Elisabet Ney Museum

I happened across this little museum purely by accident while I was on a business trip. What caught my attention was that she had sculpted King Ludwig II of Bavaria and I was very interested in him when I was younger. I grew up in Germany and had the opportunity to visit his castles, so when I found out this museum had some sculptures of him, I knew I needed to make the time to check them out. The museum itself is nicely tucked away in the middle of a neighborhood and is free of charge (donations accepted). Along with the King Ludwig II sculptures, there are a variety of other sculptures of famous people such as Schopenhauer, Prometheus, and a bust of Christ. The two docents were very friendly and knowledgeable about the exhibits. It's a shame that Ney is not more well known because she was a very talented artist. If you are in the area, this is definitely worth your time to check out.

Absolutely beautiful property that's lots of fun to explore. And plenty of sculptures and other art to look at. It is free but I highly encourage donating so they can maintain the property and add some new additions they have planned! They also usually have events going on all the time.

Small, but impressive museum in Central Austin. I've driven past this museum hundreds of times and never noticed this mini-castle that's a block off of 45th street. If you're curious about Austin/Texas history, this museum is worth checking out. The architecture of the building is pretty cool see. Inside there's various sculptures of famous European and Texas figures.

We loved this place. I love seeing old architecture in a place you wouldn't expect. There are many sculptures and paintings to see. There is also an upstairs to visit inside. Be aware that the stairs are narrow. Also outside is great for filming and taking pictures. The staff was very helpful.

Great small museum for visit even if you are not the sculptures expert, you can enjoy the story of this wonderful talented woman and her husband, loved the interior and atmosphere, you will have a list with names of presented sculptures. Absolutely recommended if you are in Austin, no cost, not crowded, located in green zone.

Shame... the museum is beautiful and has great pieces. But the visit with the family was horribly interrupted because there is a permanent homeless dude outside yelling every time you pass by. Went three times and 3/3 he was there yelling at us.

This studio museum was amazing to explore. Love Elisabet Ney and her husband's history. The studio she designed was equally impressive. Her clay sculptures were beautiful, including the last piece she had worked on before she died, Prometheus! This place is a must for anyone visiting Austin. Architecture was incredibly designed and built by her, totally functional and resembled a small castle.

Such a fun little museum. They have a lot original plaster casts and a couple marbles. The building and lot were awesome with secret doors and a bookcase door that we got to look at. The kids loved all the secrets. Nice little contemporary show of wall art in one room that is has rotating shows.

Waco museum castle that renovated now. The outside of the cattle outlook is beautiful. The square shape makes the beauty of the look. Great for photo spot. The renovations already started when we were there. We were able to slip in and snap a few photo from the inside. It is beautiful. Unfortunately we don't have the whole tour.

Austin is still weird in some ways, and a giant nugget of its weirdness is sitting on 2.5 acres of Hyde Park in tribute to world renown sculptor, Elisabet Ney (pronounced "NAY"). This unusual building and tiny museum houses her studio and will make you say "wow" a bunch of times. It's central, free to visit, easy to park here, and air conditioned. It's also weirdly wonderful. In the 1800s, this woman went on a starvation diet for weeks until her parents agreed to allow her to study art. She cut her hair super short, wore pants and even scandalized Texans by walking around her plantation in bloomers, omitting skirts or dresses altogether. In Austin in 1892, she built her studio, Formosa, an odd limestone structure with holes in the floor, a hand-pulled elevator and other contraptions to allow her larger than life marble sculptures to be transported from one floor or room to another. Here she slept on a cot, purchased a bookshelf with coupons collected from her favorite cereal (Grape Nuts), and hosted many gatherings of artists and intellectuals. There's so much more to this story.

