To many Americans, Dallas will forever be a town associated with (depending on your generation) one of two initialed men who got shot: The late J.F.K., and J.R. Ewing.
Dallas, however, would politely like to remind you that it's moved beyond all that. And in fact, considering that the town went from trading post to ninth-largest U.S. city in just 150 years, even the sordid events of the '80s prime-time soap Dallas are ancient history. Dallas today is a center for technology, shopping, and yes, even culture.
Dallas does indeed have a thriving arts scene. In fact, there's an entire 60-acre area just north of downtown devoted to the arts. The centerpiece of this Dallas Arts District is the Dallas Museum of Art. This museum highlights impressionist works by artists such as Renoir, Cézanne, Van Gogh, and others. The museum also has a number of works on display by modern master Jackson Pollock. Beyond these specialties, the wide-ranging collection represents a spectrum of age and cultures.
Another major arts facility is the Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art. The 500 or so pieces here were originally collected by one devoted couple, but together make up a highly respected collection. Items range from small Qing Dynasty carvings to an enormous façade that once was part of an Indian home.
The Dallas Arts District is also a place you'll find yourself spending a lot of time in if you're a lover of the performing arts. The area is home to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center--a dramatic building designed by I.M. Pei--and the Dallas Theater Center.
Of course, there are a few other museums of note in Dallas located outside the Arts District. The Dallas Museum of Natural History is located in Fair Park (so called because it is the site of the annual Texas State Fair). This museum is a sure-fire hit with kids, although nobody really ever outgrows their love of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, and dioramas. Another highlight is a self-guided walk around a lagoon in the park; signs give lessons on the flora and fauna currently found in this part of Texas.
Also located in Fair Park is the African American Museum--the largest museum devoted to African-American art in the southwest. The museum houses one of the largest collections of African-American folk art in the country. Permanent collections include some African pieces, extensive examples of fine art and folk art by African-American artists, and a large collection of historical archives from groups such as Sepia magazine and the Texas Black Women's History Archives.
One last museum the culture-seeker will not want to miss is the Meadows Museum, on the Southern Methodist University campus. This museum has one of the largest collections of Spanish art outside of Spain itself, and features works from the 10th century to the present. Artists represented include El Greco, Goya, Picasso, Velázquez, Ribera, and Miró. The collection, which began as the private hobby of oilman and art enthusiast Algur H. Meadows, now totals almost 700 pieces. The new museum building (opened in early 2001) provides for nearly 66,000 square feet of exhibition space, meaning that more of this comprehensive collection is available for public viewing than ever before.•
