Attractions

Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum

4011 Yupon St, Houston, TX 77006 713-521-3990

Description: MONTROSE. Part of the Menil Collection, this contemporary structure fashioned of glass and stone houses the western hemisphere's only intact Byzantine frescoes. The two 13th-century works were stolen from a chapel in Cyprus and cut apart to be sold. Acquired by the museum with the blessing of the Church of Cyprus, the dome and apse were restored and are now housed in this custom building, which approximates the size and shape of the original chapel.
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Children's Museum of Houston

1500 Binz, Houston, TX 77004 713-522-1138

Description: MUSEUM DISTRICT. Incredibly well-attended, this colorful, popular museum is clearly designed for kids. Like most facilities of its type, it promotes experiential learning and offers lots of interactive exhibits. Science, culture, geography, and creativity are all given due reverence. Build robots in Invention Convention; anchor the news; run a business; get elected as mayor in Kidtropolis, USA; explore nanotechnology in Matter Factory; portal through a mathematical quest in Cyberchase: The Chase Is On!, based on the PBS cartoon; take a wet, wild adventure in FlowWorks; and climb a three-story tower in PowerPlay. Traveling exhibits ensure that nothing ever gets stale for visiting young ones.
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Contemporary Arts Museum

5216 Montrose Ave, Houston, TX 77006 713-284-8250

Description: MUSEUM DISTRICT. Occupying a highly visible stainless steel structure in the Museum District, CAMH is dedicated to the art of our era, especially that of the last forty years. Its scope is national and international, and while the facility doesn't acquire art, it does present fascinating exhibitions that illuminate the multitude of connections between art and life. A great place to expand your own definitions of art and to challenge your appreciation of what's beautiful.
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Cy Twombly Gallery

1519 Branard St, Houston, TX 77006 713-525-9400

Description: MONTROSE. This addition to the Menil museum complex houses large canvases and sculptures by contemporary American artist Cy Twombly. The building, designed by Renzo Piano, is in itself fascinating. Especially interesting is an inventive light-filtering system that diffuses natural light through a series of mechanical louvers and stretched cotton fabric.
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Forbidden Gardens

23500 Franz Rd, Katy, TX 77493 281-347-8000

Description: KATY. Intrigued by Chinese history and culture? Want to check out a scale model of Beijing's Forbidden City ­ in Houston? Head to this three-acre site in Katy, which presents what was the royal stronghold for 500-some years. The complex showcases a recreated Forbidden City in 1/20th scale and features miniature palaces, a terra-cotta army (6000 strong, in 1/3rd scale) dating from the third century BC, weapons and architecture rooms, the First Emperor's Tomb (Emperor Qin Shihuang), and the Lodge of the Calming of the Heart (a vacation home). Guided tours only.
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George Ranch Historical Park

10215 FM 762 Rd, Richmond, TX 77469 281-343-0218

Description: RICHMOND. Visitors to this 23,000-acre working ranch can not only get a feel for present-day Texas but trace the state's history through the homes and lives of the Jones family, who first settled here in 1824. The living history part of the complex comprises 480 acres, and guides in period dress instruct visitors about life on a farm, in a mansion, on a ranch, and on a chuckwagon. Hands-on activities, demonstrations, and house tours are available. Thirty miles southwest of Houston. Group tours throughout the year.
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Heritage Society

1100 Bagby St, Sam Houston Park, Houston, TX 77002 713-655-1912

Description: DOWNTOWN. Sam Houston Park was carved from family-owned land and transformed in 1900 into a pastoral haven for city residents. In the 1950s, the Heritage Society was created to preserve the property's Kellum-Noble House; the group later began relocating other historic homes to the park and restoring them. Currently, eight structures exist, dressed in period-appropriate furnishings. They include a cabin, a home built by a freed slave, a church, and grander, oil-financed structures. The Museum of Texas History also sits in the park. The grounds and museum are free of charge, but the homes are accessible only by guided tour.
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Holocaust Museum Houston

5401 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77004 713-942-8000

Description: MUSEUM DISTRICT. An intentionally somber exterior gives indication of the physical and mental anguish this museum portrays. As it traces the persecution of Jews and other minorities in 20th-century Europe through photographs, films and texts, the museum offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of hatred, marginalization, and fear. An exhibition elucidates the creation and operation of ghettos; the functions of concentration, death and deportation camps; and the execution of war-crimes trials. Oral histories of Holocaust survivors, including a number of Houston residents, are shown in the theater.
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Houston Fire Museum

