Armadillo Mural Honors Lost Austin Music Hall
The 40-foot artwork wraps a water tank at Armadillo Neighborhood Park in South Austin and was dedicated Sunday, November 8.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Cultural
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Austinites who grew up on the Armadillo World Headquarters now have a 40-foot tribute on a water tank at Armadillo Neighborhood Park in South Austin. Artist Bill Tavis's mural of an armadillo playing guitar against a 1970s skyline was dedicated Sunday, November 8.
Why it matters
The venue closed in 1980 and was demolished in 1981, so this is the most visible public marker of the place many longtime residents still associate with the city's music scene. It also closes a roughly five-year push by residents to get public art on a water tank that had sat unused.
The contract grew from $133,000 to a maximum of $223,850 after City Council added $90,850 in May to cover the full tank. The design was divided into 880 squares measuring 4 feet by 4 feet, and an online survey drew about 30 responses.
The players
Bill Tavis
A local Austin artist who designed and painted the mural depicting an armadillo playing guitar.
Vanessa Fuentes
The Austin City Council member who brought residents' request for public art on the water tank to city officials.
Austin Water
The city utility that agreed to finance the mural using money designated for beautification.
The details
Austin Water agreed to finance the project with money designated for beautification, after the city first approved a $133,000 contract for a smaller section of the tank. Tavis presented a second concept and then wrapped the artwork around the entire water tank. Council Member Vanessa Fuentes brought the residents' request to city officials.
Timeline
1980: Armadillo World Headquarters closed.
1981: The venue was demolished.
2019: Tavis completed his largest previous mural through the Tempo program.
May 2026: City Council authorized an additional $90,850 for the contract.
November 8, 2026: The mural was dedicated at a Sunday ceremony.
The Texas Context
The Armadillo World Headquarters was a central stage for the progressive country and rock scene that defined Austin's identity in the 1970s, and its closure remains a touchstone for longtime residents. This mural revives that reference on a public structure rather than through a private or commercial space.
The mural is now visible on the water tank at Armadillo Neighborhood Park, so South Austin drivers and park visitors will see it daily. Residents who want to see the artwork up close can visit the park, which sits in the neighborhood where the venue once operated.
The takeaway
The mural turns a venue that was gone before many current residents arrived into something you can walk up to in South Austin. Visit Armadillo Neighborhood Park to see it in person.
Further reading
For more on the city's arts and heritage scene, browse the Cultural section of our Austin coverage.
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