I would recommend the Elisabet Ney Museum, "Formosa," which is Portugese for beautiful, not a reference to the island with disputed soveregnity. She was a sculptor from Munster, Westphalia, before German unification, who emigrated to Texas. She was a feminist and pioneer: she married a Scottish doctor, but refused to take his name (according to the internet; at her home-studio, the biography is more circumspect in this regard). I was in Austin to run a half marathon. I have done the race thrice. My nephew and our mutual friend also participate. We have BBQ afterward. In this instance, we had stuffed ourselves with BBQ the day before, and, after finishing the 13.1 miles, we had Southern cuisine and beer. They were dropping me off at the airport. So we had about an hour and a half to fill. The Ney Museum was perfect. It was interesting. It would take an average tourist probably 30 to 60 minutes. I tend to zip through these establishments (that is not to my credit). I was done in the half hour. But you could linger and study the artistic technique. My background is a single college course. I did well. But I am neither a creative talent nor a professional critic of this form of expression (I can claim to have been paid to write about various subjects, unrelated). So I cannot assess what I was looking at other than to say Ney appeared a better than competent interpreter of the human form into plaster and marble and whatever medium she was using. The staff person explained some of the pieces were the studies, others the finished product. So this is a little place, dedicated to a single person's aesthetic vision. By visiting, you could feel you had stumbled upon something special.

Such a hidden gem! I am glad I did my research before coming to Austin , otherwise I would have missed this museum. The museum is small but very fascinating and worth a visit. Lots of Elisabeth Ney's sculptures with descriptions. I found the stories of her live, how she lived, and the people she spend her time with. I was pleasantly surprised. I recommend 1-2 hours time to read and learn and walk around the grounds as well

This is a quaint little museum to visit for a dose of feminism, Austin history, and art/sculpture--all at no cost to visitors! There are 3 floors containing rooms with Elizabet's sculptures, some history into her and her husband's homes, and a writing room (plus a public restroom if you ask). The staff were very friendly about answering any questions, and the museum guide had informational descriptions of most of the sculptures. There is also a path wandering around the museum grounds and plenty of street parking. Took my sister and me about 45 minutes to see everything.

A friend wanted to check it out. Free entrance and donations taken. The lady in the front was very knowledgeable and passionate about the history. There were a few sculptures to see and a small area to trek around. It wasn't really my thing, but she liked it.

A true hidden gem of Austin. You could easily spend a couple hours here despite the small size of the building. Elisabet's history is fascinating, but simply taking in the art also speaks for itself. I took a drawing class here once and it re-ignited creativity within me that I had lost over years of corporate burnout. Austin is a city that doesn't offer a lot of large art museums. You have to hunt for the smaller museums and galleries; however, the scene is definitely alive and well in Austin. Hope this place never goes anywhere.

Wonderful time. A very well kept historical and lovely space that probes tasty philosophical ponderings.

Five stars for Elisabet Ney's work but four stars for the museum upkeep. Elisabet Ney's artwork is beautiful to look at. This museum gives me a homey and cozy vibe. I really appreciate the free tour and entrance fee. But I really hope they can clean up the museum a little more. I can ignore the spider webs around the corners or stairways but it bothers me when some of the statues have spider webs on them. Definitely recommend getting the free tour. It's a very small museum but Elisabet Ney was an interesting character with an intriguing story.

Like others have mentioned before me, don't judge this place on the exterior alone. This is a very nice museum with several busts created by the artist. This museum is a nice treat hidden away in the area. The museum has three levels. The first is for the sculptures, the second is for the artist's furnishings and this tiny little spiral staircase leads to a study above. (I wasn't brave enough to go up it but my friend did.) Outside the museum is a little stream behind and several wildflowers. Her work is gorgeous and it's well worth a trip to check it out.

Wonderful, small museum - perfect for a short afternoon with the kids in a quick cultural experience. The grounds are natural -- when we first drove up, I wondered if the building had been abandoned. But walking around the grounds, you soon discover its a very deliberate and natural landscaping with paths and native plants. Inside, there are wonderful examples of Elisabet Ney's work. There was a docent there on our visit that took time to explain many of the works, how she worked, and what some of the commissioned works were. You can go upstairs - as another reviewer pointed out, it can be a bit scary :-) But the kids really enjoyed the visit and both looking at the sculpters and walking the grounds.