2403 Milam, Houston, TX 77006 713-524-2526

Description: MIDTOWN. The impressive brick building that houses this museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places ­ an appropriate setting for such a facility. Exhibits chart firefighting in the city from its earliest days, and vintage equipment ranges from antique helmets to a 1938 REO salvage truck that kids can climb on. Children can also try on kid-sized gear and explore a replica firetruck cab to see what real firefighters experience when they go out on a call.
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Houston Museum of Natural Science

1 Hermann Circle Dr, Hermann Park, Houston, TX 77030 713-639-4629

Description: MUSEUM DISTRICT. If it's found in nature, you can probably learn about it here. This fascinating museum, established in 1909, instructs visitors on energy, wildlife, astronomy, and much more. As you enter the main room, dinosaurs loom overhead; beyond them are exhibits about the Serengeti plains, historic displays in the Hall of the Americas, and an arresting showcase of more than 600 gems and minerals. Additional levels present fossils and other features of the natural world. Added attractions include the Cockrell Butterfly Center, where dozens of species fly freely, and the Wortham IMAX theater.
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John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science

1515 Hermann Dr, Hermann Park, Houston, TX 77004 713-521-1515

Description: MUSEUM DISTRICT. Seeking to instill in young people an appreciation of the human body and a high regard for health, this museum (affiliated with Texas Medical Center) takes education to a new level. The facility's biggest attraction is its "Amazing Body Pavilion," whose enormous replicas of the human form let kids explore (and walk through) the brain, the heart, the rib cage, and more. Interactive displays provide instruction about memory, vision, circulation, and hearing. Videos, games, and an outdoor sensory garden also further the cause.
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Menil Collection

1515 Sul-Ross St, Houston, TX 77006 713-525-9400

Description: MONTROSE. Dominique and John de Menil commissioned architect Renzo Piano to design this steel-and-cypress building to showcase their extensive art holdings ­ considered one of the country's finest private collections. Modern works, tribal and ethnic art, and antiquities are well-represented, and surrealist works are prominent, especially those by Magritte. Also included in the complex are the Cy Twombly Gallery, Rothko Chapel, Richmond Hall (a Dan Flavin installation), Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum, and a bookstore. An amazing assemblage of periods and works.
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Museum of Fine Arts

1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 713-639-7300

Description: MUSEUM DISTRICT. Founded in 1900, the MFAH is Texas's first art museum and one of the nation's largest. Its holdings represent the range of history, and its collections include Renaissance and Baroque items, Impressionist and post-Impressionist art, and African gold pieces. Along with the museum's campus structures, the MFAH includes Cullen Sculpture Garden, 18 acres of public gardens, and two historic house museums in the River Oaks neighborhood: Bayou Bend and Rienzi. Traveling exhibitions bolster the museum's own 51,000 works. Cafe on premises.
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Museum of Printing History

1324 W Clay St, Houston, TX 77019 713-522-4652

Description: MONTROSE. While this museum necessarily showcases ancient and modern printing tools and artifacts, it also takes a more practical approach and lets visitors participate in the process. A papermaking shop, book bindery, and printmaking area illustrate how books are crafted, and visitors can both observe the workings and sign up to participate in activities. Rare books, posters, and art prints are included in the collection, as are such intriguing objects as Mesopotamian cylinder seals and Renaissance-era Bibles.
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Rice University Art Gallery

6100 Main St, Sewell Hall, Houston, TX 77005 713-348-6069

Description: RICE VILLAGE. This university-affiliated gallery presents an outstanding collection of contemporary art, especially onsite installations. Established and fledgling talents have both exhibited, and visitors are certain to find fascinating, thought-provoking shows whenever they attend.
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Space Center Houston

1601 NASA Rd 1, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058-3199 713-224-2100

Description: CLEAR LAKE. For security reasons, visitors aren't allowed to see all of the Space Center operations, but regular tram tours let them visit most of the working facility, where they can ogle a Saturn rocket or observe shuttle payload bays. Exhibits cover the history of manned spaceflight and hoped-for future explorations, while the Mission Status Center provides live updates on current flights. In addition, the Kids' Space Place offers interactive exhibits, an IMAX theater, a full-scale model of the space shuttle, and moon rocks that you can actually touch.
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