Menil Collection

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• The Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Lynchburg Ferry
• Memorial Park
• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
• The Orange Show Monument
• The Galleria
• Space Center Houston
• National Museum of Funeral History
• Menil Collection
• Market Square Historic District
• Houston Zoo
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Shortly after their arrival to the United States in 1941, Dominique and John de Menil began to amass what would soon become one of the nation's most important collections of art. Decades later, the de Menils began to forge plans to create a permanent home for the collection, though the project came to a halt after John's death in 1973. Commissioning Italian architect Renzo Piano to design a space for the holdings, Dominique forged ahead with plans and the Menil Collection opened its doors to the public in 1987. The more than 15,000 works, as a whole, embody a uniquely eclectic selection of artwork that exemplify the de Menils' dedication to and interest in modernism, as well as their refusal to conform to traditional norms throughout their assemblage of this fine arts collection. Four major areas are represented: Antiquity, Byzantine and Medieval, Tribal and 20th Century Arts. Most notable in the Menil Collection are the holdings in surrealist art –- the most comprehensive collection in the museum –- that includes works by Salvador Dali, Man Ray and Pablo Picasso, amongst others.