Craving a quick culture and history fix? Seeking a lovely, wildflower-strewn respite in the middle of town? Look no further than the Elizabet Ney Museum to enjoy a small collection of sculpture as well as all sorts of biographical details of this talented artist. There is no fee to tour the museum, so pop in to take look around her former studio where the exhibits are housed and then find a spot of shade on the grounds for a nap, picnic, or meditative moment.

As well as a nice transatlantic sculpture collection (featuring Ney's German and Texan works), the museum is a nice monument to the development of Austin and Hyde Park: the intellectual currents, personalities, and devotion to the arts that allowed Austin to flourish into a cultural mecca in an otherwise culturally staid region. Want to know why Austin looks like Austin as opposed to (shudder) Dallas? Standing in the building where conversations that shaped the future of the city and state took place provides an immediate and concrete connection to important local history. That said, the long closures for upgrades and limited hours can be rather inconvenient. But it's free and totally worth a visit. The surrounding grounds feature some interesting local flora, but could probably be better-kept. Parking is on-street but plentiful.

I accidently discovered this gem about 20 years ago. Recently I remebered it and wanted to take a friend. I couldnt remeber the name though and it tood me some research to find. Effort well spent. You dont find places like this anymore and what a story. It reminds you of the people who risked much to settle Texas and this museum will not disappoint you. Even though there is no entrance fee I urge you to donate to help them keep this going.

Visited the museum on a recent weekend trip and it was the highlight of my time in Austin. I lived in Austin for 3 years and never visited this museum and have a feeling it floats under most people's radar. So great to see her amazing talent and also get the backstory of her interesting life. The museum is in what was her house, so after looking at the sculptures on the bottom floor, make your way up the stairs to see her bedroom and get insight into life in that time period. Also, our tour guide was wonderful. A must see in Austin!

This is a really interesting gem tucked away in the equally interesting Hyde Park neighborhood. Elisabet Ney was a German sculptor who emigrated to the US way back in the day, eventually settling here. She was a very talented sculptor, and the statues around her home/studio stand testament to her skill. If you have time to walk around the surrounding neighborhood, it's a pretty eclectic area. Not much to do other than the museum, but there are a lot of houses that are just cool to look at.

This beautiful, beautiful museum anchoring the history of best-neighborhood-in-the-universe Hyde Park is a bit of a disappointment. Not that the life or work of artist/pioneer Elisabet Ney isn't fascinating, its just that the museum would function better with a more comprehensive use of the space inside (looks like someone tried to make it appear "old" when instead it looks "cheap.") Wonder how more full-fledged it would be if they married more of Hyde Park's history with the history and work of Elisabet Ney (and again, her sculptures are amazing), since our hood has a tome of history pertinent to the development of our city. Feels like a lot wasted space and the grounds feel like a missed opportunity to spruce it up with some kick-ass landscaping. If they made the grounds lush and beautiful like Laguna Gloria, they could host events to help pay for a face lift of the museum. Still, with a block from "downtown" Hyde Park, and worth stumbling into if they're open.

The museum is the former studio of 19th century portrait artist and sculptor Elisabet Ney - she built it in 1892. It's one of the oldest historical landmarks in Texas, it's free, and hardly anyone knows about it so it's a nice spot for a peaceful afternoon, outdoor photo shoots, or sitting up against a shady tree with a sketchpad. The sculpture and portrait collection is rather impressive, and the studio itself has the feeling of a tree house. Although Ney used it as her studio, she practically lived there - my favorite room is the tower reading nook. Trust me, after you see it, you'll wish you could live there. Even though her fame as an artist may not be great, she did play a large role in establishing the Texas State universities and the Texas Fine Arts Association. You'll want to visit if you're interested in seeing a part of Texas history.

