A former courthouse, Big Red is now a museum that highlights Dallas history. Located on Dealey Plaza, it backs to the John F. Kennedy Memorial. Founders Plaza is next door and the new Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is just down the street.
History and art unite on city walk
Exploring the Dallas/Fort Worth area has become one of my favorite activities since moving to Dallas in 2015. Weekly walks with a homeschool group has become a highlight of my life.
As a country girl who has lived near big parks or national forests for most of my adult life, transitioning to urbanity has shaken me. This particular group has been a lifeline, and discovering treasures of nature and culture soothe my soul.
Last week, we trekked about downtown, starting at the Dallas Museum of Art, wandering through West End and by Nealy Plaza, visiting the tremendous cattle drive sculpture at Pioneer Plaza and stopping to see the eyeball sculpture and Thanksgiving Chapel before ending at Klyde Warren Park, which is built over a highway across the street from the DMA.
One of the largest sculptures in the United States, the cattle drive of Pioneer Plaza features more than 40 cattle built at 130 percent of life-size and three cowboys.
Dallas has too many stops to include in a single blog post, and that’s not mentioning anything outside of the city. It’s a great place to visit. Four years, and I’ve barely scratched the surface of all this metroplex has to offer.
Located on private property, the sight of this eyeball prompts kids to giggle and squeal. The outside of Thanksgiving chapel reminds me of a giant conch shell with its white concrete swirls. I’d never visited because I thought it was a private space. I was delighted to learn that it is open to the public during certain hours. The glass ceiling, as you can see, is amazing. I laid on the floor and just enjoyed the peace and beauty. It was the most serenity I’ve felt in a while. I’ll definitely recommend a stop for my friends and visitors and plan to return on my own. Outside, a beautiful plaza provides a place of rest and restoration as well. I now understand why so many community groups meet here in times of duress.
