At one time, this striking castle-shaped building on the San Antonio river was the buzzing nerve centre of Texas' iconic Lonestar Brewery – the 'National Beer of Texas'. Now it's filled with a different sort of buzz – the busy ferment of artistic ideas, as home to the San Antonio Museum of Art. Since 1981, the 19th century brewery has been adapted and expanded and now houses over 2,000 works of art, including a world-renowned Latin American collection.
The renovation of the brewery building in the 1970s was part of the regeneration of San Antonio's famous River Walk area. When it opened, it was heavily focused on art from the Americas. So it has an extensive collection of art from the time before Columbus arrived at the continent. Beautiful pieces in ceramic, gold and opal can be viewed from cultures as diverse as the Incas, Aztecs, and Mayans. Some of these date back to 2,000 BC.
There is also a strong representation of artwork from the Colonial Spanish era, particularly its paintings. But there is more – the riches being fashioned during the age of American exploration and conquest are demonstrated in silverware, furniture, textiles and pottery from the 15th to 18th centuries.
More recently, the museum has widened its scope. It has expanded significantly, as it received new donations and extended its premises. It is now reckoned that its collections of 'Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World' offer the most comprehensive coverage of Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art works in the southern US states.
And the museum has also stepped up its purchases of contemporary works, showcasing important new ideas from young Texan and Mexican artists. So while San Antonio has lost a brewing legend, it has gained a reputation for being at the heart of artistic Texan culture – revelling in the glories of the past, while ready to grasp at the promise of the future.