This is a great a surprise, tucked in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Do a self guided tour and don't ask a docent to tell you more- they are more interested in talking about wars, witches and spies than the studio she worked in and the history of her art. Sadly they are also non ada compliant with volunteers. Go in and see the studio and her work- if you want to know more there are great YouTube videos about the museum and the artist before you go.

Elizabet Ney was a sculptor and supporter of liberal arts in the state of Texas and specifically the Univ of Texas. She rubbed elbows with so many prominent Texas figures from the state governors to deans of UT. Her house in Hyde Park is now a museum for those of us non-artsy types to walk through and gawk at. Not only is her work beautiful, flawless, and oh so very detailed but her house is gorgeous. As I walked through I could only imagine how perfect it was at the turn of the 20th century when the first level was her studio and the top floors were living spaces. The sculptures are so gorgeous and life like, the architecture and design of the house just adds even more. Sculptures include numerous Texas governors and many Texas figures as well as people that mattered to Elizabet in her personal life. It was so neat to walk through and read the story of her relationship to the people she sculpted. She was such an interesting person. I think I would have adored her! You can go all the way up to the top tower of the house (beware, I ran across a couple big spiders on the walls!!! Eek!). It's so neat and interesting reading about her life. Took about 40 mins for me to leisurely walk through this museum so it's very easy and pretty quick. Free admission as its apart of the Austin Parks but they do take donations (you should donate anyway...) Note: There's a type writer in the top floor that you can turn on. Make sure to stop and type them a note. They have a whole binder full of notes from previous visitors. Lots of Texas, Austin, and Hyde Park history. You don't need to know anything about Elizabet Ney to appreciate this cool museum.

First visit to this place was a school field trip as a kid. Been in love with it ever since. One of my favorite places in Austin. I go once or twice a year just for the feeling you get from wandering around the rooms imagining what it was like when she lived there. Up in the tower, you can see the hooks in the wall her "boarder" used to suspend his hammock. Also, the remains of her swimming pool (a dammed up area of Waller creek) are behind the house, and worth a look. She called the house "Formosa" Amongst her sculptures on display, perhaps the most touching piece is a death cast of a friends' baby who died at around a month of age. Some would say creepy, but I find it such a loving gesture, and it says a lot about her as a person. Two of her prominent works stand in the south entrance of the capitol (Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin) but her most fabulous work is out in the Texas State Cemetery (yes..I know...more death) and begs to be seen. It is the grave of General Albert Sidney Johnston (confederate war hero killed at the Battle of Shiloh). The work features Johnston in lying repose on his deathbed, and is worth the trip to the cemetery to see. What a fascinating figure of old Austin heritage. I hope her memory endures for future generations to embrace.

This museum was once known as Formosa, the art studio of Elisabet Ney, one of the earliest studios built in Texas. Today the museum sits on an overgrown property, that must have been a beautiful natural haven for Elisabet while she was alive. The studio is picturesque and castle like and brings back memories of Elisabet's homeland of Germany. Elisabet was born in 1833 in Germany, and grew up in a stonecutter's studio. She was determined to be a sculpture, and convinced her parents of her calling after a weeks long fast. In 1854, she was the first female sculpture at the all-male Munich Academy of Art, and the rest is history. She has a rich history of accomplishments, even befriending Ludwig II of Bavaria in Munich whose friendship resulted in her and her husband fleeing to the US. To learn more you will just have to visit the museum yourself, I don't want to give it all away. The museum is free, and parking is on the street. Be sure to check the website for opening hours. When I entered the studio I was very warmly welcomed by a docent/staff member. I was impressed by her knowledge of the subject, and she even offered to give a free tour. The German and Texas sculptures are separated into two rooms on the main floor, the old reception room is now home to old pictures of Austin. On the second floor you can tour the old living quarters of the Ney's, and if you dare you can expertly maneuver yourself up the extremely steep and narrow staircase to the third floor room that housed her husband's office when he visited. My friend and I loved our visit here. The works were a mix of casts and stone. There are restrooms, but you have to obtain permission as they are located in the basement where their offices are now located. It's actually an interesting journey to the restroom, as you might get a peek of Ney's other works on storage there. If you love art and history this is a must visit Austin site. I honestly can't believe it's free.

