Community service is a fundamental part of who I am...part of my DNA. It dates back to when I was…read morea child and my mom used to take care packages to people who were sick and shut in. My mother always said and I believe that "we are all blessed to be a blessing to others." I judged the National Arts Competition (Theme: Unity through Art) today at the George Washington Carver Museum in East Austin, evaluating entries for creativity, content, and artistic ability. We received submissions from students at Bertha Sadler Means Academy for Young Women Leaders, middle school grades 6 through 8. We have also received submissions from 4th & 5th graders at Lee Lewis Campbell Media & Performing Arts Elementary School. This museum honors community, memory, and lived experiences. The museum started as Austin's first public library in 1926, later becoming the "Colored Branch" library when moved to East Austin during segregation. Then it evolved into the first African American neighborhood museum in Texas, which gives it a deeper sense of purpose. The exhibits are both informative and deeply moving. The storytelling offers context that connects local history to broader national narratives. The museum is well maintained and located in a historic Black landmark in Austin. Staff are friendly and informed, and rotating exhibitions provide fresh experiences with the permanent collections. In addition, admission is free, making the Carver Museum accessible for everyone. If you value history and culture, it's a worthwhile visit that educates and encourages dialogue in a respectful setting.

Hidden Gem Happen…read moreto come here for Museum Day. Never heard of it and it's wasn't on my radar. What a nice little surprise. It's a quaint museum with only two exhibits. One on American Slavery and the other on a rotating schedule. Riley Holloway's What I Carry exhibits was currently being displayed. Surprisingly there's no George Washington Carver exhibit outside of the children's room. You'll spend 20 minutes tops here. If you are in the area and have time to kill stop in by. It's also free! 8/10 Paintings

So my plan was to originally visit for free because I heard they had an event on the weekend but…read moreThe Contemporary has TWO locations and it was free for the downtown museum only that day. This is Laguna Gloria, and it features sculptures all outdoors. We ended up paying since we were already there. BUT Laguna Gloria is FREE on Thursdays. Other days is $10 pp and if you didn't pay in advance online, they can take payment at the gift shop. Though, I'm not sure how they enforce it because it looks like you can just pass by the gift shop and enter the park. As a former art student, I just wasn't that impressed or intrigued by the art. You have to walk a ways away to visit the next sculpture. They provide a map at the gift shop, but since I'm not good at geographic directions, I just allowed my husband to plan the walking route for us. We got to see all the sculptures (there aren't a lot...15?) In total, we were probably there for less than an hour. I didn't understand some sculptures. I saw a lonely, abandoned light pole covered with spiderwebs and joked to my husband, "look at this artwork!" It turns out, it was actually art because there's a sign next to it introducing the art piece and everything. Awkward. Anyway...appreciated walking around the grounds. My favorite is the crying Miffy fountain, which is one of the first things you see when you enter the grounds. Street parking only (unless you are an art student or staff there).

The Contemporary is an outdoor museum that felt like a mini adventure all in one! We were greeted…read moreand given a map to all the installations on the property. Make sure to bring some sunscreen, water, especially on a sunny/hot day! There were several sculptures/ installations that were in shaded areas, but the sun can be very brutal since you will be outdoors. Not sure if there was parking on the property, but we parked down the hill and walked about 5 mins up.

The food was delicious the atmosphere and ambience is refreshing and relaxing…read more The Texas air and sunset, coupled with a lovely breeze from the fans around the upstairs rooftop patio had us set for the night. We will definitely be back it was a win-10/10!

Its been a long minute since i gave been here. Haven't returned since a bartender padded her…read moretip...by $30 several years ago. This is through and through a space to drink and socialize with "upscaled" yet overpriced gastropub fare. ($4 for tortilla chips geez) Staff is always pleasant and this visit was par for the course. Very competent in the art of mixology, every drink was made precisely. They have nudged me to coming back again in the future s

Loved this experience. This place has definitely been around for awhile and I can see why. Got…read morethere early to scope out the location and upon entering you provide your name and they provide a paper to give upon entering the show room. There was a group on the patio area where you can order tacos, I did not partake. Then the bar area inside. You can take drinks into the showroom as well. Scoped out the venue which was bigger than anticipated and really enjoyed the fish tank TVs. So fun! The show was entertaining and up to date with references all relevant to the current times. Everyone on stage was great and their chemistry can be seen. The audience was laughing 99% of the time and the show went back fast! I'd totally go back for a local Austin night out with good laughs.

