3 Free things to do in El Paso
The westernmost city in Texas, El Paso straddles the Rio Grande on the U.S.-Mexico border. It is the largest of three cities that form an international metropolitan area--El Paso; Las Cruces, New Mexico; and Juarez, Mexico. Nearby Fort Bliss is the nation’s second-largest military installation. With an average 302 sunny days each year, El Paso is one of the sunniest locations in the United States and embraces "Sun City" as a moniker. It is also why there are so many outdoor activities available.
1 Arts Festival Plaza, (915) 532-1707. Tu-Sat 9am-5pm, Thur 9-9pm, Sun 12-5pm.
The diverse collection at the El Paso Museum of Art includes contemporary works from southwest U.S. and Mexican artists, as well as American and European classic masterworks (think Botticelli and Van Dyck), Spanish retablos, and Mexican colonial art. It is best known for the 57-piece Samuel H. Kress collection of 12th- through18th-century European art. More than 6,000 pieces are in the permanent collection, and the museum hosts many temporary exhibitions such as the WWII show I saw featuring works by local native Tom Lea.
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| entrance to El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas |
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| jaguar mural on exterior of El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas |
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| gigantic open art gallery in El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas |
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| Virgin of Guadalupe statue at El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas |
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Native American painting by Fritz Scholder, a personal favorite,
at the El Paso Museum of Art in Texas |
2. streetcars
The restored vintage streetcars that run here were once part of a fleet used in San Diego in the 1960s. Now they run two loops through El Paso, stopping at many popular sites. Do download the free “El Paso Street Car App.”
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| vintage streetcar in El Paso, Texas |
3. murals
Many colorful murals are encountered as you walk through the downtown area. The
“El Segundo Barrio Murals” brochure is a helpful assistance to finding many of them.
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| streetcar mural by the convention center in El Paso, Texas |
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| BOOM! mural by the convention center in El Paso, Texas |
Nice simple little guide! We will pass through El Paso when we visit a friend in Houston. Thanks. Will stop for a day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice amount of art they have in El Paso. We have never visited this city, but you show that it can be an amazing place to tour. We really like that they offer plenty of outdoor "free" art.
ReplyDeleteI always love walking round towns looking at the street art. Looks as if El Paso has plenty of it - and the climate to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteEl Paso seems cool. I think l would love seeing the restored street cars most, followed closely by native art. We've only driven through El Paso on our move to Houston. Wish we had stopped :-).
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