4 Cool Things To Know About The Martin Museum of Art In Waco
Waco has a surprising number of really cool museums to visit. When it comes to small Texas towns, Waco is certainly making a name for itself! I recently went to check out the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University, and it was actually a lot of fun. (I’m not even a big “art gallery” type of person.) Here are a few interesting tidbits about the Martin Museum of Art.
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4 Cool Things To Know About The Martin Museum of Art
1. It’s not just a gallery for Baylor student art
Yes, you can sometimes see art at the Martin Museum of Art that was created by Baylor University students and faculty. But this is so much more than a student show-and-tell.
The Martin Museum of Art hosts rotating exhibitions featuring world-leading artists.
When I stopped by, they had two really interesting exhibitions on display. One of them was called “Without Margins,” which was put on by the Southern Graphics Council International. The various artwork “portrays personal and/or universal perspectives on urgent concerns which include corruption, immigration, economic disparities, and inequality which have percolated to the forefront.”
Thought-provoking stuff that was not only interesting to look at, but the type of thing that made me want to read about every single piece and what the artist was trying to portray and emphasize through their work.
2. They host really fun events for the community
Whether you’re local or visiting, be sure to check out their events page. They host frequent receptions and award shows to honor the visiting exhibits, student artists, and faculty members who produce the art that’s seen in the museum.
They also have fun seasonal events, like the Print-A-Valentine event in February. Guests will learn about printmaking, and even get the chance to print a woodcut Valentine card on their printing press!
Most of the events are totally free and open to the public. Just be sure to check out that events page to get all the details before you go.
3. The Martin Museum of Art has only 2 rooms
So if you’re someone (like me!) who gets overwhelmed at 8-story art galleries that are expected to take a full day to explore, never fear. The Martin Museum of Art is a great little art gallery for folks who want to enjoy looking at art for about 45 minutes before moving on to the next activity.
I mention this in part because I used to play in an orchestra, and the conductor was a firm believer that orchestra concerts should be 90 minutes long, with no intermission. (Most professional orchestra concerts are about 3 hours long with a 20 minute intermission, and lots of audience members will leave halfway through.)
I’m a big fan of this small art gallery which allows visitors to enjoy a taste of world-renowned art without being overwhelmed. Well done, Baylor!
4. It’s a totally FREE art museum in Waco!
The Martin Museum of Art is such a cool resource in Waco, I want to make sure everyone knows about it!
It’s totally FREE to visit. No charge, no reservations. You can literally just walk in and enjoy the world-class art exhibitions any time you want.
They offer FREE tours. You have to plan ahead, but if you let them know you have a group of 8 or more people coming in, they’ll arrange to give you a tour - completely free of charge!
There’s FREE parking available. I’ve found that the best place to park if you’re going to the Martin Museum of Art is the Dutton Parking Garage. It’s about a 5 minute walk to the art museum, but visitors can park for free in the garage.
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