Entry No. 15 — the Dallas file — filed under: metal shack
Cheerleader
“perfect museum walls seem really boring”
A contemporary art gallery run by Brent Birnbaum inside a corrugated metal shack surrounded by steel manufacturing plants. The curator deliberately kept the rough industrial bones intact, saying 'perfect museum walls seem really boring,' and shows textiles, ceramics and other contemporary work.
The move: Go on a Saturday afternoon when it's open to the public, then wander the surrounding industrial blocks before dinner in Trinity Groves.
📍 Before you go This one sits down a dirt road just south of downtown in the Cedars, with no real signage — aim for the steel-beam manufacturer it shares the block with and you'll find the shed beside it. It genuinely feels like you've wandered somewhere you shouldn't be, which is half the charm. Public hours fall on Saturday afternoons; otherwise it's by appointment, and since it's a precarious DIY space those windows shift — check the gallery's Instagram before you make the drive out. There's no restroom (a gas station's nearby), and it's an active industrial block, so keep clear of the working yards. Easy to fold into a Deep Ellum or Southside wander afterward.
- 📍 industrial West Dallas / near Trinity Groves
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2500 Mansfield Street, Dallas, TX
Hours: Saturdays 1-4pm and by appointment. Precarious DIY space; confirm via Instagram before going.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: keranews.org
last checked: 2026-06-06