Museum District – Houston, TX
Houston’s Museum District is a coalition of 21 museums, cultural centers and community centers. The goal of the coalition is to promote history, art, science and culture.
The 21 members of the Museum District include 11 that are free, with the remaining ten offering free admission hours or free admission days. Many of the museums offer free admission on Thursdays, making that day of the week the most popular for locals to visit their favorite museums.
Aside from the museums themselves, a major attraction of the Museum District is its walkability, with wide, well-maintained sidewalks connecting museums, and the various dining opportunities available near the museums. The district is also easy to navigate by bicycle. You can access the Museum District by Metro, with four stops dedicated to the area. You can also access it from Rice University, right across the street from the main entrance to campus.
Some of the members of the Museum District are:
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, housed in a distinctive stainless steel building designed by architect Gunnar Birkerts. The museum offers changing art exhibits and public programs. Admission to most exhibits and programs is free. Memberships are available to support the museum.
Holocaust Museum Houston is the fourth largest Holocaust museum in the United States. It features a welcome center, classrooms, a theater, a research library, four permanent galleries, two changing exhibit galleries, a cafe, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Houston Museum of Natural Science is a favorite Houston destination. It is located in Hermann Park and features a well-loved dinosaur exhibit as well as a planetarium, a living butterfly center, and a giant screen theater.
Houston Zoo is also located in Hermann Park. Its focus is on wildlife conservation and offers programs for families, children and teens, and volunteer opportunities for adults. Of course, there are also animal exhibits and a wildlife carousel.
Rothko Chapel may be small and not as well-known as some of the other venues in the Museum District, but its impact is as big as the tallest skyscraper in Houston. It describes itself as, “... a spiritual space, a forum for world leaders, a place for solitude and gathering...” Inside the non-denominational chapel are fourteen murals by artist Mark Rothko. Outside is a reflecting pool containing a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, The Broken Obelisk by artist Barnett Newman. Rothko Chapel is also the home of the Oscar Romero Award.
The Museum District offers many places to dine. Ambrosia offers a “Pan-Asian” version of tapas. The Raven Grill, a favorite of Rice University staff, is a casual restaurant that serves fresh regional food cooked over a wood fire grill. The Toasted Coconut is a tropic-inspired restaurant featuring Asian-inspired dishes and creative drinks creatively named (e.g. Resting Beach Face). Lucille’s serves up Southern comfort food. There are many other options that are sure to meet your particular choice of cuisine.