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Irving’s Many Voices: 3 Vibrant Arts and Culture Attractions to Explore this Summer
By Maggie Heyn Richardson
Beat the heat this summer with a weekend escape to Irving, where the story of one of Texas’ most spirited cities unfolds through fascinating multi-layered exhibits. Top attractions like the Irving Archives & Museum, the Irving Arts Center, and the Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center paint a comprehensive picture of the area’s history and its people. Irving’s lively story also extends beyond the walls of museums and heritage sites. Make time to enjoy sumptuous local and international cuisine, shop in eclectic stores and boutiques, and listen to live music. This inspiring cultural destination will make you instantly glad you came.
Irving Archives & Museum
Take in Irving’s cultural tapestry at the Irving Archives & Museum, where visitors are welcomed with top-notch exhibits that explore the area’s dynamic history. Start with “The Irving Story,” a nationally award-winning immersive experience that depicts the area’s evolution from hardscrabble frontier town to one of the Lone Star State’s most diverse communities.
Next, enjoy a spin through this summer’s compelling temporary exhibits, which bring to life a wide variety of lived experiences. One is Caribbean Indigenous Resistance/Resistencia indígena del Caribe ¡Taíno Vive!. The bilingual exhibition on loan from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service tells the story of the Taíno, indigenous people from the northern Caribbean. Intriguing artifacts, music, crafts, and personal narratives crack the code on how the Taíno lived and explore how their identity endures today. The exhibit runs through August 10, 2025.
On view from June 6 through September 28 is Badge of Pride: From Silence to Celebration, a landmark exhibit featuring one of the first and most comprehensive artifact-driven explorations of LGBTQ+ history in Texas. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a panel from the National AIDS Memorial Quilt, considered the largest community arts project in history. Visitors will learn about the 54-ton tapestry, and its 50,000 quilt pieces made in honor of more than 110,000 individuals who died from HIV/AIDS. Badge of Pride also features an extensive collection of artifacts from private and institutional collectors that honor the LGBTQ+ community’s transformation from fear and invisibility to resilience and joy.
Before you leave, be sure to stop by the IAM Museum Store to pick up handmade gifts created by both local makers and artisans from around the world.
Irving Arts Center
Irving’s vibrant arts scene comes to life at the Irving Arts Center in the city’s must-see downtown Arts District. Visitors can catch all sorts of exhibits and performances at this comprehensive arts hub, a 10-acre complex with two theaters, four galleries, a sculpture garden, and more. It’s also home to ten Irving Resident Art Organizations.
Summer is a great time to peruse one of the many fine art exhibitions installed at the center’s galleries. These exhibitions explore universal themes such as remembrance and legacy.
In The Dance Lives On, ceramicist Amy Branch-Lambert honors her brother, Kenneth, with a striking ceramic quilt and an original panel from the National AIDS Memorial Quilt. The exhibit uses the power of art to honor family connection. Another powerful show, Portraits of Dementia, features the work of photographer Joe Wallace. Viewers take in intimate portraits and stories that highlight the human condition of those living with dementia. The show challenges the stigma of this widespread disease and preserves the beauty and dignity of every life.
Rooted Visions celebrates the ingenuity of 25 self-taught Black artists from the American South. Artists like Mose Tolliver, Bessie Harvey, and others transform everyday materials into expressions of resilience, faith, and cultural memory—offering a fresh take on the Black Southern experience.
Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center
Among Irving’s many civic museums and cultural attractions is the recently restored Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center, honoring one of the nation’s oldest freedmen communities. Reserve a tour online to visit the site’s three preserved structures, the Bear Creek Masonic Lodge, the Green House, and the J.O. Davis House. Each building tells a story of the African American experience from emancipation through the Civil Rights era. Exterior self-guided tours are available. Signage explains the significance of this close-knit Irving community with QR codes linking visitors to more information.
Irving’s vibrant arts scene invites visitors to experience diverse voices and fresh perspectives. A weekend away is easy to plan. The city holds more than 85 hotels, including high end resorts, budget friendly favorites, boutique accommodations, bed-and-breakfasts, and more. Visit Irving today for an inspiring trip you won’t soon forget.
About the author: A lover of all things Lone Star, Maggie is an award-winning features writer covering the Gulf South and is the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey.
