Round Rock’s Art Scene Is Having a Moment — And It’s Worth Seeing
Something is happening in Round Rock, and if you haven’t noticed yet, now’s the time to pay attention. In the past few months, the city has quietly assembled one of the most impressive collections of new public art in Central Texas — from a world-class glass chandelier inside a Downtown gallery to a glowing sculpture in Memorial Park. Here’s everything that’s new and where to find it.
The Chihuly Is Here — And It’s Permanent
The centerpiece of it all is Ruby Sunstone Pineapple, a 9-foot-tall glass chandelier by Dale Chihuly — one of the most celebrated glass artists in the world — now permanently installed at the City Arts Center, 216 East Main Street in Downtown Round Rock.
Chihuly’s work commands millions of dollars at auction and draws massive crowds at major museums. The $360,000 piece was funded entirely by hotel occupancy tax (HOT) revenue — money collected from visitors staying in Round Rock hotels. By state law, HOT funds are restricted to uses that promote tourism and the arts; they cannot be redirected to general city services like roads or infrastructure. In other words, this money could only go toward things like this.
Round Rock’s piece isn’t a traveling exhibit or a temporary loan. It’s ours. The city invested in it intentionally, as part of a larger commitment to elevating arts and culture as a defining part of Round Rock’s identity.
The City Arts Center reopens tomorrow, July 15, 2026, following its installation. Admission is free. Cathedral ceilings, natural light from large windows, and views of the Downtown Paseo make the space itself worth the trip — the Chihuly just makes it extraordinary.
📍 City Arts Center
216 East Main Street, Downtown Round Rock
Free admission for all
“Tree of Life” at Memorial Park — Best at Dusk
Head to Memorial Park and look toward the trail — you’ll find “Tree of Life,” a stunning metallic tree sculpture created by the collaborative duo Travis Seeger and Foster Talge. It towers radiantly over the park vista, beautiful by day, and absolutely striking at dusk when it glows.
This is the kind of piece that rewards a second visit. If you’ve been to Memorial Park recently and didn’t notice it, go back — especially around sunset.
📍 Memorial Park, Round Rock
Free, accessible from the park trail
New Murals and Sculptures Downtown
Spring 2026 also brought a wave of new public art to Downtown Round Rock’s streets and walls:
- “Solaris” by Scott Shubin — a bold, colorful abstract sculpture resembling flames, installed on a Downtown street corner. Hard to miss, impossible to forget.
- “Doves Bathing in a Fountain of Seville” by José Blanco — a mural painted on an outdoor stone wall, serene and beautifully detailed.
- “Birds of a Feather” by Avery Orendorf — a vibrant, stylized mural featuring five colorful birds on a patterned background.
Photos courtesy of the City of Round Rock
There’s also new art that was installed inside the Round Rock Public Library in 2026 — worth checking out the next time you’re in.
Murals at Lakeview Pavilion — Old Settlers Park
The public art tour doesn’t stop Downtown. Head to the new Lakeview Pavilion at Old Settlers Park and you’ll find large-scale murals bringing Round Rock’s love of family, sports, and the outdoors to life — including a family (and their dog) relaxing streamside after a ballgame, and a young reader stretched out in the grass with her book and her beagle. The murals are part of the public art woven into the Lakeview Pavilion and Stage, which opened in November 2025 as one of the first completed pieces of the city’s ongoing Old Settlers Park overhaul.
📍 Lakeview Pavilion, Old Settlers Park
3300 Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock
Free, open to the public
Explore the Full Public Art Map
Round Rock has been building its public art collection for years, and it’s more extensive than most residents realize. The city maintains an Interactive Public Art Map so you can find every piece — murals, sculptures, and installations — across the city.
Coming Up: Round Rock Summer Arts Fest — August 7
The art scene momentum builds with the Round Rock Summer Arts Fest on August 7, noon to 9 PM, in Downtown Round Rock. Hundreds of artists, live music, theatrical performances, food, and hands-on art experiences for all ages — and admission is free.
It’s a perfect day to combine a visit to the City Arts Center (see the Chihuly), a walk past the Solaris, and an afternoon at the fest. Round Rock as an art destination is no longer a stretch — it’s just the truth.
