Hiram Butler Gallery

Every time we come here, we’re tempted to bring a picnic lunch. More than a gallery for contemporary art, this is a leafy compound with a sleek modern exhibition space, open gardens landscaped with native trees and fauna and a restored 20th-century cottage. There is a contemplative feeling to the Hiram Butler Gallery which is home to the internationally recognized talents such as Robert Wilson and Jennifer Bartlett, as well as emerging artists. This is where hometown maverick William Betts first rocked the art world with his now-famous stripe paintings and the innovative sculptures of Texans Darryl Lauster and Dean Ruck are part of the roster, too.