The first arts organization in the Dallas Arts District, the Dallas Museum of Art is distinguished by its innovative exhibitions and global collection. With more than 25,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years of human creativity, the growing collection includes one of the most important museum holdings of modern and contemporary art in the United States.
Cost: Free general admission (special ticketed exhibit prices vary)
Hours: The DMA is closed on Mondays. The museum is open 11 a.m - 5 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday and Saturday - Sunday. On Fridays, the museum is open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
As one of the 10 largest art museums in the United States, the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) provides access to some of the world’s most important masterpieces and other significant works. The DMA is the largest of the museums in the Dallas Arts District, which is also the largest arts district in the country. Spanning multiple floors and numerous galleries, the museum’s permanent collection boasts more than 25,000 works with some pieces dating back more than five millennia. Because of the vast collection size, works rotate in and out of public view, but it’s easy to see exactly what’s new before any visit.
The permanent exhibits on display can be found grouped in galleries devoted to Arts of the Americas, Contemporary Art, Arts of Africa, Arts of Asia, American Art, Decorative Arts and Design, Classical Art, Latin American Art, Arts of the Pacific Islands, Eurpoean Art, and Texas Art. Artists range from local creators to internationally recognized and beloved masters, including Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, and Vincent Van Gogh.
General admission to the DMA has been free since 2013 and visitors must reserve tickets in advance. Throughout the year, guests can also experience a variety of temporary exhibitions, some of which require a paid ticket to a separate part of the museum.
We recommend spending an entire day exploring the Dallas Arts District if time allows, but it’s also easy to devote an entire visit exclusively to the DMA. For those seeking a total immersion and never wishing to leave the property, the museum offers a delightful dining experience at the DMA Cafe for everything from sandwiches and salads to wine and beer. And the Museum Store elevates souvenir purchases to an artform unto itself.
A variety of special programming is also offered to complement the art on display. Among the popular offerings are the Arts & Letters Live literary and performing arts series, an Open Studio program for children to create through a variety of hands-on experiences, and the extremely popular themed Late Nights that take place typically on the third Friday of each month.
Current exhibitions at the DMA include The Keir Collection of Islamic Art, the largest public presentation of one of the world’s best private collections, and Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form, the first-ever museum retrospective of the Mexican American sculptor’s work. Upcoming special exhibitions include Movement: The Legacy of Kineticism, which features 80 works from the museum’s collection that explore movement—either real or perceived—in art; Matthew Wong: The Realm of Appearances explores the artist’s brief six-year painting career; and Tiffany Chung, a mural installation in the museum’s concourse.
Public Art
Deep in the Heart of Dallas with Marian Mekhail
Art Tours in Dallas
Deep in the Heart of Dallas with Daisha Board
Where to experience free art in Dallas
10 Things to do in the Dallas Arts District
First Timer’s Guide to the Dallas Museum of Art
Art Park
11 Photos to Inspire a Visit to the Crow Museum of Asian Art