Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Texas Austin Ellsworth Kelly's 'Austin'
AO Edited

Ellsworth Kelly's 'Austin'

This small stone building, the final work of a renowned artist, offers a peaceful environment with radiant, colorful glass windows .

Austin, Texas

Added By
Alayna
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  zackofalltrades / Atlas Obscura User
“Austin”   Getty Images / picture alliance
  chateauesque / Atlas Obscura User
  chateauesque / Atlas Obscura User
  chateauesque / Atlas Obscura User
  chateauesque / Atlas Obscura User
  chateauesque / Atlas Obscura User
  zackofalltrades / Atlas Obscura User
  zackofalltrades / Atlas Obscura User
  zackofalltrades / Atlas Obscura User
  zackofalltrades / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This white stone building on the grounds of the University of Texas's Blanton Museum was designed by the renowned artist Ellsworth Kelly. It is the only building the artist ever designed, and it is named for the location for which he designed it: Austin.

Kelly envisioned the 2,715-square-foot stone building as a place of "joy and contemplation." The initial designs for the building were made in 1986, but after the project fell through it was shelved for more than 30 years. Eventually, Kelly gifted the design concept to the Blanton Museum. 

Much of Kelly's work is characterized by precise shapes in bold, bright colors. Austin is no exception. A number of glass windows stained in bright colors punctuate the building's white walls. As sunlight passes through them, it paints the inside of the chapel in luminous, living color. Inside, an 18-foot wood sculpture stands at the rear of the building. Fourteen black and white marble panels adorn the walls.

Construction on Austin began in 2015, just two months before Kelly's death. He approved all the materials and the plan for construction, which took several years. The piece opened to the public in February 2018.

Related Tags

Artists Architectural Oddities Architecture Art

Know Before You Go

Entry included with museum admission ticket. Discounted parking at the parking garage next to the museum (Brazos Garage) when presenting your parking ticket to the admissions desk in the museum.

Community Contributors

Added By

chateauesque

Edited By

zackofalltrades, Michelle Cassidy

  • zackofalltrades
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

March 4, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.moma.org/artists/3048
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/t-magazine/ellsworth-kelly-austin-last-work.html
  • https://www.moma.org/artists/3048
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/t-magazine/ellsworth-kelly-austin-last-work.html
  • https://blantonmuseum.org/ellsworth-kellys-austin/
Ellsworth Kelly's 'Austin'
200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Austin, Texas, 78712
United States
30.281599, -97.737825
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Goddess of Liberty

Austin, Texas

miles away

Skyspace: The Color Inside

Austin, Texas

miles away

The Harry Ransom Center

Austin, Texas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Austin

Austin

Texas

Places 42
Stories 8

Nearby Places

The Goddess of Liberty

Austin, Texas

miles away

Skyspace: The Color Inside

Austin, Texas

miles away

The Harry Ransom Center

Austin, Texas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Austin

Austin

Texas

Places 42
Stories 8

Related Places

  • Inside the mansion/art gallery.

    Ubud, Indonesia

    Blanco Renaissance Museum

    Visitors to this museum will find architectural oddities, an art gallery, and an unlikely bird sanctuary.

  • Olson House

    Cushing, Maine

    Olson House

    If a visit to this farmhouse feels as if you are stepping into an artistic masterpiece, you’d be right.

  • Miquel Barceló’s ceiling at the UN headquarters in Geneva.

    Geneva, Switzerland

    United Nations Ceiling

    This colorful but controversial ceiling has been likened to a 21st-century Sistine Chapel.

  • The castle.

    Rocca Sinibalda, Italy

    Rocca Sinibalda Castle

    This unusually shaped fortress houses a blend of centuries-old frescoes and modern art.

  • Music Box Village.

    New Orleans, Louisiana

    Music Box Village

    An otherworldly musical haven in The Big Easy.

  • Osaka, Japan

    Maishima Incineration Plant

    This whimsical garbage disposal facility receives around 12,000 accidental tourists each year.

  • South side

    Turin, Italy

    'Baci Rubati' ('Stolen Kisses')

    This building has a giant piercing through one of its corners.

  • House, art gallery, and museum.

    Puerto Varas, Chile

    Pablo Fierro Museum

    This fairytale house on the shore of a Chilean Lake oozes an eclectic mix of Chilote and German Cultural heritage.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.