Esther Follies is an Austin staple!…read more They've been performing for 50 years, providing amazing entertainment for all guests attending their shows. They do a mix of comedy, magic, music , and just overall great entrainment for their shows. It's mainly themed around local and world politics + the LGBTQ community. Tickets are approximately $40. The show is about 90 minutes, with a 5 min break halfway through. They have a bar on site, and a taqueria that's connected to their building as well. Highly recommend the taqueria, it's authentic and delicious! Absolutely recommend for locals, visitors, and those who just want to enjoy a great show in the best city in the country!

I absolutely love this library (Lyndon B. Johnson). I visited once before relocating to Austin and…read morenow that I live within walking distance, I often take family and friends who come to visit. It's an important museum that houses millions of photos, videos, documents, etc. with regard to the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, LBJ's presidency, and so on. There are exhibits displaying information on Medicare and its beginnings. The Oval Office replica is pretty cool to see. So many things to check out including, you guessed it, a gift shop! This is a "not to be missed" museum.

I gave this Presidential Library only 3 stars because I was only able to visit 2/3's of the museum…read more Apparently, they are renovating one of the floors. When we arrived and paid our admission fee, we immediately were met with 2 hosts that kind of went over and explained everything you would be seeing. The funniest part is when an elderly white lady tried to explain to me their new traveling exhibit. It was a hip hop exhibit and she was explaining how interesting it was. She was like 70 and I am sure she is bumping Biggie and 2 Pac on her way to work. The 1st floor was just the presidential Limo, some campaign exhibits, a gift shop and the hip hop exhibit. When I think about LBJ, I am pretty sure Hip Hop is far from the top of the list of things associated with him. However, as a kid from the hip hop generation it was cool to see Run DMC's Adidas, Slick Rick's Kangol and other artists out fits. The 10th floor (I think it was the 10th) had a replica Oval Office, lots of gifts given to LBJ during his presidency and other exhibits as well. I enjoy going to the different Presidential Libraries and Museums and this one is pretty nice but nothing that will wow you.

We had time for one museum while on our trip and so we picked Bullock Texas State History Museum…read more This was a great choice that we made and certainly something to explore. The History History and the contemporary history that is all laid out here is very well presented and in the contemporary part it felt like you were reading, observing and strolling from decade to decade. A wide range of topics and different vantage points of Texas is explored here which makes it very fascinating and was mind broadening as we progressed through the displays and artifacts. I didn't know a whole lot about Austin City Limits and all of the musicians and musical acts that played there which was very much a learning experience and perhaps one of my favorite sections of the museum. Definitely worth going to if you are in Austin and wanting to take in some history and culture that makes up the state and the city.

I visited the Bullock Texas State History Museum with my husband and parents on the first Sunday of…read morethe month which allows you free entry! The museum is an homage to Texas history and culture. The current special exhibit showcases Texas Festivals from highly decorated parade floats, pageant costumes, and competitive eating! This museum is great. It's also across the street from the Blanton Art Museum and a quick walk down to the Capitol Building so you can make a it a day of Austin must-sees especially if you're visiting for the first time.

One of my favorite things about working on a college campus are the gems (art, music, dance,…read moretheatre) that are available to enjoy.who knows if the arts can withstand the tide that is currently decimating our history so I won't take it for granted and will experience as much of it as I can. The contemporary, modern and Latin collections in the Blanton, along with the art pieces at Rowling Hall are my favorites.

Blantons is great break from the sun, and a small taste of a variety of classical and contemporary…read moreart. The staff were super friendly. Griffin was a fantastic behind the desk guy. Samantha and Abby were nice docents. Each said hello, were welcoming, and shared their favorite pieces, and spoke competently about the art they were watching over. I got the opportunity to see various immersive works. Ellesworth Kelly has his own building of stained glass images, black and white tiles, and a male totem. My favorite work was in the modern section, but it looked like a classical piece. Pilgrims by Coronel. It looked like a bunch of guys in big hats collaged together - but it's just folks walking by each other. It was a good mix of various eras and modes of art. The light was warm, but not overpowering. And the A/C is working. In the middle of the summer, that last point is a must. As one of the Blue Star Museums, it sponsors a service member and up to 5 other folks entrance into the museum to see the exhibits. It's easily a great hideout from the heat and free for military during the summer. Recommend.