Austin

Under the guidance of general director Kevin Patterson and principal conductor Richard Buckley, the ALO aims to enrich, entertain, and educate the community with its performances of productions both rare and well-known. Recent seasons have included such highlights as a community-wide centennial celebration of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich and the American premiere of Philip Glass’s Waiting for the Barbarians.

For schedule & prices, call or go to austinlyricopera.org.

Founded in 1911, the Austin Symphony Orchestra is Austin’s oldest performing arts group and is dedicated to keeping the music alive with a full season of classical concerts, a pops series, and special holiday events.

For schedule and prices, go to austinsymphony.org.

Boasting a “classically innovative” vision for dance and a rich history that spans five decades, Ballet Austin presents a varied repertoire that includes everything from innovative modern works by Texas artists to its acclaimed productions of such classics as The Nutcracker. Led by artistic director Stephen Mills, the company also operates one of the nation’s largest classical ballet academies.

For schedule & prices, call or go to balletaustin.org.

The Austin-based choral group unites singers from across the country in performances ranging from Handel’s Messiah to African American spirituals. The four-time Grammy-nominated choir, whose name means "to be in harmony" in Latin, was founded in 1991 by conductor Craig Hella Johnson. conspirare.org

Located within walking distance of downtown Austin and the Capitol, this domed building plays host to everything from pyrotechnic-heavy concerts and stand-up comedians to circus acts and University of Texas basketball games.

For schedule & prices, call or go to uterwincenter.com.

Opened in the spring of 2008 as a much-needed replacement for the aging Palmer Auditorium, the performing arts venue is one of Austin’s cultural gems. Made up of the 2,400-seat Dell Hall and the Rollins Studio Theater, which can be configured to seat 80 to 240, the Long Center also boasts a 30,000-square-foot City Terrace.

For schedule & prices, go to thelongcenter.org.

Originally conceived as a vaudeville house when it was built in 1915, the Paramount is Austin’s oldest surviving theater. The historic venue continues to delight audiences with comedy, drama, music, dance, spoken word, children’s programming, and films.

For schedule & prices, go to austintheatre.org.

Live music is always on the menu alongside tasty barbecue and cold beer at this hybrid venue. Back in the seventies, the original location—a tiny eatery in Lubbock opened by Christopher Stubblefield (now closed)—became famous as a place where musicians would come and play for their supper (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, Linda Ronstadt, and Joe Ely were all patrons). The tradition continues today in the Capitol City with acts like Loretta Lynn and the Broken Social Scene performing on the the indoor and outdoor stages.

For schedule & prices, call or go to stubbsaustin.com.

In a typical season, the University of Texas’s Performing Arts Center hosts pop legends, chamber orchestras, alternative rock bands, and international superstars. Comprised of six state-of-the-art theaters, including the newly renovated Bass Performance Hall, the PAC also provides UT students the opportunity to work alongside professionals in the performing arts field.

For schedule & prices, call or go to utpac.org.

A valiant leader in Austin’s alternative theater scene, Vortex focuses on innovative productions of original works presented in its humble East Austin abode.

For schedule & prices, go tovortexrep.org.

Conveniently located in the heart of Austin, this theater company seeks to reflect the city’s eccentricities as well as encourage dialogue on topics of race, gender, sexuality, freedom, responsibility, and compassion. Named for a suave movie star born in Austin in 1914, the Zach welcomes more than 150,000 audience members every year.

For schedule & prices, go tozachtheatre.org.

The oldest contemporary visual arts organization in Texas, Arthouse has been nurturing up-and-coming right-brainers since 1911. Not only does the organization showcase emerging artists’ work in its Jones Center gallery (located a few blocks from the Capitol on the city’s bustling Congress Avenue), but its biennial Arthouse Texas Prize provides the much-needed exposure (and cash) that launches careers. A major expansion and renovation of Arthouse’s downtown space—to include three new galleries, two artists’ studios, a ninety-seat screening room, and a rooftop space with a large movie screen—is slated to debut in 2011.

Open Tue, Wed & Fri 11–7; Thur 11–9; Sat 10–5; Sun 1–5. Free. arthousetexas.org

In 1982, a grassroots coalition of parents and educators created a collection of exhibits and programs that were hosted in schools, parks, libraries, and any other space that would let them squat for free. This “museum without walls” has since moved into a sophisticated, 12,500-square-foot space in the city’s hip Second Street District, giving kiddos ample room to run from interactive exhibit to interactive exhibit, learning at every step of the way. Whether channeling their inner rock stars at Austin Kiddie Limits, staffing a miniature grocery store in the Global City, or operating not-so-heavy machinery in the Funstruction Zone, the youngest among us will expend more than a little of their rambunctious energy.

Open Tue–Sat 10–5, Sun noon–5. Gen adm $6.50, children 12–23 months $4.50, 11 months & under free (Wed 5–8 donate what you can; Sun 4–5 everybody free). austinkids.org

With two separate locations, frequent lectures, and hands-on programs for kids, AMOA prides itself on fostering community spirit. The downtown space presents continually changing exhibitions with a focus on twentieth-century and contemporary art. It’s also home to the FamilyLab, a creative zone where visitors are encouraged to create and explore, even if it gets a little messy. The lesser-known gem, AMOA–Laguna Gloria, is housed in a 1916 Italianate-style villa where visitors can view intimate art exhibitions and attend educational discussions on art and nature. The lush twelve-acre grounds surrounding the museum overlook Lake Austin and are sprinkled with sculptures.

