A gleaming red beacon on San Antonio’s South Flores corridor, Ruby City is more than a museum, it’s a dream made real. Conceived by the late artist and philanthropist Linda Pace and realized in collaboration with world-renowned architect Sir David Adjaye, Ruby City opened in 2019 as a contemporary art center unlike any other in Texas. Home to the Linda Pace Foundation’s 1,400-piece collection, Ruby City provides free access to bold, provocative works by regional and international artists alike. With its sculptural architecture, curatorial rigor, and civic commitment, it has quickly become a cultural landmark in the American Southwest.
Founding and Vision
Ruby City emerged from a literal dream. In 2007, shortly before her death, Linda Pace sketched a building she saw in a dream: a red, jewel-like structure with soaring forms. She passed the drawing to David Adjaye, then an emerging architectural star, with a simple directive: “This is Ruby City.”
Pace’s dream was to create a space where contemporary art could be experienced freely, inclusively, and boldly. As the founder of Artpace, she had already established San Antonio as a locus for artist residencies and experimental art. Ruby City would serve as a complementary institution, a public museum housing her collection, open to all and focused on issues of identity, social justice, feminism, and spiritual inquiry.
Though Pace passed in 2007, her vision remained intact. Through the Linda Pace Foundation, her estate commissioned and completed the project, culminating in Ruby City’s grand opening on October 13, 2019.
Architecture and Design
Ruby City’s building is a masterpiece in itself. Designed by Sir David Adjaye, the 14,000-square-foot structure features a striking red concrete façade embedded with recycled glass, which catches the sun and glows in the changing light. The form is simultaneously futuristic and organic, its sloped rooflines and angular cuts echo both crystalline geometry and Southwest architecture.
Inside, the space is minimal, light-filled, and acoustically soft, ideal for experiencing contemporary art without distraction. The museum includes:
- Three main gallery spaces
- A community gallery for rotating exhibitions
- A meditation garden and plaza
- An adjoining campus that includes Chris Park, a public green space created in memory of Linda Pace’s son
The site has been widely praised in architectural and art publications, including Architectural Digest, Domus, and Artforum, and stands as one of Adjaye’s most poetic works in the United States.
Collections and Curatorial Focus
Ruby City’s collection reflects Linda Pace’s sensibility as an artist and a collector. Bold, emotive, and unafraid of difficult questions, the works span a wide range of media, including painting, video, sculpture, photography, and installation. The collection contains over 1,400 pieces, and while only a selection is on view at any time, rotating exhibitions ensure visitors always encounter something new.
Highlights of the collection include works by:
- Kehinde Wiley, known for his heroic portraits of Black subjects;
- Wangechi Mutu, whose hybrid figures explore postcolonial identity and the body;
- Isaac Julien, whose video installations explore migration and desire;
- Glenn Ligon, a key figure in conceptual art and language-based abstraction;
- Mickalene Thomas, renowned for her rhinestone-studded portraits of Black women;
- Do Ho Suh, whose delicate sculptures question belonging and memory.
Texas-based artists such as Ana Fernandez, Jesse Amado, and Chuck Ramirez also figure prominently, reinforcing Ruby City’s commitment to its local roots.
Ruby City’s exhibitions are thematic and often socially engaged, tackling questions of race, gender, ecology, and spirituality. Past exhibitions have included Waking Dream, Inheritance, and Threading: Material and Meaning in Contemporary Art.
Public Programming and Education
Despite its world-class architecture and collection, Ruby City remains a deeply community-focused institution. All programming is free and designed to serve a broad cross-section of San Antonio residents.
Core initiatives include:
- Exhibition openings and curator talks, often featuring artists and scholars;
- Ruby City Reads, a book club connecting contemporary literature to current exhibitions;
- Art-Making Workshops for families and children;
- Mindfulness programs, including yoga and meditation sessions in Chris Park;
- School tours and educator partnerships, reaching hundreds of students annually.
Ruby City also collaborates with other local institutions such as Artpace, San Antonio Museum of Art, and Southwest School of Art, creating a synergistic art scene that bridges education, experimentation, and public service.
Market Position and Recognition
As a nonprofit and free-admission museum, Ruby City is not part of the commercial gallery system, but its impact is immense. It contributes significantly to San Antonio’s cultural tourism and arts economy, drawing visitors from across Texas and beyond. In 2024, Ruby City hosted an estimated 65,000 visitors, and its online presence, including virtual tours and digital archives, has steadily expanded its global reach.
Major art and design publications have spotlighted Ruby City, praising both its architectural daring and curatorial ambition. The New York Times, Art in America, and Dezeen have all featured the museum as a model of artist-led cultural philanthropy.
The Linda Pace Foundation, which funds the institution, maintains an endowment and provides ongoing financial support, allowing Ruby City to operate with curatorial independence and long-term sustainability.
Future Directions
As Ruby City enters its next phase, it is embracing the digital realm and seeking deeper connections across borders. Strategic goals include:
- Expanded digital access, including 3D exhibition walkthroughs and curated online collections;
- Artist residencies, possibly in collaboration with Artpace, focusing on socially engaged practices;
- Public art commissions throughout San Antonio’s Southtown district;
- A publishing program, launching artist monographs and critical essays tied to major exhibitions.
Additionally, Ruby City is planning to host traveling exhibitions from partner institutions, introducing new voices and perspectives to San Antonio’s art landscape while continuing to foreground underrepresented artists.
Ruby City is a living tribute to artistic vision, social imagination, and architectural brilliance. Rooted in San Antonio but connected to global currents, it offers a space where the transformative power of art is freely accessible to all. As Linda Pace once envisioned, Ruby City stands as a radiant, red sanctuary for ideas, expression, and community. For anyone seeking contemporary art that speaks boldly and beautifully to our time, Ruby City is an essential destination.