The Victoria Regional Museum Association

The Victoria Regional Museum Association (VRMA), chartered in 1976, consolidated the McNamara-O'Connor Historical and Fine Arts Museum and the Royston Nave Memorial after Nave heirs gave the structure to the city, which then leased it to VRMA for use as a fine arts museum. The Nave Museum, 306 West Commercial, erected in 1930 to house the Royston Nave paintings, is the only fine arts museum serving Victoria and the 7-county Golden Crescent Region. The McNamara House Museum, 502 North Liberty, now a social history museum, was built in 1876 as the residence of Victoria businessman William J. McNamara. VRMA uses the McNamara family as the vehicle for interpretation of the social, economic, and cultural lifestyle of middle class South Texans at the turn-of-the-century.

The Nave Museum exhibits are selected with the broadly educational goal of presenting significant and pertinent contemporary works exploring the possibilities of certain media or style as well as artwork from the past continuing to bear relevance for a contemporary knowledge and understanding of art. The Nave Museum is open from 1:00 to 5:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday year round. Admission is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children. Special tours are available upon request. Educational tours arranged by individual public or private schools or school districts are free. For more information, contact the museum offices at (361) 575-8227.

In October and November of each year, the McNamara House Museum features an El Día de los Muertos Exhibit and Celebration (Day of the Dead). Included in the exhibit are altars designed and installed by local college and high school students. The McNamara House Museum is open from 1:00 to 5:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday year round . Admission is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children. Special tours may be arranged by calling the museum office. Educational tours organized by schools or school districts are free. Call (361) 575-8227 for more information, or visit the VRMA website which includes profiles of past, present, and upcoming exhibits at http://www.victoriaregionalmuseum.com/.

Performing Arts

The performing arts thrive in Victoria. Established in 1984, the Victoria Ballet offers Victorians and their neighbors a chance to see the arts without driving to larger cities like Houston or Austin. The Ballet Theatre, which relies on local talent and professional guest artists for its performances, is comprised of approximately 45 students who make up a junior and senior ballet company. For additional information about performances, call 361-575-2313 or visit their site at victoriaballet.org.

The Victoria Symphony Orchestra is another leading artistic force in the Victoria area. Consisting of approximately 65 talented musicians from Victoria, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and other communities, the orchestra has received praise from patrons and media alike. A typical season consists of five subscription performances with varied repertoire. For more information, call 361-576-4500, or visit their site at victoriasymphony.com.

Founded in 1977, Theatre Victoria enjoys a prominent place as one of the largest arts organizations in the area. Six productions are offered during a season that runs July to May. There are some 60 performances offered each year.

The Victoria Perfoming Arts Center has completed the planning phase of an existing building located at the corner of Main and Goodwin Streets. The new facility will offer a fully equipped modern performing space with fly-loft and 475 seats. The complex will provide a headquarters for the Cultural Council of Victoria and Theatre Victoria as well as support space and services to other area arts organizations. Victoria Community Theatre will become the resident theatre company once the new Victoria Perfoming Arts Center is completed and will operate the physical plant. The Cultural Council will provide management for the building. For more information about the Victoria Community Theatre, call 576-6277 or 1-800-677-5696.

Victoria Public Library

The Victoria Public Library contains 159,442 volumes at its downtown location. The Victoria College and the University of Houston-Victoria share a library on their joint campus. The holdings of all the libraries may be searched online via the Victoria Shared Library System website at www.victoria.lib.tx.us.