Just a few years in the past, my daughter, June, requested me a query I wasn’t positive tips on how to reply. So I instructed her to ask it for ATXplained.

“What’s the most, like, invaluable factor you will discover in a museum in Austin, Texas?” she requested.

I do not suppose we’ve got any Picassos or Van Goghs on public show right here within the Reside Music Capital of the World. Austin is just not precisely well-known for its museums (although we do have some good ones).

So I went to what’s in all probability the most important museum on the town — the Blanton Museum of Artwork — to see what it has in the best way of “invaluable” issues.

Blanton Museum of Artwork

The very first thing the curators confirmed us was an set up by the Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles known as Missão/Missões (Mission/Missions) or The way to Construct Cathedrals. It is manufactured from 600,000 pennies, 800 communion wafers, 2,000 cattle bones and 80 paving stones. It represents colonization in Brazil and the conversion of indigenous tribes to Catholicism.

With all these pennies in it, we all know it is value a minimum of $6,000 — however clearly it is value extra. How a lot? We do not know precisely. I used to be instructed most museums do not reveal the worth of their reveals for insurance coverage functions.

The opposite factor we noticed was simply exterior the museum.

Austin, which opened in 2018, is the one constructing ever designed and constructed by artist Ellsworth Kelly. It price $23 million to construct and fund its future upkeep, however who is aware of how a lot it could be value if it may very well be bought now. (Not even positive how you’ll promote this constructing?)

The Harry Ransom Middle

Not removed from the Blanton, the Harry Ransom Middle has all types of historic artifacts and papers from well-known individuals. Nevertheless it additionally has one among a handful of remaining full copies of a Gutenberg Bible, one of many first mass-produced books made utilizing steel kind. It was purchased in 1978 for $2.2 million; there are estimates that full copies like this might promote for greater than $25 million at the moment.

Ransom Middle

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Ransom Middle

So far as I can inform, that is the costliest factor we have got in a museum. That received me considering: Austin is the eleventh largest metropolis within the nation. We are the capital of the second-most-populous state. We have a frickin’ Method One racetrack. Why do not we’ve got costlier artwork?

“A whole lot of the wealth in Austin could be very new. It does not return three or 4 generations,” stated Doug Dempster, the previous dean of UT’s School of Wonderful Arts. “If you have a look at Houston and Dallas and Fort Price, you may see 100 years of wealth that is invested very deliberately in constructing the cultural infrastructure of these communities.”

In actual fact, Dempster says, Austin should not even attempt to compete with large museums in different states — and even different museums in Texas — for no different purpose than their pockets are so deep, it could be unimaginable to compete. However greater than that, he says, Austin already has its personal distinctive model.

“What makes ATX the model that it’s, is partly that it is rising on a tide of artistic artists and performers,” he stated. “And that is far more distinctive and attention-grabbing than attempting to compete at this flagship stage with elite establishments.”

So let’s not concentrate on the costly stuff. In actual fact, that actually wasn’t the query June was asking anyway.

“I do not imply the factor that is value probably the most amount of cash. I imply probably the most, like, valuable factor to the individuals,” she stated.

OK, nicely let’s go on a seek for invaluable issues — the issues most valuable to the individuals.

Again to the Blanton

The very first thing I wish to have a look at is the worth of listening. Sound artist Henna Chou composed this piece for the Blanton’s “SoundSpace: Dialog Items” video collection earlier this 12 months.

Whereas there wasn’t a reside viewers for this specific piece, Chou has additionally completed performances on the Blanton and The Modern.

“It is type of particular as a result of you aren’t getting a response immediately when persons are listening, since they’re supposed to attend the entire time,” she stated.

There’s one thing particular about experiencing visible artwork and sound in a museum area.

“I actually admire the concept of getting a quiet viewers,” she stated. “Everybody participating within the apply of listening and the apply of being peaceable collectively. That’s type of a singular factor that folks do not have on a regular basis.”

Watch the video above and inform me that is not a invaluable expertise.

The Bob Bullock Texas State Historical past Museum

Now: the worth of perspective — the type of perspective you may solely get from one thing 1000’s of years outdated.

I requested, Angie Glasker, the curator of the Bob Bullock Texas State Historical past Museum what she thought probably the most invaluable factor within the museum is. She pointed me to this tiny piece of rock.

It is a damaged projectile level — like an arrowhead — discovered at an archeological dig website simply north of Georgetown. The artifact itself is not significantly distinctive, however it’s outdated. Scientists thought the primary individuals arrived on this a part of the world about 13,000 years in the past, however this human-made object — present in Central Texas — is a minimum of 16,000 years outdated. That signifies our understanding of people’ arrival right here was approach off.

“So this tiny, damaged arrow level really considerably modified the best way that we scientifically take into consideration the peopling of the Americas,” Glasker stated.

