Museum of Biblical Art
7500 Park Ln., Dallas
214/368-4622
biblicalarts.org
Hours: 10am–5pm Tuesday–Saturday; 1–5pm Sunday; closed Monday.
Admission: $12 adults; $8 for kids ages 6–12; free for ages 5 and younger.
Parking: Free
With rare Bibles, a bronze cast of Michelangelo’s famous Pietà, lithographs by Marc Chagall and a 40-foot-wide oil painting of Jesus’ resurrection on view, the galleries full of Judeo-Christian art at the Museum of Biblical Art may at first seem more fitted for solemn reflection. But simply call ahead to let the front desk attendants know you’re planning a family trip, and the museum opens up a host of additional kids’ programming for no extra charge.
For a basic drawing session during weekdays (staff availability varies on weekends), call before you come and an in-house educator will lead your kids in a 30-minute lesson on shading techniques and the basics of portraiture. No matter where your child’s interests lie, staff — and even some of the artists themselves — will work with you to plan a kid-friendly tour, such as the Heroes of History tour inspired by Vladimir Gorsky’s “Tapestry of the Centuries” mural of historical figures. Staff will dress up in costume as Florence Nightingale or Mark Twain for that program, and Dallas sculptor George Tobolowsky, whose own artwork is on exhibit, offers himself up for personal tours and talks about his contemporary menorahs made from found materials such as giant drill bits and torch blowers.
If you prefer a casual visit with the family without making prior arrangements, don’t overlook one particularly fascinating space inside the museum: the art restoration lab. Peer through the windows to see the conservators busy at work, or knock on the door for a closer look. From the construction outside the museum, you’ll notice another work in progress: the museum’s new Via Dolorosa Sculpture Garden, a Mediterranean-style garden expected to open in September.
