On Sunday, October 2, the Kimbell Art Museum will officially debut new Spanish-language audio tours and visitor information during the free Fiesta de la Familia.

A recent Pew Research Center Study cited Dallas-Fort Worth as having the sixth-largest Hispanic and Latino population in the United States. Recognizing the changing demographic that the Museum now serves, the Kimbell applied for and received a generous grant from The Hearst Foundation in support of expanding the Museum’s Spanish-language offerings to this important, growing audience. Led by Fort Worth City Councilman and former Mayor Pro Tem, Sal Espino, a volunteer committee of local Latino leaders is assisting the Museum’s staff with navigating the planning and production of the initiative, which they affectionately named “Nuestro Kimbell” (Our Kimbell).

“The Kimbell is renowned around the world for the quality of its art and architecture, and from its inception, the board of directors have emphasized the importance of providing free admission so that all may enjoy its treasures,” commented Eric M. Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum. “The ‘Nuestro Kimbell’ Initiative allows us to effectively engage with a broader, vital audience. We’re eternally grateful to The Hearst Foundation, Councilman Espino and the members of the ‘Nuestro Kimbell’ committee for their support.”

Several of the Museum’s free resources have been translated for “Nuestro Kimbell.” The Kimbell’s permanent collection audio tours, for both adults and families, are now available in both English and Spanish on the Museum’s new Acoustiguide Opus listening devices. The recordings are also available for free on personal smart devices via the Kimbell Audio Tour app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play. The permanent collection wall labels describing the works on display have also been translated and are available on the Kimbell App. In addition, the Kimbell’s website,kimbellart.org, now includes kimbellart.org/visita, which provides Spanish translations of the entire “Visit” section. Lastly, the Museum has translated, redesigned and printed Spanish versions of the Museum’s visitor brochures, as well as family gallery guides that facilitate observation and discussion of the art in the galleries. Six gallery guides are provided, with topics including Hispanic Heritage Month, Animals Features, Landscape Details, Sculpture, Portrait Stories and Dia de los Muertos.

Many of the Museum’s visitors’ services staff members are bilingual or are learning basic Spanish to communicate more effectively, and Spanish-language docent-led tours of the permanent collection are available with advanced registration. A new Spanish-language “Nuestro Kimbell”facebook page has launched and will provide updated information about events and Museum information.

Fiesta de la Familia
On Sunday, October 2, 2016, from noon to 5 p.m., during Hispanic Heritage Month, the Kimbell will host an exciting afternoon featuring Latino music and dance performances, face painting, gallery story time, children’s films and art activities. Admission is free.

Kimbell Art Museum
The Kimbell Art Museum, owned and operated by the Kimbell Art Foundation, is internationally renowned for both its collections and for its architecture. The Kimbell’s collections range in period from antiquity to the 20th century and include European masterpieces by artists such as Fra Angelico, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Poussin, Velázquez, Monet, Picasso and Matisse; important collections of Egyptian and classical antiquities; and Asian, African art and the art of the ancient Americas.

The Museum’s 1972 building, designed by the American architect Louis I. Kahn, is widely regarded as one of the outstanding architectural achievements of the modern era. A second building, designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, opened in 2013 and now provides space for special exhibitions, dedicated classrooms and a 289-seat auditorium with excellent acoustics for music.