Jones Center on Congress Avenue
The Jones Center on Congress Avenue, the museum’s gallery space in downtown Austin, presents exhibitions by acclaimed contemporary artists and a full calendar of cultural opportunities in an architecturally significant building. In December 2016, The Contemporary Austin completed major renovations of the downtown site, including a significant expansion of gallery space and the addition of The Moody Rooftop.
Visit our events calendar for information on upcoming workshops, films, and other museum programs.
Visit The Contemporary from Home to enjoy virtual tours of current and past exhibitions at the Jones Center on Congress Avenue.
The Moody Rooftop
Thanks to a generous gift from The Moody Foundation, The Contemporary Austin unveiled the new Moody Rooftop at the Jones Center on Congress Avenue in December 2016. Open to the public during museum hours, visitors are invited to experience Jim Hodges's iconic sculpture With Liberty and Justice for All (A Work in Progress), as well as breathtaking views of Austin's downtown skyline. The Moody Rooftop is also home to many museum programs throughout the year, including film screenings, exhibition opening receptions, and more.
Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Shop at The Contemporary
The Shop at The Contemporary features a unique selection of artist-designed merchandise and other handpicked products from around the world. These include art supplies, games, books, home wares, and exclusive exhibition-related items that visitors and shoppers have come to seek in a modern, design-forward museum gift shop. All sales directly support The Contemporary Austin's exhibitions and programs.
Museum members receive a 10% discount at the Shop at The Contemporary. Join Now!
The Shop is now online! Visit us here to start shopping today!
The online shop includes a curated selection of the items we offer onsite. Check back often as we continue to update the online shop with more of our favorites! We currently offer domestic shipping via USPS, as well as free contactless delivery within the Austin area.
SHOP NOW
Have a question about the Shop at The Contemporary? Contact shop@thecontemporaryaustin.org today!
2016 Renovation
In December 2016, The Contemporary Austin completed major renovations of the Jones Center on Congress Avenue, including significant expansion of and enhancements to its gallery spaces and the addition of The Moody Rooftop. This major renovation was made possible by a $1.3 million grant awarded to The Contemporary Austin by The Moody Foundation in 2015.
The 2016 renovations helped to transform the downtown Jones Center, with its new Moody Rooftop, into a signature destination for cultural events in the community, overlooking the busy Congress Avenue corridor. The rooftop's open-air canopy with weather-proofing options allows the museum to offer additional public programs and host a range of events and community gatherings year round.
In addition, increased gallery space and a range of gallery enhancements now allow The Contemporary Austin to accommodate larger exhibitions and to conform to the American Alliance of Museums standards for the handling and exhibition of artwork.
The Jones Center renovation was led by Paul Lewis of LTL Architects, who led the original building renovation in 2008.
The Contemporary Austin’s decision to retrofit the existing building at the Jones Center represents sound stewardship of the museum’s resources and a deeper commitment to serving the community. The improvements have contributed to the revitalization of downtown Austin and the Congress Avenue cultural corridor, and increase the museum’s capacity to offer programming for and to reach diverse audiences.
LTL Architects was awarded The Architect Newspaper's 2017 Best of Design Award for Adaptive Reuse for the Jones Center Renovation.