Upon viewing Titian's Assumption of the Virgin, Michelangelo famously remarked, "I assume he's the virgin." Enjoy more-recent contributions to the art world with today's deal: for $29, you get a family Blue Star membership to the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center in Southtown, a $60 value. Your family membership covers two adults and children.

This citadel of contemporary contributions to the art world is housed in a re-used and renovated 1920s warehouse on the bank of the San Antonio River. Since 1986, art has been bringing the forgotten space back to life, and four distinct gallery spaces play home to more than 20 exhibitions each year. Your family Blue Star membership is like a holiday stocking stuffed with delightful sugar plums and savory Reubens. You'll receive invitations to private openings, public lectures, education events, and fundraisers, as well as a subscription to Blue Star's quarterly newsletter. You'll also get a 10% discount at participating King William and Southtown restaurants for pre- or post-museum sustenance and a 10% discount on all Blue Star merchandise. Most importantly, you'll be supporting a local cultural institution that thrives not on advertising for mega marts or mega burgers, but on the support of regular folks.

A family membership ensures that you and a loved one will always have something interesting to do, thereby preventing boredom-inspired backyard jousting and hastily organized antique-pie fights. Ongoing and upcoming exhibits include The Original Drawings of James Surls, Presented by The Blue Star Print Project, highlighting the art of a world-famous native Texan; It's Rigged, the evocative, three-dimensional work of Kyle Olson; and Amalgamations 25, Blue Star's 25th-anniversary show, which features 28 artists from the San Antonio art community. With your membership's promised event invites, you can look forward to fabulous evenings in line with such recent goings-on as the musical offering TEXAS (presented by SOLI Chamber Ensemble) and A Rhapsody at Blue: Arts & Eats 2009, an evening that featured live music, a contemporary-art sale, a silent auction, a wine and beer tasting, and samples from a confluence of top chefs. Meet new, like-minded people while supporting the local haven for contemporary art as often as you like with membership to Blue Star Contemporary Art Center.

Reviews

Frommer's highly recommends the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, and three Yelpers give five perfect stars:

• The style of work varies from gallery to gallery -- you'll see everything from primitive-style folk art to feminist photography -- but the level of professionalism is generally high. – Frommer's
• By far one of the best galleries in San Antonio...It's so clean and industrially big. The space changes every so often. They don't keep to one artistic medium. – Sarah M., Yelp