AMOA–Downtown: Open Tue & Wed 10–5, Thur 10–8, Fri 10–5, Sat 10–6, Sun noon–6. Gen adm $5, senior citizens & students $4 (everybody $1 on Tue), children 12 & under free; first Sat pay what you wish.

AMOA–Laguna Gloria: Museum open Tue–Sun 10–4; grounds open Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 10–5; gatehouse open Mon–Sat 9:30-4, Sun 10:30–4; free, but $3 donation suggested). amoa.org

With the recent completion of its second building, the Edgar A. Smith Building, the Blanton can now officially boast that it’s the largest university art complex in the country. The new addition, situated just across from the Mari and James A. Michener Gallery, which opened in April 2006, houses a full-service cafe (serving flatbread pizzas, fresh-tossed salads, sandwiches, coffee, and more), an expanded museum shop, three classrooms, and a 299-seat auditorium, as well as the museum’s administrative offices.

Open Tue–Fri 10–5, Sat 11–5, Sun 1–5 (every third Thur 10–9). Gen adm $7, senior citizens $5, students with ID & youths 13–21 $3, children 12 & under, UT staff, faculty, and students free (Thur everybody free). blantonmuseum.org

The museum, which is named for the former Texas lieutenant governor, houses three floors of exhibits that trace the history of Texas.

Open Mon–Sat 9–6, Sun noon–6. Gen adm $7; senior citizens, military & college students with ID $6; youths 5–18 $4; children 4 & under and museum members free. thestoryoftexas.com

Items in the permanent exhibit range from a Gutenberg Bible and the world’s first photograph (taken in 1826) to Gertrude Stein’s pen. The center also houses some thirty million literary manuscripts, including those by James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and Tennessee Williams.

Open Mon–Wed 10–5, Thur 10–7, Fri 10–5, Sat & Sun noon–5. Free. hrc.utexas.edu

An homage to the former Texas president, the museum and library are situated on a thirty-acre site on the University of Texas campus and contain all things LBJ as well as special exhibits reflecting on the American experience. Items from Johnson’s personal life and his presidency include photos and videos relating to the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War.

Open daily 9–5. Free parking and admission. lbjlib.utexas.edu

Designated as the official Mexican and Mexican American Fine Art Museum of Texas by the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas, the museum promotes education and enrichment through the presentation and promotion of traditional and contemporary Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture. The permanent collection contains twentieth-century Mexican art, including prints from the Taller de la Grafica Popular collection, photographs of the Mexican Revolution by Agustin Casasola, and masks from the state of Guerrero.

Open Mon–Thur 10–6, Fri & Sat 10–5, Sun noon–5. Gen adm $5, senior citizens & students $4, children 12 & under $1, museum members free. mexic-artemuseum.org

This NBA Development League team’s season runs from November to April. For schedule & prices, call or go to austintoros.com.

This Sustainable Food Center project features fresh, locally grown produce and flowers, eco-friendly products, occasional chef demonstrations, children’s activities, and live music, now at two locations.

Open Sat 9–1 (Republic Square, 4th & Guadalupe) & Wed 4–8 (Triangle Park, 46th between Guadalupe & Lamar). Free. austinfarmersmarket.org

Austin’s oldest building on its original site and the Republic of Texas’s only foreign diplomatic outpost, the legation was built in 1841 for French charge d’affaires Alphonse Dubois de Saligny.

Open Tue–Sun 1–5 (last tour at 4). Gen adm $5, senior citizens $3, students & teachers $2. frenchlegationmuseum.org

The center’s expansive grounds feature courtyards and landscaped gardens showcasing native Texas plants.

Open Tue–Sat 9–5:30, Sun noon–5:30. Gen adm $7; senior citizens & students $6; children 5–12 $3; 4 & under and Wildflower Center members free. wildflower.org

The statehouse, which is made of pink granite quarried in nearby Marble Falls, was dedicated in 1888 and completely restored in 1994. Aside from being about fourteen feet taller than the U.S. Capitol, it’s also known for its opulent rotunda (where you can see portraits of every former governor of the state of Texas) and its beautiful 22-acre grounds. Before you see it for yourself, take a video tour with Texas Monthly’s Paul Burka. As historian T.R. Fehrenbach has proclaimed, "There is no greater reminder of Texan boldness (no, not even the Alamo!) than this mighty edifice in the center of the state."

Open Mon–Fri 7 a.m. –10 p.m., Sat & Sun 9–8. Free tours Mon–Fri 8:30–4:30, Sat 9:30–3:30, Sun noon–4 (call ahead for groups of 10 or more).

The Capitol Visitors Center (11th & Brazos, 512-305-8400), located in the 1856 General Land Office Building, houses historical exhibits.

Open Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun noon–5. Free.