An exquisite Spanish Colonial Revival-style mansion nestled in 23 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, the McNay Art Museum is the perfect San Antonio setting for private and corporate events.

Rich history, traditional and contemporary architecture, fountains and a cascade, breathtaking sunsets, and world-renowned art make the McNay an oasis in the heart of Alamo Heights. Along with these outside amenities, inside spaces can accommodate extravagant affairs or intimate gatherings.

Not to mention the chance to show your guests part of the museum’s art collection, including works by Monet, Picasso, Renoir, van Gogh, and many more masterpieces from the personal collection of oil heiress and generous philanthropist Marion Koogler McNay. Aside from the McNay’s reputation as a fabulous art museum and one of San Antonio’s most sought-after locations for portrait photography, the museum is at the top of the list as more and more people learn that the McNay is available to rent for a variety of events.

Rehearsal Dinners, Wedding Ceremonies, and Receptions

For every family, weddings bring people together under the happiest of circumstances, and the McNay spaces and staff create the perfect atmosphere for any part of the celebration. Recently acclaimed among The Knot’s Top 10 Texas Museums for Weddings and as The Best of 2010 Wedding Venues, the McNay schedules more rentals for wedding ceremonies and receptions than for any other private event. Spaces at the museum offer exceptional opportunities to entertain in style:

• Koehler Fountain with cascading waterfalls that are lit after dark.
• The Octagon, an intimate eight-sided room with light pouring from clerestory windows at the top.
• Blackburn Patio, an exquisite central courtyard, surrounded by balconies, beautifully lit palm trees, and a fountain with koi swimming in its pond.
• AT&T Lobby in the new Stieren Center with a glass curtain wall, a patterned glass ceiling, and lush green, granite walls and floor.
• Leeper Auditorium, a spacious high-ceilinged room that seats 250 guests, complete with a stage and beautiful hardwood floor for dancing.

If you are the parents of the groom, host your rehearsal dinner for the wedding party and out-of-town guests in the patio with nearby Impressionist art on view in the galleries. Or choose the AT&T Lobby and arrange for your guests to see the latest special exhibition on view in the Stieren Center.

As the bride, imagine yourself emerging from the white arch of the McNay mansion’s entrance to make your way to the Koehler Fountain, where your groom awaits against a glowing backdrop of cascading water to say, “I do.”

What could be more picture perfect? Following the ceremony, invite guests inside the museum to peruse the main collection galleries, while also enjoying cocktail hour in the luxuriant Blackburn Patio and Courtyard. Arrange for a mariachi group or a classical guitarist as an added touch to greet your guests in style. Then move the party into Leeper Auditorium, which has been transformed for your daughter’s fantasy wedding reception.

Prefer a more intimate, low key affair? Opt for one of the smaller rental options that can accommodate receptions for fewer than 100 guests, while still enjoying the same amenities. For discerning couples who wish to make their wedding day something that is all their own, the McNay’s spaces offer great versatility. Any part of the celebration hosted at the McNay is bound to make the wedding an unforgettable experience.

Corporate Events

Since all of the spaces for weddings plus a lecture hall are available for corporate events, the McNay has also become more and more popular for corporate cocktail parties, including the holidays and corporate meetings. For those with an interest in modern architecture, the new Stieren Center for Exhibitions, designed by French architect Jean-Paul Viguier, is sure to please.

The McNay invites you and your guests to experience some magnificent works of art from the 20th century in one of the most spectacular architectural creations of the 21st. On view in the Stieren Center galleries host limited time special exhibitions––many on loan from other museums––making it easy to treat your guests to something they may never experience again.

In addition to facilities listed for weddings, corporations may choose to use:

• Chiego Lecture Hall with comfortable seating for 222 and state-of-the-art equipment for presenting films, videos, digital presentations, and lectures. Handsomely paneled with Austrian pearwood from a single tree, the Lecture Hall is an impressive space for conference presentations or workshops. The two adjacent Valero Learning Centers are also well-equipped for break-out sessions.

A great getaway for day or evening, the McNay’s galleries and grounds offer ample space for tranquil reflection and the Leeper Auditorium provides attendees with a facility to have meals. For evening gatherings, the combination of the AT&T Lobby, Ewing Halsell Reception Hall, and Brown Foundation Sculpture Terrace makes for a pleasant cocktail and hors d’oeuvres party or a more formal, seated dining experience.

Or welcome your guests into the Leeper Auditorium for a fun evening of music and dancing. If you want to show your clients, employees, family, and friends your appreciation, invite them to the McNay and you will please all ages, tastes and interests. From extravagant affairs to intimate gatherings, you will create your own masterpiece.

All rental fees cover the designated spaces used, one-hour in the galleries, museum security, and parking. The McNay provides a list of approved caterers with a vast selection of outstanding companies to please every budget. The museum also offers an assortment of table sizes and black resin chairs to rent for private events. Most clients appreciate the fact that rental proceeds benefit the museum’s education, exhibition and conservation programs.