San Antonio Museum Of Art

SAMA's 2024 exhibitions included: The Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum, highlighting arms and armor in the golden age from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance; Goddess Triptych Reunited, which centered three paintings by the late San Antonio-based artist Ángel Rodriguez-Díaz along with works from the Museum's Ancient Mediterranean collection, accentuating the feminine form across time, culture, and geography; Lovers & Fighters: Prints by Latino Artists in the SAMA Collection, exploring love, power, and struggle, and the significance of printmaking in Latino art history; Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory, the first retrospective of the influential Chicana artist and cultural critic, featuring over 40 works in a range of media in a celebration of Mesa-Bains's important contributions to the field of contemporary art; and The World of Irreversible Change from international art collective teamLab making its US debut at SAMA, with the large participatory digital work presenting a birds-eye view of a virtual ancient city and its inhabitants and changing in real-time with the actions of viewers, the weather, and the time of day of its location.

SAMA creates and delivers meaningful interpretive programs that connect people to art, ideas, and each other through a dynamic exhibition calendar, comprehensive global collection, and other mission-driven offerings. With a variety of year-round initiatives for adult, family, children, university/college, and other audiences, the ~500 engagements carried out in 2024 included: a suite of docent-led tours for preK-12, collegiate, and adult audiences, including a new "off the wall" series offering fresh takes on the Museum's permanent collection; artist talks; artmaking experiences; lectures and panel discussions; music, dance, theatre, and other cultural performances; educator workshops; film screenings; a Kids' Studio early childhood learning program; immersive Family Days and other intergenerational programs; ReCollections, a memory initiative for people experiencing Alzheimer's and dementia, as well as their families and caregivers; and Haven for Hope hands-on art workshops for women and children experiencing homelessness. All SAMA programming is designed to motivate discovery, learning, creativity, reflection, and exchange through the lens of art.

In 2024, on-site visitation was ~148,000, with many more visitors engaging in artworks and programming virtually. Based on annual Museum data, 44% of visitors to SAMA reside in San Antonio, Bexar County, and surrounding counties; approximately 40% are from elsewhere in Texas; and 19% are from outside the state. Approximately 48% of Museum visitors self-identify as Hispanic/Latino or Indigenous, 35% as Caucasian, and 16% as African American, Asian, and other. Eight percent (8%) identify as military with increases each year. Data from recent exhibitions indicate that approximately one-third of Museum visitors have household incomes less than $50,000 and lack a college education. While attracting all age groups, SAMA draws most strongly from the 35-54 age group, including family households with children. The Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am-5pm, except Tuesday and Friday when it remains open until 7 pm. In line with SAMA's 'access for all' mission, Bexar County residents receive free general admission during weekly Free Hours on Tuesdays 4-7pm and Sundays 10am-12pm. Children aged 12 and under always receive free admission. Free admission opportunities are integral to the Museum's charge to reach and engage all communities in Greater San Antonio, particularly those overlooked and under-resourced. To this end, SAMA also participates in two nationwide cultural admission programs for targeted individuals and families: Museums for All and Blue Star Museums. SAMA's membership currently numbers ~3,000 households, with participation and distinct benefits reflecting various membership levels.