In addition to enjoying priceless works indoors, visitors to San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum often rave about the manicured lawns, outdoor sculptures, koi pond, and Japanese-inspired garden outside the walls. Now, a $500,000 grant will help the institution make the 25-acre campus more accessible to everyone.

According to a September 29 press release, the San Antonio-based Kronkosky Charitable Foundation has awarded the McNay a grant that will fund a two-phase, organizational accessibility assessment and help the museum implement prioritized improvements.

Phase one will fund sessions with accessibility consultants with experience specific to museums and cultural institutions. Their findings will inform customized suggestions based on best practices and current research being employed nationwide.

In Phase two, the McNay will review recommendations and implement the suggestions that make the most sense for the 71-year-old institution.

Matthew McLendon, the McNay’s director and CEO, said the coming improvements must be meaningful and lasting, and allow the museum to expand access and audience engagement, while bolstering the institution’s long-term relevance and sustainability.

“Belonging is more than an open door. It is whether a person can move through this campus comfortably, connect with the art and feel that the McNay has our whole community in mind,” McLendon said in a statement. “We are grateful to Kronkosky for an investment that lets us pursue that standard across all 25 acres, in our galleries, our grounds, our programs and our digital presence.”

A 2022 blog published by the American Alliance of Museums outlines the importance of enhancing accessibility and inclusiveness. Both fit into larger, ongoing efforts by museums and other cultural institutions to remain relevant to not only reliable patrons but the next generation(s) of prospective visitors and supporters.

“When engaging diverse audiences, simply putting up a welcome sign is not enough,” the AAM bloggers wrote. “Meaningful inclusion entails opportunities for members of disability communities to advise on and design accessible public programs, exhibitions, and spaces from the very beginning. People with disabilities should be the ones leading the conversation about their own interests and needs, a principle summed up in the expression ‘nothing about us without us.'”

McNay officials said accessibility is key to their mission of engaging a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. They pledged that the museum’s offerings will continue to evolve to meet the needs of a growing city.

While awaiting the findings of their upcoming assessment, McNay leaders said they already aim to widen the appeal of museum accessibility and programming to underrepresented populations in museum attendance:

• Older adults
• Active-duty and veteran military members and their families
• Individuals with mobility limitations, sensory sensitivity, and challenges tied to post-traumatic stress

The McNay also offers free admission to children ages 12 and under, active military and veterans, and participants in state-run social benefits programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

McNay officials said even more can be done to open up further access, and welcome people of all ages and backgrounds.

“The McNay sees natural common ground between its creative aging work and its engagement with veterans, as well as expanded opportunities for all audiences to connect through art,” the release stated.