Austin's Mexic-Arte Museum on Congress Avenue will undergo a city-supported redevelopment, and the museum will temporarily relocate a few blocks away. (Ben Thompson/Community Impact)
The Mexic-Arte Museum is planning to temporarily relocate to the Austin History Center during the redevelopment of its longtime home downtown.
The big picture
The original museum location at 419 Congress Ave., Austin is being demolished and reconstructed through a city-supported project.
The expansion, partially funded with $14 million from Austin's 2006 and 2018 cultural bonds, will replace the three-story downtown building with a four-story, 30,000-square-foot museum featuring a lobby and galleries, gift shop, other facility upgrades and sidewalk improvements on Congress Avenue.
While that work takes place, Mexic-Arte will shift its operations to the history center, a city library system facility located at 810 Guadalupe St., Austin on the western side of downtown. City Council authorized the museum's lease of 12,072 square feet at the AHC for up to four years on April 9.
"Utilizing the Austin History Center facility will allow Mexic-Arte to continue its educational programming, exhibitions, and collection preservation efforts for visitors of all ages during the renovation period," city staff reported.
The details
The museum will pay the city $100 annually over the course of its three-year lease, with an optional fourth year extension. Mexic-Arte will also cover upkeep and security services at the history center. Other costs to the city like potential renovations and other preparations are still under review.
Details about the relocation process are still being worked out after council advanced the leasing process this spring.
"The City is in ongoing negotiations regarding the potential lease and temporary relocation, and no agreements have been finalized. As a result, timelines for relocation, operations at the AHC, and any transition out of the space are not yet confirmed," Austin Financial Services spokesperson Melissa Espitia said in an email.
During its temporary stay at the AHC, the museum will be required to report on its programming including several annual exhibitions, educational events and tours. Espitia said operational details are still being evaluated as the lease negotiations proceed.
While $14 million in bond funding is already approved for the new Mexic-Arte Museum, Espitia said the project's final budget and overall scope are still being developed. Museum representatives didn't respond to requests for comment about the relocation or redevelopment as of press time.
The Mexic-Arte Museum will host programming from a leased space at the Austin History Center for the next several years. (Ben Thompson/Community Impact)
What else?
Since last year, the Mexic-Arte Museum has also overseen one of Austin's four state-designated cultural districts.
The 5th Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor was formally recognized under the Texas Commission on the Arts cultural district program in September. Since 2023, the city has approved hundreds of thousands of dollars of contracts with the museum to oversee the heritage corridor running from downtown into East Austin.
