The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, houses more than 65,000 works of art created by cultures across the globe, from ancient times to today. Exploring art through careful observation and personal—as well as communal - meaning-making supports the personal growth of each student and reinforces important cognitive skills that are necessary for 21st- century success. The Museum offers different visit topics and formats to meet the needs of the visitors. Most tours last between 60 and 90 minutes. Programs are targeted for groups from Pre-K through 12th grade, for college and university students, as well as audio and self-guided tours. Be sure to check the Museum’s Website for details.

Established in 1900, the MFAH is the largest cultural institution in the southwest region. The Museum’s main campus is located in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, and comprises the Audrey Jones Beck Building, the Caroline Wiess Law Building, the Glassell School of Art, and the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden. Resources that can be found throughout the MFAH include a repertory cinema, two significant research libraries, public archives, and a conservation and storage facility. The encyclopedic collections of the MFAH cover world cultures dating from antiquity to the present and include in-depth holdings of American art, European paintings, pre-Columbian and African gold, decorative arts and design, photography, prints and drawings, Modern and Contemporary painting and sculpture, and Latin American art. The MFAH is also home to the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA), a leading research institute for 20th-century Latin American and Latino art.

The MFAH campus unites the brilliant architectural and design work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Isamu Noguchi, and Rafael Moneo, part of a 75-year legacy of inspired commissions that spans from 1924—and the construction of the original Museum building designed by William Ward Watkin in the Neoclassical style—to the year 2000, when the Museum completed the Rafael Moneo-designed Audrey Jones Beck Building.

The Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden is a unique and tranquil oasis of art and nature at the corner of Bissonnet and Montrose, showcasing masterworks of 20th- and 21st-century sculpture by artists including Louise Bourgeois, Dan Graham, Henri Matisse, Auguste Rodin, and David Smith.

Educator programming from the classroom instructor to school administration and beyond is promoted and expanded through MFAH. From Teacher’s packets and educational publications, to Special ‘Evenings for Educators’, Teacher Workshops, and even Summer Mini Conferences for teachers, the Museum of Fine Arts – Houston is all about sharing educational ideas through art.

Families can profit, too, from the works of the MFAH. Proving basics like “Tips for Family Visitors” and “Museum Manners” to Family Packs and Guides as well as all kinds of specialty programming, every member will feel special and happy for the great education and loads of fun to be had.

The MFAH campus offers exceptional space for hosting private events; these spaces include art galleries themselves, the sculpture garden, two museums and two auditoriums, dependent on your needs and desires. Contact the Museum for more details and limitations.

"The MFAH: An Architectural History." The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Accessed March 31, 2015. http://www.mfah.org/about/mfah-architectural-history.