Looking for a taste of Hyde Park history? Wondering where to find busts of Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Mad King Ludwig II? Surprised that men even have busts? Then this museum is for you. Elizabet Ney was a 19th century sculptor who moved from Germany where she had sculpted members of the royal family. She was influential in her day as evidenced by the fact the building remained in tact after her death in 1907. The sculptures are impressive - even for non-art fans like myself who think such mundane thoughts as, "Where do you purchase big slabs of marble?" and "How much do you tip marble slab delivery men?". One room is dedicated to the history of Hyde Park - while it isn't comprehensive, I liked seeing the 100-year old photographs of the area. Admission is free, it's air-conditioned, and it'll probably only take you around 30 minutes to walk through all the exhibits. Recommended for Austin art-admirers and for taking guests from out of town.

The renovation is done, and this little site is very well with the trip through town. More interesting than the site, is Elisabeth Ney's compelling story, told exuberantly, by the current Director, Oliver. I only wish I could have known this strong, liberated artist, but Oliver's rendition of her history is the next best thing. Oliver also said they are planning a lot more fun activities there, so be sure to catch em!

I first became interested in -- and in fact, first heard of -- Elisabet Ney after reading a fiction novel by Steven Saylor called "A Twist at the End." It was about the infamous Austin serial killer who pre-dated Jack the Ripper in the late 19th century (known as the "Servant Girl Annihilator," and my personal theory as to why he isn't more well-known is that he has a really silly name). Saylor included a number of Austin's historical citizens as characters, and one of 'em was Elisabet Ney. I'm not sure how accurate the book was, but it piqued my interest, and eventually I wound up going to check out her museum. It's quite small, but then again, it WAS her home, and I doubt it was built with the idea of being a future tourist-spot in mind. The rooms are full of Ney's work, and they're quite impressive. From what I've gathered, she studied in Germany and rose to fame there, sculpting various aristocrats and leaders, until eventually she had to relocate to America -- possibly because of some political turmoil she got embroiled in (I'm sketchy on the details). At any rate, the place is chock full of historical tidbits about her, and if I'd paid more attention, I could probably write a better review. But I was more intrigued by the house itself. My favorite part of the visit was getting to visit the little attic-tower room. There's a "secret" door up at the top of the stairs, and the curator let us go through it and all the way up to the top of the tower, to overlook the city. I'm sure, way back when Elisabet lived there, it was just wilderness as far as the eye could see. But now it's a nice little view of Hyde park. Makes me wish I had the money to live there. *sigh* All in all, very fascinating little place. And a fascinating woman. Check out her Lady Liberty at the Bob Bullock some time, too. It used to grace the top of the capitol.

Ok ok, when you're riding by at night Formosa looks kind of like a spooky haunted castle, but it's actually the former studio of a wonderful sculptor that is hidden in a crook of Hyde Park nation. Definitely check out the tower, where there's a winding staircase and notes about her hidden door to the roof behind the bookcase. Also be sure to hit up the display about her romance with Edmund and gawk at the spectacular busts of prominent men in European and Texas history. Definitely a place to hit up, and a great slab of history to swallow, beautifully contained within these well-preserved stone walls. Dig!

I had never visited here before and was very pleased. It's quiet, with interesting architecture, and the sculpture is beautiful. It's easy to park and the guy at the desk was interesting to talk to. I love someplace one can visit without a big fuss and this was a really nice discovery. I will go again.

A little hidden piece of Austin history. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

Tiny but fun museum. Beautiful building and we enjoyed her sculptures and learning more about their life. She used to sleep outside on a camp cot - when I think of the heat and mosquitos, all I can say is she was very brave!

