San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio

The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) stands as a cultural cornerstone in Downtown San Antonio, seamlessly blending art, history, and innovation. Housed in the historic former Lone Star Brewery—an architectural relic dating back to 1886—the museum's location is as storied as the artifacts it holds. SAMA opened its doors in March 1981, following a renovation of the brewery complex, now situated prominently on the Museum Reach section of the San Antonio River Walk.

The museum’s roots trace back to 1926 when the San Antonio Museum Association established the Witte Memorial Museum to house art and natural history collections. By the 1970s, acquisitions of notable works by artists like Frank Stella, Wayne Thiebaud, and Philip Guston underscored the need for dedicated space. Under the guidance of Jack McGregor, then director of the association, the decision was made to acquire the Lone Star Brewery complex, marking SAMA’s split from the Witte Memorial Museum and laying the foundation for its independent journey.

SAMA's evolution continued with significant milestones. In 1985, the museum acquired exceptional collections of Latin American Folk Art from former Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller and collector Robert K. Winn. Expansions over the years have further cemented its reputation, including the Cowden Gallery (1991), the Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art (1998), and the Brown Asian Art Wing (2005), bringing the total gallery space to a sprawling 87,500 square feet.

Today, SAMA boasts a collection of over 30,000 objects, spanning 5,000 years of history and culture from across the globe. Highlights include Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, as well as celebrated works of Asian, Latin American, and Contemporary art. Its location on the River Walk’s Museum Reach, enhanced by the opening of the Gloria Galt River Landing in 2009, underscores SAMA’s role as both a cultural and geographic anchor in San Antonio's vibrant art scene.