Dallas Arts District
Dallas Arts District
4.5
About
The country's largest urban arts district.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: Downtown Dallas
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
222 reviews
Excellent
147
Very good
56
Average
15
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Jacqueline P
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States1 contribution
Feb 2020
I traveled to Dallas on a business trip, I stood in the downtown area at the Crowne Plaza. I took a 5-7 minute drive to Deep Ellum where the art is very beautiful. There are murals painted all over the walls of the buildings, there is also pieces on a statue about a story of a traveling man which is amazing. The Deep Ellum part of downtown Dallas is very rich with art and beautiful.
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lettezilla
London, UK544 contributions
Dec 2012 • Couples
We downloaded the free Public ArtWalk Dallas map from the Visitor's Bureau (http://publicartwalkdallas.org), and saw tons of art all over downtown. The Arts District was particularly impressive with a large amount of art in a relatively small geographic area. We wandered through outdoor sculpture gardens, through the free sections of the Art Institute, and checked out the novel architecture, fountains, gardens and sculpture all at no cost.
This was a lovely way to spend the afternoon and we would do it again if we're back in the area. My husband had never been to Dallas and he was surprised and impressed by the quantity and variety of art we saw.
This was a lovely way to spend the afternoon and we would do it again if we're back in the area. My husband had never been to Dallas and he was surprised and impressed by the quantity and variety of art we saw.
Written July 5, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara A
Milwaukee, WI1,961 contributions
Dec 2011 • Family
We went here on Christmas day when everything was closed, however it was a pretty good way to see the outdoor art. There's a 3 mile walking tour around Dallas where you can see all the outdoor sculptures (you can do a google search to find this) and murals. Includes information about the historic/artistic buildings too
Written January 5, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael
Woking, UK255 contributions
Feb 2020
This review is perhaps altered by the fact we visited on a very rainy, cold, and overall miserable winters day, but I didn't think the area was anything to rave about. It is still a nice place to visit, although if you are walking there then it can get a bit sketchy as there are some rough areas between downtown and Deep Ellum. The art was cool and there were some 'hipster' shops that are worth a visit. I can imagine it would probably be a lot busier on a sunny and warm day, and we didn't try any of the restaurants which I hear are highly recommended. If I was visiting Dallas again then I probably wouldn't bother re-visiting, but for a first time it is worth it.
Written April 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JohnEGraf
Pittsburgh, PA139 contributions
Jul 2012 • Business
The Arts District suggests a thriving, bohemian area with plenty of neat little restaurants and pubs snuggled among museums, performance spaces and galleries. This is not Dallas' Arts District. Listen, this place is perfectly fine if you are driving in from the suburbs to attend a performance or go to a museum. It sucks for walking around. For starters, I walked to the AD from downtown with my son, hoping to find a little brasserie or something to get a bite. We were sorely disappointed. We were virtually the only people walking around mid-day on a Saturday. It was like being in a zombie movie without the zombies. The district consists of one massive building after another -- performance spaces for theater, the symphony, and museums. But there is nothing else -- no neat little places to tuck into, nothing. So this is my little buyers beware to travelers -- go to the museums, patronize the performance spaces, but don't expect to walk around an interesting, eclectic, artsy neighborhood 'cause this ain't it.
Written July 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Whitney H
1 contribution
Oct 2014 • Family
Being born and raised in Dallas, Tx and having traveled across the US and Europe to some of the best art districts and museums in the world, I can honestly say that Dallas comes no where close. And this is for many reasons.
For starters, a majority of what is currently the Dallas Art District, has only been constructed and open for less then 10 years. Usually this would not be a problem if not for the fact that Dallas habitually tears down functional, pre-existing and historical sites/buildings in favor for cement cookie cut, modern architecture. This has left many surrounding communities torn between aesthetic vs function.
For instance, in the 90's -early 2000's, the art center/community stretched further out then just the small section that is currently in downtown Dallas. Deep Ellum up until around 2006, had a ton of music venues, galleries and parlors that housed a lot of local artists. Since then, a great deal of that community has been bought by developers who then flip the property for 3x its original worth, forcing the smaller business to either close or relocate. This has left downtown Dallas with a glaringly one dimensional art district that lacks art studios, independent theater troupes, small music venues and historical landmarks that other major cities typically have.
Right on the other side of the Woodall Rogers Freeway - for those of you are visiting the area, across the highway by the Art's District - used to sit historical buildings dating back to the earliest Black neighborhoods in Dallas. The nationally renowned Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which sits in the middle of the arts district, was the first all black High School in Dallas while the old Black Dance Academy sprouted out from the same area. Over the past 10 years though, the original Dallas Black Dance Academy has been leveled, Booker T Washington High School has been gutted and hodgepodge together with a mismatched architectural style; the historical black neighborhood completely demolished with no sign for commemoration.
These are only a couple of examples of how downtown Dallas has weeded out it's own diverse culture.
Alas, if in town, visit the Dallas Art's District to visit the DMA (which is free, houses a lot of work and offers great programs for the family), the Majestic Theater ( an institution to Dallas history), the Meyerson Symphony Hall (one of the most unique buildings in Dallas), Lower Greenville and the Bishop Art's District in Oak Cliff.
For starters, a majority of what is currently the Dallas Art District, has only been constructed and open for less then 10 years. Usually this would not be a problem if not for the fact that Dallas habitually tears down functional, pre-existing and historical sites/buildings in favor for cement cookie cut, modern architecture. This has left many surrounding communities torn between aesthetic vs function.