I had never heard of this until we happened to find it on an art tour a while back. If you've never been here, its most certainly a cool place to go once the temperatures mellow out a bit and its lovely again to be outside. Her beautiful artwork is placed throughout the home her and her husband used to live in. I was astonished at how detailed and impressive many of the sculptures were. It should be noted that the arrangement inside is quite a bit different than one would see in a traditional gallery. The home is old and a bit chopped up. The stairs leading up to the 2nd level are a bit claustrophobic if there are too many people there. While I note this, it most certainly isnt a complaint. I find her art placed in a dwelling of hers to bring back the history of the neighborhood. Quite impressive really. As for the house itself, I thought the castle motif was pretty darn cool. The architecture was just as interesting (to me) as the artwork inside and the story of her life. I would have loved to see it in its hayday.

So worth a weekend afternoon stop. My curiosity got the best of me & I'm glad it did! Beautiful grounds, an interesting historical narrative of the artist, her work, & her family. Added bonus: free. Stayed for about an hour & felt perfect. Volunteers were friendly. Make sure you check out the writing room up the spiral stair!

'Don't judge a book by its cover', don't be fooled by the outside of the museum- highly recommend

This is a great little free museum to check out and learn more about a late 1800s sculptor from Germany who was a feminist hipster before it became cool. She was quoted as saying, "Women are fools to be bothered with housework. Look at me; I sleep in a hammock which requires no making up. I break an egg and sip it raw. I make lemonade in a glass, and then rinse it, and my housework is done for the day."

Interesting little museum full of her sculptures (lots of busts) and plaques about her life story, which is quite exciting. Best of all the museum is housed in what was her studio.

Explored this museum as a kid, and revisited a few years ago as an adult. I was pleasantly surprised to find it equally interesting and charming (nostalgia not withstanding). Recommend you bring your kids here if they like castles and you can't afford a trip to Germany.

As an Artist and Sculptress, I'm most impressed by her sculptures! So very lifelike and full of detail!. She is the kind of artist who can capture the spirit of a moment like no other. I'm very glad to have visited her studio. I'm also very glad Austin has such a beautiful little diamond in the rough. My husband is originally from here and has loved this place since he was a child. He called it the "Ghost House" when he was little. Was so glad he showed it to me. The grounds are very cool and inviting. There is a small area in back by the creek that is rather charming too.

Wow. What a change! I went to the Ney today with friends from out of town as a lark and it was even better than it used to be. I love what they did with the exhibits! And the attentive staff was really engaging, bringing the amazing story of Ms Ney to life. Keepin it wierd 19th century style. Do visit, if you have never or just haven't lately. It's an Austin institution.

We visited the museum and enjoyed seeing all the sculptures and understand Elizabet's life and work. The house itself is beautiful from the outside and inside.

This home was built in the mid-late 1800's and houses a magnificent collection of statues and sculptures, many of them life size,depicting important figures of the time, Steven Austin, Sam Houston ect. The museum is actually Elisabet Ney's home. They used to hold sculpture classes on the grounds. A beautiful walk through some really unique sculptures.

The fact that this home was the "center of art" in Austin in 1902 intrigued me. The architecture and actual collection of sculptures exhibited is interesting, however, i enjoyed the glimpse of her life. Preserved letters written by her husband reveal that she was vivacious, talented, creative, generous, devoted to friends and family and an eternal optimist. Too bad we have lost the art of expressing ourselves in words and sharing our emotions with others to the extent that seemed the norm a hundred years ago. Beautiful art, photos, architecture and letters. I agree with a previous post that the landscaping around the home is horribly neglected. With appropriate care, perhaps the city of Austin could increase revenue, as the home would be a lovely site for small receptions/parties.

I love all the art sculptures in the museum and it has all these cute nooks and crannies of artifacts of Ms. Ney's life