The center was founded in 1979 by former Ambassador Roy Huffington and former first lady Barbara Bush.&nbsp;They recognized that the people of Houston and&nbsp;Americans in general needed to learn more about Asia and its many cultures.&nbsp;The first Asia Center was actually established in New York City in 1956 and served as a model for the Texas Center. In 1995, the center's Board of Directors voted to build the current&nbsp;building, which was finished in the fall of 2011. Yoshio Taniguchi was well known for leading the effort to renovate and expand the Museum of Modern Art in New York.&nbsp; Docent-led tours of Asia Society Texas Center’s exhibitions allow visitors to experience art on a personal level, learn about art historical periods and styles, and hear stories associated with the artwork.&nbsp;

The Asia Center was designed by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi and contains 40,000 square feet of space for classes, displays, and performances. 

Website

Video

The Houston Museum District welcomed a new cultural institution in 2012 with the opening of Asia Society Texas Center's 40,000-square-foot headquarters. The Yoshio Taniguchi-designed center features a flexible classroom and conference space, an art gallery, and a 273-seat theater. Three lifted gardens and a cafe add to Asia Society’s amenities. Just as inspiring as the building is the programming, which includes innovative artists and speakers from Asia and beyond. Visitors will experience the diversity of Asian art, film and performance.

Asia Society Texas Center

Houston's famous Museum District dates back to a plan in 1977 to better promote and coordinate the activities of many of the city's cultural institutions located in this neighborhood. The Museum District Development Association of Houston was active in the 1980s and led to the current organization, the Houston Museum District Association, which continues to coordinate activities between museums in the Houston's Museum District. This tour was designed for walking, and as a result, it includes most but not quite all of the members of the Museum District. Be sure to also use Clio to discover the Buffalo Soldiers Museum and the Rothko Chapel just a few blocks north of this tour.

Tour of Houston's Museum District

This extended tour includes two dozen museums that reveal the rich history of Houston and the diversity of her people. Users can edit the tour to better fit their interests-this tour includes everything from military history to architecture, science, culture, works of art, and museums dedicated to the experiences of diverse groups.

Museums of Houston-Citywide Tour

Some of the&nbsp;vehicles on display at the museum are an&nbsp;M-151 Jeep, Half-track personnel carrier, EVT-100 armored car, and M-114 Armored fighting vehicle. The museum provides the vast history behind each of these vehicles. For example, the M-151 was a series of lightweight trucks made by Ford Motor Company but was ultimately dropped by the military due to unreliability.

The National United States Armed Forces Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday. It is recommended by the museum that two hours are allotted to view all areas of the museum. The majority of exhibits in this museum are vehicles used during different wars. The museum strives to keep alive the memory of the sacrifices of Texas military men and women. It does not, however, focus solely on one branch of the military.

National United States Armed Forces Museum

Ima Hogg was an important civic leader and philanthropist in Houston&nbsp;during the 20th century. She and her brothers bought the property in 1925 and started to build the house and gardens two years later. Ima was very interested in classical history and designed the garden to reflect these interests; she included&nbsp;three statues from Greek mythology. She decided to donate the estate to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston in 1957. Since 1961, the house has been maintained by the River Oaks Garden Club.&nbsp;The estate was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Originally established as home and garden estate for Ima Hogg (1882–1975) and her two brothers in the late 1920s, the Bayou Bend Art Museum and Garden—which is a part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston—features American paintings and decorative arts that date between 1620-1870. These works of art, which include furniture, silver pieces and ceramics, comprise one of the best collections of its kind in the world. The museum is located on Memorial Drive just east of Memorial Park. It offers many programs for people of all ages including a summer camp, art classes, workshops and lectures. 



Bayou Bend Art Museum and Garden

Architecture Center Houston is located downtown at 315 Capitol, Suite 120 on the corner of Bagby and Capitol.&nbsp;This exhibit is free and open to the public.

