Inside a former brewery built in 1886, one of Texas's premier art museums bridges centuries and continents with over 30,000 works spanning five millennia.

Welcome to the San Antonio Museum of Art, where industrial architecture meets world-class art in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Since opening in 1981, this cultural landmark has transformed the historic Lone Star Brewery complex into a destination showcasing everything from ancient Egyptian mummies to contemporary Texas sculpture.

Perched along the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Walk, SAMA invites visitors to explore human creativity across time and geography, all within the distinctive red-brick walls of a 19th-century brewing facility.

From Witte Museum to Cultural Landmark

The story begins in 1926 when the San Antonio Museum Association founded the Witte Memorial Museum to house both art and natural history. By the 1970s, the art collection had grown so substantially, with works by artists like Georgia O'Keeffe and Paul Cézanne, that director Jack McGregor recommended a bold solution: purchase the abandoned Lone Star Brewery and create a dedicated art museum.

After a $7.2 million renovation, SAMA opened its doors on March 1, 1981. The transformation preserved the brewery's industrial character while creating 87,500 square feet of gallery space through expansions in 1991, 1998, and 2005. In 1985, the museum received a major gift of Latin American folk art from former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and collector Robert K. Winn, setting the stage for its world-class Latin American collection.

A Global Collection Spanning Millennia

With more than 30,000 objects, SAMA's collection represents every corner of the globe and 5,000 years of human history. The museum houses one of the largest ancient Mediterranean collections in the southern United States, featuring Egyptian artifacts from pre-dynastic through Byzantine periods alongside Greek and Roman sculpture.

The Lenora and Walter F. Brown Asian Art Wing showcases over 1,500 works from China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia, including a striking 13th-century Buddhist sculpture. The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art holds over 7,000 objects spanning Mexico to the Caribbean, making it one of the nation's most comprehensive Latin American collections. Contemporary galleries emphasize post-World War II American abstraction and Texas artists from the 1960s onward.

Where History and Art Converge

The building itself is part of the experience. The brewery's industrial bones, towering brick walls, and original architectural details create an unexpected backdrop for ancient treasures and modern masterpieces. This adaptive reuse project stands as one of San Antonio's most successful historic preservation efforts.

Since 2009, the Gloria Galt River Landing has connected the museum directly to the River Walk's Museum Reach extension, making SAMA the anchor of this cultural corridor. The museum even operated a restored 1913 streetcar between 1982 and 1985, running on vintage electric tracks behind the building. This quirky piece of history reflected San Antonio's streetcar era, which ended in 1933, and the beloved yellow car "Old 300" now operates in Bend, Oregon, carrying passengers once again.

San Antonio Museum of Art Highlights & Tips

• The Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art Don't miss this 30,000-square-foot dedicated space housing one of the world's finest Latin American folk art collections, with over 7,000 objects from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
• Ancient Mediterranean Treasures Explore rare Egyptian artifacts spanning from pre-dynastic times through the Byzantine period, plus an exceptional collection of Greek and Roman sculpture featuring portraits, funerary pieces, and mythological subjects.
• The Brown Asian Art Wing Wander through 15,000 square feet of galleries showcasing more than 1,500 Asian artworks from China, Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Tibet.
• Contemporary Texas Art See works by Texas artists from the late 1960s to today, including sculptures by San Antonio native Luis Jiménez, offering insight into the region's vibrant art scene.
• Historic Brewery Architecture Take time to appreciate the building's 1886 industrial architecture. The preserved brewery features add unique character rarely found in art museums.
• River Walk Connection Access the museum via the scenic Museum Reach section of the San Antonio River Walk through the Gloria Galt River Landing, combining art with riverside strolling.
• Plan for Size With 87,500 square feet of gallery space and collections spanning 5,000 years, allow at least 2-3 hours to fully explore the museum's diverse offerings.
• Downtown Location The museum sits at 200 West Jones Avenue in downtown San Antonio, making it easy to combine with visits to other downtown attractions and dining.

The San Antonio Museum of Art proves that great museums can emerge from unexpected places. Within these brewery walls, you'll travel from ancient Egypt to modern Texas, from Asian temples to Latin American villages, all while surrounded by industrial architecture that honors San Antonio's past.

Whether you're drawn to ancient civilizations, Asian spirituality, Latin American folk traditions, or contemporary abstraction, SAMA offers something to spark curiosity and wonder. The museum's commitment to representing global culture makes it an essential stop for anyone seeking to understand art's power to connect us across time and distance.