Generally, one thing comes alongside that exhibits us we have to reevaluate our assumptions — our complete idea of the world.

“Should you speak to indigenous individuals, they had been all the time right here. That is the place they’re from — they’ve all the time been right here,” Glasker stated. “Scientifically, we maintain pushing that date again additional and additional and additional. So I feel sooner or later science and indigenous information are going to fulfill.”

A tiny factor that adjustments our complete notion of human growth? Priceless.

The George Washington Carver Museum

A factor does not should be 1000’s of years outdated to deepen our understanding of our fellow people, although. It may be one thing left behind by our mother and father or grandparents.

The George Washington Carver Museum in East Austin is devoted to preserving the historical past of Black individuals in Austin. Collections Supervisor Alan Garcia confirmed me a leather-based scrapbook. At some point through the pandemic, he stated, somebody got here as much as the museum and left it on the bottom by the entrance door.

“What occurs usually is that they drop it off to a museum as a result of it was an merchandise they found in a home that they simply bought, you realize, household historical past that is been left behind in a property in East Austin that modified palms quickly,” Garcia stated.

The scrapbook belonged to the household of a person named Milo Payne. He served within the Military throughout World Conflict II and later labored on the Texas Capitol because the supervisor of particular companies. His job was to organize the Home chamber for normal enterprise and particular events, like visits from dignitaries.

Garcia calls the scrapbook priceless historical past.

“Particularly this angle, proper? African-American perspective behind the scenes on the Capitol,” he stated. “Extraordinarily uncommon. One in every of a form.”

Milo Payne died in 1995.

“I do not suppose communities of coloration get sufficient credit score for being those who’re preserving their story,” Garcia stated. “After I have a look at all these scrapbooks and see all of the care that goes into it, they deserve all of the credit score for being those who made some extent to avoid wasting these photos, save these tales.”

The Museum of Ice Cream

We’ll change the vibe up a bit right here, with a go to to The Area, the place you will discover The Museum of Ice Cream.

Now, this is not a museum within the conventional sense, however I went as a result of … I needed to go there. There aren’t actually reveals right here, only a collection of rooms seemingly constructed to be the backdrop for Instagram posts and TikToks. There’s additionally tons and many free ice cream.

“There is a purpose that perhaps it’s essential spark pleasure in your life and that is why you are coming to the Museum of Ice Cream,” stated Annie Dukes, the museum’s supervisor.

The enjoyment of wading right into a pool filled with outsized plastic rainbow sprinkles. Navigating via a room of plastic bananas hanging from the ceiling. Taking part in whack-a-mole that is ice cream as an alternative of moles.

After which there’s the rainbow hallway. Right here, you may blow up a balloon, write a want on it and toss it into the hallway to make your want come true.

Wanting via the balloons, I discovered one wishing for “Happiness for everybody.” One other for “5 billion penguins.”

However then this one: “I wish to go to Alaska and see my Dad!”

I do not know if this was one want or two — Is their dad in Alaska? Nevertheless it appears clear this individual misses him sufficient to want to see him on a balloon and forged it into this hallway in hopes it can come true.

This might need been probably the most valuable factor I discovered in a museum, if it weren’t for one different place I visited.

The Texas Toy Museum

Should you’re of a sure age — for those who grew up within the ’80s and ’90s — this place is magical. It is received each toy you bear in mind out of your childhood and a few you do not bear in mind.

“I hear lots of people are available in and speak about the way it’s unlocking childhood recollections after they see their associates from their childhood,” stated Caleb Zammit, the museum’s proprietor. “That is what I see it as — extra of a museum of recollections.”

G.I. Joe. Ninja Turtles. Barbie. My Little Pony. Previous arcade video games. An X-Males #1 comedian ebook that Zammit says is value about $15,000.

However for those who ask what toy in your entire museum is Most worthy to him, he pulls out an outdated Star Wars motion determine. It is lacking its arms and head.

“This one was one I had once I was little. I had it with me when my dad was actually sick within the hospital,” he stated. “So we’d take it round — throw it round — me and my brother. And finally it fell completely aside, however I nonetheless maintain it as a reminiscence.”

His dad was out and in of the hospital earlier than he died. Zammit sees this damaged outdated toy as a reminiscence of a nasty time, however one thing that received him via that unhealthy time.

It is not a portray or a constructing or a historic artifact. It is a headless, armless token of a time long gone, however all the time current.

“There may very well be a $5 toy that no one cares about however to any person, that was their entire world after they had been 5 years outdated,” Zammit stated. “There’s a whole lot of emotion primarily based on the issues we got with love — and cherished — once we had been little.”

Issues cherished and given with love. This was the one museum the place I discovered that. And I can not think about something extra invaluable than that.

What invaluable issues did I miss? Submit your personal concepts for probably the most valuable factor in a museum in Austin beneath.