A plan to expand and improve the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, in part with city money, is advancing toward the Austin City Council. The Arts Commission endorsed the general concepts for the project after a presentation at its Monday meeting, recommending the council do the same.
The centrally located garden and sculpture park, located just east of the city’s Zilker Park and donated to the city, is the former home of sculptor Charles Umlauf and displays as 200 pieces of his art. It’s managed in partnership with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
The site, which receives thousands of visitors a year, has accessibility and infrastructure issues that limit its use, including a a lack of available parking, said director Katie Robinson Edwards. “The original gift of the historic home and studio is not yet open to the public due to inaccessibility code compliance and a required restoration of building systems and finishes,” she said, adding that 2 acres of overgrown green space on the south side of the property is not easily accessible, making less than half of the 8-acre site open to the public.
The presentation included Austin legacy architecture firm Page's three-phase plan for four areas of the site: the existing sculpture garden and museum; a natural zone with trails on the southern part of the property; the Gateway, a welcome zone that would expand classroom, office, and meeting areas; and a treehouse structure that would provide multilevel access to areas that are difficult to navigate.
Carrying out the plan would involve a multiyear capital campaign and public funding, possibly including a portion of a bond package slated to go before voters in 2026, said Umlauf board president Richard Weiss.
The proposal will be presented to several other city boards and commissions before the city council’s planned fall review.
