No, the Kimbell Art Museum isn’t going to the dogs but the world-renowned museum is putting out the welcome mat for dog lovers and their cultured (or not) canines with a “Kimbell Dog Day” celebration on Friday, Aug. 26.
In honor of the museum’s newest acquisition, Dog Guarding a Basket of Grapes (1836) by Austrian artist Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller and coinciding with National Dog Day, the museum will offer dog-friendly activities on the Kimbell lawn from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Admission is free but registration is required.
The festivities will begin with a docent-led outdoor architecture tour of the Kimbell’s Louis I. Kahn Building and Renzo Piano Pavilion and will wrap up with a “Best in Show” parade starting at 6:30 p.m. The contest will feature celebrity judges Nancy Lamb, visual artist; Laura Lape, social media personality; and master of ceremonies Tony Green, popular podcast host and NBC 5 Texas Today correspondent. Award categories include dog with the best costume, largest dog, smallest dog, and dog that looks most like the dog in the Basket of Grapes painting.
Visitors can enjoy refreshments and “light bites” for purchase from the Kimbell Café during Happy Hour and an outdoor bar will be available for dog owners. Local vendors on hand will include the Melt ice cream truck and Pelican SnoBalls, serving ice cream treats and shaved ice for humans and canines.
Sam the Artist will offer free custom pet portraits while supplies last, and visitors can also participate in art-making activities with Kimbell educators on the Kahn porticos.
In addition to being Kimbell Dog Day, Aug. 26 is the day that Dog Guarding a Basket of Grapes will be on view for the first time in the Kahn Building. In honor of the occasion, an animal-themed scavenger hunt through the galleries will challenge visitors to find all the dogs on view in works across the Kimbell’s permanent collection. Those who complete the scavenger hunt will receive a special prize while supplies last.
Only service animals are permitted in museum buildings. All dogs must remain on a leash at all times and dog owners must pick up after their pets. A water and cooling station will be available outside for dogs and dog owners.
Information for this article was provided by the Kimbell Art Museum.