Houston Museum
Houston Museum District includes 11 museums spread near South Main and Montrose. It has turned into a big destination for local Houstonians as well as tourists. Kelli W Dunning, a spokesperson for the Contemporary Arts Museum, smiles. "It just happened that way," she explains. "When we opened in 1972, there wasn't a district, just The Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Natural Sciences, and the zoo.
Houston Health Museum
Houston Museum of Fine Arts
Plan
to spend about two hours browsing through the exhibits,
and time your visit around lunch. The museum's Cafe
Express serves delicious salads, soups, and sandwiches,
and makes its own pastries. Don't miss the pecan
tartlets. Diners dine indoors or spread lunch on benches
across the street in the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen
Sculpture Garden. The museum is free on Thursday (half
price if there's a ticketed exhibition). Regular
admission is $7 adults, $ 3.50 ages 6 to 18 and seniors.
Free on Thursday's.
Call (713) 639-7300. Located:
1001 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005.Houston Contemporary Arts Museum
The
best exhibit, perhaps, is the building itself-a parallelogram of solid steel
that looks as if it hides the front door. Look for the smaller triangle that
floats above the entrance. Call (713) 284-8250. The museum is on the right at
the corner of Montrose and Bissonnet.The Menil Collection
Its
art ranging from antiquity to 20th century. It has a great collection of
Byzantine works and features several special exhibitions annually. It's free.
Call (713) 525-9400. Located at 1515 Sul Ross.
Holocaust Museum Houston
The
museum does a good job of relating the tragic era to children. While there, be
sure and see the film Voices, featuring the experiences of Houstonians who
survived the Holocaust, many as children. The free museum recommends youngsters
of sixth grade and above as visitors. Call (713) 942-8000. Located at 5401
Caroline Street.
Children Museum of Houston
Without
realizing it, kids learn about geography, economy, history, science, and
technology through play. They romp in a Victorian playhouse; get their own
"money" from an ATM to shop in a store; and milk a realistic-looking cow. During
the school year, school groups come in the mornings, so you may want to visit in
the afternoon. Free family night is Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m. Avoid spring break,
when the museum tends to be crowded. Admission is $5 per person, $4 seniors
(65+), Children under 2 is free.
Located at 1500 Binz, Houston, Texas 77004. 713-522-1138.
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Plan
to spend part of a day and an evening there. Burke Baker
Planetarium, Cockrell Butterfly Center, and George
Observatory are just some of the featured attractions.
Kids will like the museum's own McDonald's location.
Take time to browse the gift shop, with origami art,
hand-painted porcelain pins, and other jewelry. For
ticket prices,
click here. Step into the Wortham IMAX Theatre for its 8 p.m. show-the end of a
day, or two, in the Houston Museum District. Call (713)
639-4629. Located at 1 Hermann Circle Drive.Houston Fire Museum
The
former Houston Fire Station No.7
features exhibits on the
evolution of firefighting,
equipment, memorabilia, and
more. Also, hands-on Junior
Firehouse, which teaches safety
and fire-prevention practices.
2403 Milam. 713-524-2526.
Lone Star Flight Museum
Museum of Printing History
Images of Texas, prints from the 19th century. Located at 1324 W. Clay. Seasonal through March 31. Call 713-522-4652.
Moody Mansion and Museum
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
CraftHouston 2006: Texas, a juried exhibit. Through Oct. 1st. 10am-5pm Tuesdays - Saturdays. Noon-5pm Sundays. 4848 Main; 713-529-4848. Admissions: Free.
National Museum of Funeral History - Houston
The Museum of Funeral History is owned by a funeral company and has the biggest collection of funeral artifacts in the world.
