Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria
3809 West 35th Street
About
Driving up the gated circular path to the Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria is breathtaking. The stately Italian-style villa perches on the banks of Lake Austin, showcasing a handful of AMOA's permanent collections within its three stories. The house was built in 1916 by Clara Driscoll and her husband Hal Sevier, who owned The Austin American newspaper. Driscoll was an author, playwright and an avid gardener. The well-kept grounds include outdoor sculptures, strutting peacocks, an intimate stone amphitheater and the Art School, a small facility offering painting, ceramics, and sculpture classes for children and adults. Weddings, private parties and other celebrations frequently take place on the lushly landscaped 12 acres, a site featured on city, state and national registries of historic places. In 2011, AMOA announced it will close its museum downtown and focus more resources on Laguna Gloria. A new sculpture park and nature trail are planned for the Laguna Gloria site.
