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I’d seen the Petals at night. But I hadn’t visited them in daylight. So one sunny day in June, I popped over to the Blanton Museum of Art to see the light-filtering, tulip-shaped shade structures on the plaza. In the distance, at the end of a new pedestrian mall, the state capitol stands tall.

The Petals do a surprisingly good job of shading the plaza paths and native-plant landscaping. Streaming through their perforated skin, sunlight dapples the ground.

Marshmallow-like benches are tucked into bermed planting beds filled with sedge, inland sea oats, and dwarf palmettos.

The Petals collect and funnel rainwater, I read, which is used to irrigate the plants.

At the north end of the mall stands Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin, a chapel-like structure that’s included with admission to the Blanton.

Inside the museum, you can people-watch from risers in a towering bay-window alcove painted lemon yellow.

It was surprisingly entertaining and reminded me of the Tenth Avenue Amphitheater on the High Line in New York City.

Heading back outside…

…we walked over to the igloo-esque Austin.

Jello-cube windows over the door glow in rainbow hues.

A sunburst window lights up one wing, splashing a streak of yellow on the floor.

Opposite, a rose window of dancing cubes makes an aurora on the vaulted ceiling.

It’s a joyful space.

The Blanton is a great spot to visit, day or night. After viewing the art, you can sit on the small lawn or in rocking chairs on the shaded arcade. You can also tour the Capitol and the Texas History Museum right down the street or stroll around the UT campus to the north.

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Digging Deeper

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