For instance, in the 90's -early 2000's, the art center/community stretched further out then just the small section that is currently in downtown Dallas. Deep Ellum up until around 2006, had a ton of music venues, galleries and parlors that housed a lot of local artists. Since then, a great deal of that community has been bought by developers who then flip the property for 3x its original worth, forcing the smaller business to either close or relocate. This has left downtown Dallas with a glaringly one dimensional art district that lacks art studios, independent theater troupes, small music venues and historical landmarks that other major cities typically have.
Right on the other side of the Woodall Rogers Freeway - for those of you are visiting the area, across the highway by the Art's District - used to sit historical buildings dating back to the earliest Black neighborhoods in Dallas. The nationally renowned Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which sits in the middle of the arts district, was the first all black High School in Dallas while the old Black Dance Academy sprouted out from the same area. Over the past 10 years though, the original Dallas Black Dance Academy has been leveled, Booker T Washington High School has been gutted and hodgepodge together with a mismatched architectural style; the historical black neighborhood completely demolished with no sign for commemoration.
These are only a couple of examples of how downtown Dallas has weeded out it's own diverse culture.
Alas, if in town, visit the Dallas Art's District to visit the DMA (which is free, houses a lot of work and offers great programs for the family), the Majestic Theater ( an institution to Dallas history), the Meyerson Symphony Hall (one of the most unique buildings in Dallas), Lower Greenville and the Bishop Art's District in Oak Cliff.
Written October 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RalphR2
Grapevine, TX32 contributions
Mar 2013
Friday nights after 5pm the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Crowe Asian Art Collection open their doors for free and close off the streets for a truly entertaining block party. Bands perform in different venues and food vendors line the streets. Activities for families as well as couples looking for an inexpensive way to spend a friday night.
Written March 25, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eastdallasgirl
Dallas TX USA3 contributions
Sep 2011 • Friends
I am a native Dallasite, and am quite proud of our recently built and revitalized Dallas Arts District.
I would suggest taking walking tour on a cool day down Ross Avenue - stopping at the Dallas Museum of Art, The Nasher Sculpture Garden, and the Trammel Crow Asian Art museum, along Flora Street. You can purchase an all-in one ticket for all 3 museums, however the Crow Museum is free and intimate for a quick visit, the entrance is nestled below/behind the Crow office building, and holds an incredible Asian art collection worth seeing.
If you have time, walk a few blocks east to see our new Winspeare Opera house, AT&T Performing Arts Center and Dallas Theatre Center, All are situated beside the Morton Myerson Symphony Center, and the acclaimed Booker T. Washington Arts High School. These wonderful halls are best seen during a performance, if you can get tickets ahead.
The beautiful and historic Cathedral de Guadalupe Church sits on the corner at Ross Ave and Pearl St. and is also worth a peak as it exudes a wonderful feeling.
www.thedallasartsdistrict.org
I would suggest taking walking tour on a cool day down Ross Avenue - stopping at the Dallas Museum of Art, The Nasher Sculpture Garden, and the Trammel Crow Asian Art museum, along Flora Street. You can purchase an all-in one ticket for all 3 museums, however the Crow Museum is free and intimate for a quick visit, the entrance is nestled below/behind the Crow office building, and holds an incredible Asian art collection worth seeing.
If you have time, walk a few blocks east to see our new Winspeare Opera house, AT&T Performing Arts Center and Dallas Theatre Center, All are situated beside the Morton Myerson Symphony Center, and the acclaimed Booker T. Washington Arts High School. These wonderful halls are best seen during a performance, if you can get tickets ahead.
The beautiful and historic Cathedral de Guadalupe Church sits on the corner at Ross Ave and Pearl St. and is also worth a peak as it exudes a wonderful feeling.
www.thedallasartsdistrict.org
Written September 23, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosangela S
Sao Paulo, SP70 contributions
Aug 2013 • Solo
Visit the Guadalupe Cathedral, Nasher Sculpture Center, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Dallas Museum. They are all a few steps from each other. And walk around, since it's a very beautiful district.
Written August 11, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bear59
Norwich, VT327 contributions
May 2014 • Friends
Loved walking around the Dallas Arts District, especially looking at the interesting skyscrapers and visiting the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Meyerson Symphony Center for an evening concert. Two places that I want to return to again and again! There are also attractive shops down here too, especially the ones operated by museums, such as the Crowe Collection and the Nasher. If you want to have lunch outdoors on a bright, sunny day, I recommend eating at the latter, where one can sit on the terrace, overlooking a number of stunning sculptures in the garden. Food is catered by the adjacent Wolfgang Puck's Cafe. The soups and salads there are especially good.
Written October 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not clear what to do—just walk around? Is there a suggested guide or map of must-see sights? Galleries, museums? Sculptures?
Written April 8, 2018
Research the area....Dallas has alot to do within a small area. Once you find what is around, you can plan your trip around that. Dallas is an amazing place to visit Alot going on...alot to do. You can stay in downtown and plan your trip from there.
Written April 10, 2018
Would you suggest a daytime or night visit? This review mentioned good lighting, but most of the featured photos are in day light. Would you miss a lot going after dark, or is it just a different, equally interesting experience.
Written November 19, 2017
Going during the morning / day or evening would be best, you can imagine trying to see all of the different statues and other artwork at night when there is not good lighting. Check the hours of some of the facilities, the museum is closed on Mondays.
Written November 20, 2017
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