This downtown gallery, affiliated with the art school and sculpture garden/museum at the Contemporary-Laguna Gloria, has gone through more reincarnations than the Dalai Lama; the website explores the history of both institutions in great detail. The Jones Center’s current incarnation is a mixed bag. Some of the exhibitions, all devoted to contemporary work, are excellent; others not so much. But it’s inexpensive, air-conditioned (hey, it can get hot strolling around the concrete canyon of Congress Avenue), and you might hit it on a great day. One of the best works of art is on the edge of the museum’s roof, viewable for blocks around at night: Huge neon letters spell out “With Liberty and Justice For All”—which artist Jim Hodges jokingly calls “a work in progress,” even though it’s a permanent fixture. Behind the letters, the Moody Rooftop serves as an open-air lounge for galas and gatherings.
Austin
Travel Guide
Austin› Attraction
The Contemporary Austin-Jones Center
700 Congress Ave., Austin, TX
Our Rating
Hours
Tues–Sat 11am–7pm; Sun noon–5pm
Prices
$5 adults, $3 seniors & students, free for 17 and under & military
Web site
The Contemporary Austin-Jones Center
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