Architecture Center Houston (ArCH) is the home of the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Architecture Center Houston Foundation. The 5,000-square-foot space among others includes a gallery for rotating architecture-related exhibits. ArCH also leads weekend walking tours of some of Houston's most interesting neighborhoods.

Architecture Center Houston (ArCH)

The house was built in 1912-1913 on the property first purchased by Rutherford's father, Jack, in 1869. Jack was of course&nbsp;a slave but after emancipation&nbsp;became a minister, educator and community leader.&nbsp; In the early 1990s, a local resident, Gladys House, local preservationist Catherine Robertson, and&nbsp;Yates' daughter, Olee Yates McCullough, led the efforts to save the house from demolition.&nbsp;They wanted&nbsp;to establish a museum to preserve the history of printing, the art of the African Diaspora, and Freedmen's Town. The house&nbsp;had been vacant since the 1980s and as such was likely to suffer the fate of the&nbsp;majority of the other structures in the town&nbsp;(unfortunately, 500 of the original structures in the district&nbsp;have been destroyed).&nbsp;Once the museum was founded, restoration efforts began and were&nbsp;able to preserve 80% of the&nbsp;original structure. &nbsp;

Founded in 1996, this museum is the former home of Rutherford B. H. Yates, Sr. (1878–1944) who was an African American teacher and owner of his own printing business, Yates Printing Company. The house is located in the Fourth Ward of Houston, which is also known as Freedmen's Town. It was in this neighborhood that newly emancipated African American slaves established a thriving community of doctors, lawyers, dentists, teachers, and those with other vocations. The museum preserves this history (and Yates' legacy) through historic preservation of homes, education, and archaeological research. The museum and its supporters also work to aid historic preservation efforts and promote the study of the art and history of the African Diaspora. Given its important history, Freedmen's Town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum

The station was built in 1898 in the Romanesque Revival style. It was the first station in Houston&nbsp;whose firefighters where paid a salary. It remained in use as a fire station until a new one was built in 1969. The city declared that it would become a museum in 1977 however restoration efforts did not begin until 1980.

The Fire Museum of Houston is located in the former Station #7, the city's oldest station and one that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The museum offers static displays of fire apparatus such as a 1912 engine and horse-drawn equipment. There are also historic displays and articles that offer a short history of each fire station from the Greater Houston area and exhibits dedicated to the history of firefighting and fire safety. 

Fire Museum of Houston

The Collection The Bayou Bend Collection is one of the nation's foremost assemblages of American decorative arts dating from 1620 through 1876 . Not only are the objects in the collection fine examples of American design and craftsmanship, but they also reflect the tastes, values, and aspirations of Colonial-era Americans. The collection reflects Miss Hogg's dream that "Bayou Bend may serve as a bridge to bring us closer to the heart of an American heritage which unites us." The Murphy Room The Murphy Room is a wonderful gallery of furnishings from the 17th and 18th centuries that evokes a sense of the colonial past. The Pine Room Most of the furnishings of the Pine Room are Early Baroque, but a few of the pieces reflect the Late Baroque style popular in America from 1730-1760.&nbsp; The Drawing Room The Drawing Room displays furniture from several of the important urban areas of the Colonies, including Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. The Dining Room The development, after the American Revolution, of a separate room for dining also created the need for new kinds of furniture such as the sideboard and the stationary dining table. The Chillman Suite The furnishings, in the Grecian-style, illustrate the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian designs that were popular in the early 1800s. The Belter Parlor The highly ornate Rococo Revival style presented in this room would have been considered the height of fashion in the 1850s. The Gardens Bayou Bend Gardens were originally, in Miss Hogg's words, "nothing but a dense thicket." Undaunted, she created several gracious and beautiful gardens. Miss Hogg also appreciated the beauty of the area's natural environment. She retained part of the surrounding woodlands and created a less formal garden environment on the south side of the property.&nbsp;

Since its opening in 1973, the museum has presented over 250 exhibitions focusing on art of the past 100 years and its artistic, cultural, and intellectual antecedents. The annual schedule may also include major traveling exhibitions that have a particular relevance to Houston audiences, mid-sized retrospectives of national and international artists, exhibitions of regional artists, thematic surveys which place artists' work into new contexts, and special projects by local artists.

Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston

Founded in 2001, by Captain Paul J. Matthews, a Vietnam
veteran and African American military historian, the museum is home to hundreds
of years of history—not only African American history but also American history.
Formerly located in a building on Southmore Boulevard, the museum quickly outgrew
its space and was relocated in the nearby former Light Guard Armory Building. 

The museum was named after the first African Americans who
served in the peacetime army of the United States as segregated units in the
western part of the United States in 1866. Legislation was used to create six African American army units and&nbsp;were identified as the 9th and 10th cavalry. All army totals consisted&nbsp;of about 1000 soldiers, to help
rebuild the country after the Civil War and to patrol the remote western frontier.They were given the name Buffalo Soldiers by Native Americans
out of respect for their fierce fighting ability. Over time, the term Buffalo
Soldier was applied to all African-American soldiers. Their actions on the
western front live on in the halls of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.&nbsp;The main charge of the buffalo soldiers was to protect the settlers throughout the west and build brand new infrastructure to expand flourishing settlements. Their name originated from the curly hair and their fierce, brave nature&nbsp;many of the soldiers had that&nbsp;resembled much&nbsp;of a buffalo. The name around the time represented a form of&nbsp;honor.

The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum houses the largest repository of African-American military history in the world. In fall 2012, the museum moved into its new 23,000-square-foot home at the Houston Light Guard Armory in Midtown. The historic armory space is seven-times the museum’s previous space, giving the national museum significantly more room for reenactments, exhibits and lectures. The museum houses the largest repository of African-American military history in the world. Visitors can see artifacts stretching from the Revolutionary War through both World wars to present day conflicts.

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum

Founded in 1981, HCP's mission is to increase society's understanding and appreciation of
 photography and its evolving role in contemporary culture. HCP strives 
to encourage artists, build audiences, stimulate dialogue, and promote 
inquiry about photography and related media through education, 
exhibitions, publications, fellowship programs, and community 
collaboration.
 One of the most compelling benefits of the Houston Center for Photography is its Learning Center. Offering more than 300 workshops to the public each year, The Learning Center strives to provide cutting-edge training and information to learn everything from the bare bones basics to advanced photographic techniques. Workshops both on-site and in the field offer Certificates of Completion based on workflow and creativity. Following the courses, students learn to capture, edit, process, and present photographs while increasing their skills along the way. From youth programs to Master Classes taught by world-renowned photographers, there is always something to learn. The Houston Center for Photography's&nbsp; outreach progams include a vanguard effort in cooperation with the Texas Children's Hospital as part of its Arts in Medicine program."Picture This" is a program that works with in-patient and out-patient children on short-term projects, often incorporating family members in the creative process. Most employ digital photography. Work creFounded in 1981, HCP's mission is to increase society's understanding and appreciation of photography and its evolving role in contemporary culture. HCP strives to encourage artists, build audiences, stimulate dialogue, and promote inquiry about photography and related media through education, exhibitions, publications, fellowship programs, and community collaboration. One of the most compelling benefits of the Houston Center for Photography is its Learning Center. Offering more than 300 workshops to the public each year, The Learning Center strives to provide cutting-edge training and information to learn everything from the bare bones basics to advanced photographic techniques. Workshops both on-site and in the field offer Certificates of Completion based on workflow and creativity. Following the courses, students learn to capture, edit, process, and present photographs while increasing their skills along the way. From youth programs to Master Classes taught by world-renowned photographers, there is always something to learn. The Houston Center for Photography's&nbsp; outreach progams include a vanguard effort in cooperation with the Texas Children's Hospital as part of its Arts in Medicine program."Picture This" is a program that works with in-patient and out-patient children on short-term projects, often incorporating family members in the creative process. Most employ digital photography. Work created by the children is shown in an annual exhibition at the HCP galleries. The children are then given private tours of the exhibition, allowing them to see and experience their work outside the hospital in a gallery setting. Another program, “Flash Drive', will provide hands-on, memorable experiences for participants, and will be offered to community centers, senior citizen centers, other health care facilities and special cultural events throughout the city. HCP also has a well-established intern program, providing interns with work experience. Interns will assist in the planning and execution of several exhibitions and events, featuring the work of celebrated photographers from around the world. Internship can be in an education focus, administratin and marketing, publications or exhibitions. The Houston Center for Photography also publishes a periodical, called Spot, twice a year, that features award-winning commentary on photography and photo-based art exhibitions in Texas, the US, and abroad.&nbsp; Spot is mailed to its individual and institutional members, and distributed for free to colleague institutions for an average readership of 5,000. Spot's archive is one of the sources preserving the history of the early south west regional photography scene.ated by the children is shown in an annual exhibition at the HCP galleries. The children are then given private tours of the exhibition, allowing them to see and experience their work outside the hospital in a gallery setting.

