Houston Museums & Galleries

If there's one thing that Houston artists and museum heads have mastered well, it's the ability to break from conventions. After all, where else in the world could a place dedicated to funeral history or delights of citrus fruit (the orange to be specific) exist? The ArtCar Museum is yet another fine example, and in keeping with the strangely sublime nature of other local art spots, the self-proclaimed “Garage Mahal” is a delightful experience unlike any other. Embellished with scrap metal and sweeping loops of wire, the museum building pays homage to the ingenuity and creative spirit that spawned this one-of-a-kind attraction along with the must-see parade event that takes place in the city each year. On display inside the ArtCar Museum is a collection of automobiles and other wheeled contraptions that have endured a creative process that can best be described as Extreme Makeover for Vehicles. The results are astonishingly clever and imaginative masterpieces that range from animal motifs to space age modeling.

As a satellite location of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, it's clear why the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens stands alone. The early 20th century mansion showcases extraordinary works both inside and out – a highlight of which is one of the most comprehensive, as well as distinctive collections of American decorative arts in the country. The estate was donated to the museum by Ima Hogg, an avid collector and philanthropist from the area, who used it as a private residence until the late 1950s. The collection of furniture and other examples of American decorative arts (dated between 1620 and 1876) are strewn throughout more than 25 meticulously rendered “period” rooms inside the mansion. The grounds of the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens are a beautiful compliment to the museum, offering tree-lined trails, grand sculptures and decorative plantings. It would be easy to make a satisfying and pleasurable afternoon of strolling around without ever stepping foot inside the mansion.

The Children's Museum of Houston is a popular destination for area families. And with permanent exhibits both indoors and outdoors, there's unique opportunity for fun and engaging hands-on learning. At the museum's EcoStation biologists- and botanists-to-be can experience nature in a whole new way as they make tree rubbings, collect insects or literally dig into the dirt. Outdoor excitement also awaits along a rushing fountain where kids can launch boats and other toys. Indoors, a Mexican village exhibit puts a new spin on the standard shop-and-learn play space found in most children's museums, while the bubble factory and simple machine installations are more traditional but still provide enough activity to keep kids busy. The farming exhibit features live chicks and tech-savvy youngsters can cool out inside the Cyber Clubhouse and play computer games. If you're at the Children's Museum of Houston during the weekend, you might be able to catch a live, kid-friendly performance in the auditorium.

Enveloped in a stainless steel exterior, the design of the Contemporary Art Museum Houston exudes the ultra modern artistry to which its space is dedicated. Designed by famous architect Gunnar Birkerts, the building's silver, rippled panels glint beneath the Houston sunlight and beckon attention amidst the more traditional architecture found in this corner of the Museum District – a site to see in and of itself. For the museum lover – and of course the contemporary art museum lover in particular – the space is sure to please. Focusing on individual, as well as thematic exhibitions, the museum has an impressive record of presenting popular national and international artists in addition to introducing lesser-known artists who have gone on to claim wider recognition. Free from the limitations set forth by galleries dedicated to a particular medium, the Contemporary Art Museum Houston features works by photographers, sculptors, painters and much more.

There are plenty of great places (and spaces) to see contemporary art in Houston, but DiverseWorks is one of the most popular, and, as its name suggests, one of the most eclectic. As a center for visual, performing and literary art, the space is a perpetual host of contemporary exhibitions and events featuring both established and emerging artists from Houston and beyond. Roam the main gallery, a 3000 square-foot space where both group and solo visual exhibitions are housed, and preview the gallery subspace to catch a glimpse of works by local artists before they become single name phenomena. The performing arts line-up includes variety that encompasses spoken word, theatre, film, dance, and other special events that challenge and engage audiences with cutting-edge and contemporary expressionism. From the sublime to the subversive, DiverseWorks has a satisfying range.

The Holocaust Museum Houston's permanent exhibition is appropriately titled “Bearing Witness.” Weaving together film footage, documents, photographs and other artifacts, the museum documents one of humanity's darkest chapters. The walk through this exhibit begins with life before the rise of the Nazi regime, slowly progressing toward the devastating extermination of millions of Jews and others. The centerpiece of this installation are the first-hand accounts of the genocidal war and its aftermath provided by survivors who now reside in the Houston area. These compelling oral histories are highlighted in two short films. Holocaust Museum Houston also hosts temporary exhibitions that explore subject matter related to its permanent holdings, including art and photography.

This not-for-profit studio features exhibitions of contemporary works created with such items as fiber, metal, glass clay and wood. A great place to take the kids, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft offers a wide selection of temporary installations, events, and projects – enough activity to keep the little ones busy all afternoon. But grown-up visitors will enjoy this space as well. Classes that instruct on the art of crafts such as blacksmithing and woodworking are frequently offered in addition to other educational opportunities. Spend just a few hours (located in the museum district, this could easily be a stop on a planned tour of the area) or all day if you have the time.

The Houston Center for Photography is an ever-evolving exhibition space featuring contemporary imagery. The exhibits keep pace with the continually changing medium and encompass styles that range from traditional portraiture to digitally manipulated abstractions. Works in the mediums of film and video are also on display. The center's three separate galleries include both individual and group shows throughout the year, as well as an annual juried exhibition. Talented artists, ranging from emerging to established, and native to national (and international) are all represented in bodies of work at the Houston Center for Photography that deal with issues ranging from cultural investigation to natural landscapes.

The sea has long been a great source of intrigue and mystery to humans, and places like the Houston Maritime Museum pay historical tribute to this fascination. Housed in a small building that faintly resembles a structure you might find along a boardwalk, the museum features a sizeable amount of artifacts, replicas and other nautical specimens that date back more than five centuries. The museum began as a personal amassment of maritime artifacts by naval architect and museum curator James L. Manzolillo during his extensive travel throughout the world. The collection has since grown to include addition holdings that are comprised of more than 150 model ships and hundreds of naval artifacts. While there, cruise through the collection of ship models that feature impressive detail and are supplemented with an abbreviated lesson on their historical significance. Also not to be missed are the naval artifacts collected from around the world.

This small gem is sure to please anyone with a love for the written word. Located inside what is presumably one of the most unassuming exteriors of all the museums in the Houston area, the Museum of Printing History is a repository of antique documents, posters, books and related items. Peering at fragments of ancient texts written on papyrus and 15th century facsimiles is fascinating enough, but the most intriguing items in the collection by far are the array of printing equipment. Resident artists and other volunteers are often on hand to give demonstrations on how 19th and 20th century presses are operated, and more modern office equipment like typewriters and copy machines provided an almost startling document to how far the art of publishing has come in such little time. Aside from serving as a chronicle of publishing through the ages, many of the Museum of Printing History's collection of printed materials also tell the stories of the social and political conscience during the eras they were produced. The works of contemporary print artists are also on display.

Giant dinosaurs, precious gems and ancient Egyptian artifacts are all on display at The Houston Museum of Natural Science, one of the most popular attractions in the city for locals and tourists alike. Exhibition halls dedicated to the natural sciences include video, interactive and traditional installations that inform and educate museumgoers about the wild beasts of the African continent, the ancient traditions of Egypt and the diverse cultures of Native American tribes. The Strake Hall of Malacology gives a rare glance into the lives of invertebrates and includes a sizeable collection of shells, as well as living creatures. Another highlight is Foucault's Pendulum – first exhibited at the World's Fair in Paris – that physically demonstrates the rotation of the Earth. Some of the finest gems stones in the world can be found in Cullen Hall where more than 750 precious specimens are housed.