Marfa brings together contemporary art, architecture, and a high desert landscape. The city lies on the high desert plain of the Trans-Pecos region; the Marfa Plateau is an extensive elevated plain. When planning your visit, it helps to distinguish between different ways of experiencing the area: some spaces can be visited on tours, while certain artworks can be viewed along a path during museum opening hours. This lets you choose different areas of focus rather than treating all the locations as equivalent stops.
Donald Judd’s Spaces and Art Sites
Tours of La Mansana de Chinati, also known as The Block, provide access to Donald Judd’s home and studio in Marfa; the site was the setting for some of his first large-scale architectural projects. Tours of The Studios provide access to a selection of Judd’s spaces in downtown Marfa, including the Architecture Office, Ranch Office, Art Studio, Cobb House, and Whyte Building. The Judd Foundation provides the public with access to the artist’s permanently installed living and working spaces in downtown Marfa. Donald Judd’s 15 untitled concrete works can be viewed free of charge along a path during museum opening hours.
Art, Exhibitions, and Performances
Ballroom Marfa is an internationally recognized contemporary art museum without a permanent collection, and also a venue for contemporary art and performances. Founded in 2003, the institution is housed in a 1920s-era ballroom and is free and open to the public. The Marfa Studio of Arts presents year-round exhibitions in a 1,000-square-foot gallery. The Chinati Foundation’s collection is spread across 21 buildings and two sites outside the main location; it also includes three site-specific outdoor installations. Marfa Open is a nonprofit arts organization and art space. Its goal is to provide local and visiting artists with resources and opportunities through gallery exhibitions.
History and Cityscape
From 1909 to 1965, Blackwell School was the only public educational institution for the Mexican and Mexican American children of the city of Marfa. It is open year-round on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 to 16:00 CST. Check opening hours before your trip so you can plan your visit accordingly. The school thus combines a specific visiting time with an important part of the city’s history.
A historic district in Marfa includes the historic town center and 183 historically significant sites. Its southern section preserves building patterns and construction techniques associated with Mexican settlement in the border region, including numerous examples of adobe construction. These sites offer another perspective on the city through its historic architecture and building traditions.
Landscape and Excursions
Marfa is considered an easy-to-explore-on-foot destination in Texas. From Marfa, you can drive along River Road to Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park; the road is considered one of the most scenic in Texas. Ebikemarfa offers electric bicycle rentals and tours in Marfa, Texas, and the surrounding areas. This gives you a choice of both a scenic road route and electric bicycle options when planning excursions.
Nine miles east of Marfa is a viewing site used to observe the Marfa Lights. This is an unexplained natural phenomenon involving patterns of light in the sky. For a different look at the surrounding area, visit “the little dairy on the prairie,” where you can learn about goat milking and cheesemaking. The operators, Malinda Beeman and Allan McClane, brought the operation to Marfa in 2006.
For the broader travel overview: Presidio County.
