Kick Off the Season in a Western Way at the Briscoe Museum Downtown
Kick off the season with a Happy Holidays from the Briscoe: Free Admission for Bexar County and San Antonio Residents!
The Briscoe Western Art Museum invites family and friends to get wrapped up in Western fun at the Briscoe’s annual free Cowboy Christmas, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1. Cowboy Santa himself will be making a special appearance, ready to meet young cowboys and cowgirls and listen to their holiday wishes. Donning his signature Western attire, Cowboy Santa brings a Texas twist to holiday traditions, making for a unique and memorable photo opportunity. Children will also have the chance to create holiday keepsakes through a variety of crafts that highlight Western themes and traditions.
Cowboy Christmas features a day of family fun exploring the museum 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. with holiday crafts, and visits with Cowboy Santa 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Cowboy Christmas is included with museum admission, making the Briscoe the perfect way to enjoy holiday fun and make memories with your family. This year’s celebration falls on the Briscoe’s monthly Locals Day, so all Bexar County and San Antonio residents receive free admission to enjoy the museum and all the holiday fun.
Add Your Story – Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West
Everyone who attends Cowboy Christmas can enjoy the Briscoe’s special exhibition, Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West and add their stories to the exhibition. Explore how artists use narrative art to convey history, culture and identity through works that tell powerful stories of the American Southwest. Guiding questions throughout the exhibition invite visitors to take a closer look at the works on display – and dive into the stories they tell – while stations in the exhibition ask visitors to share their own stories. Visitors can then hang their story on the exhibition’s community story wall or practice the techniques of gesture drawing – a quick sketching technique that helps capture the essence of a subject’s pose, movement or expression – and create their own narrative art.
Howdy Neighbors: Ways to Head West and Save
To show how friendly the West is and to thank the San Antonio community for its continued support, the Briscoe Western Art Museum makes the first Sunday of each month “Locals Day,” greeting locals with free general admission. Bexar County residents can enjoy Cowboy Christmas and Locals Day by registering online.
Not a local? The Cowboy Christmas fun is included with general museum admission. As always, children 12 and under receive free admission at the Briscoe, as do active duty members of the military, making the museum a terrific spot for families to add to their holiday plans. Active duty military families receive half-price admission when accompanied by their active duty family member. Year-round, retired and former members of the military also received discounted admission.
The first weekend of each month also includes free museum admission thanks to Bank of America Museums on Us, allowing Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust cardholders to gain one free admission to the museum. Through Museums for All, recipients of SNAP, WIC, and MAP receive free general admission throughout the year.
Fill Your Stocking with the Best of the West
For everyone looking to fill their gift lists, the Briscoe’s Hendler Family Museum Store features something for everyone on your list. Shopping the museum includes holiday finds, home décor, and gifts for men, women and children that aren’t the cookie cutter things you’ll see at traditional retailers. Everyone who completes the museum’s scavenger hunt receives a 10% discount in the Hendler Family Store.
Briscoe Days and Hours
Can’t enjoy Cowboy Christmas? The museum is open Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday through Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.