The Houston Center for Photography is an organization dedicated to the art of photography. Starting in 1981 as a small visual artists' organization, HCP has grown to become an exemplary fine art organization.

The Center's exhibition gallery bears some of the finest works of contemporary photography. HCP also offers over 300 photography classes and workshops year-round. Varying in competency levels, these classes are all taught by a variety of noted and notable photographers and lecturers. 

The facility has earned an international reputation of hosting exhibits for current and relevant work that has helped define the state of photography today. Guided tours of HCP's exhibitions are available for schools and large groups during Gallery Hours.

Houston Center for Photography

HCCC’s major emphasis is on objects of art made primarily
from craft materials; clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or recycled materials. Since
its opening in 2001, HCCC has become an important cultural and educational resource
for Houston in particular, and to a great extent for all of the Southwest – one
of only a handful of venues in the nation dedicated exclusively to craft at the
highest level. As it operates dynamically, the year is full of special events
and travelling exhibits that keep the experience lively and entertaining all
year long. Docent-led tours are available, and generally last an hour. These
must be scheduled in advance, so call at least a week ahead of your planned
visit.

An Artist Residency program is designed to offer time and
space for craft artists to focus on their creative work, and to interact with
the public. Each year a juried selection is held to determine which five
artists will receive a 200-square-foot workspace/studio, a monthly stipend and
a quarterly housing /materials allowance. Artists are selected on the basis of
the quality of their work, ability to communicate with the public, career
direction, and program diversity.

HCCC also has a variety of educational programs available, supporting
their mission to advance education about the process, product, and history of
craft. HANDS_ON Houston is a First-Saturday crafting activity led by local
guilds and artists.&nbsp; HCC also provides
outreach in the form of after-school and summer art classes. In elementary and
middle-school classrooms of 5-15 students, children experience the handmade
excitement of crafting with traditional media of clay, fabric, fiber, glass,
metal, wood, or mixed Media. Further, HCCC is a popular destination for school
outings, community tours, and seniors classes. 

HCCC can also be considered a unique venue for meetings,
events, or parties. Enjoy refreshments surrounded by contemporary crafts,
studios and gallery exhibits. Stroll through the Craft Garden.

Seating for 50 persons in meeting or dining configuration is
available, and a limited number of chairs, tables, and bar-high tables are
available at no extra charge.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) was founded to advance education about the process, product, and history of craft. HCCC provides exhibition, retail, and studio spaces to support the work of local and national artists and serves as a working resource for artists, educators, and the community at large. The facility reaches thousands of children each year through educational and outreach programming. Exhibitions feature sophisticated creations; some practical, and some that aren’t.  The Asher Gallery is a place to shop gifts that are made by a variety of local and national artists. Behind the building is a Craft Garden, demonstrating the living connection between the materials that constitute crafting supplies and the plants from whence they come. The Artist Hall allows visitors to explore the crafter’s studios, and to share in the love of craft that the artists hold dear. Visitors enjoy the innovative exhibits, talking with the artists-in-residence, and shopping. Tours are available for groups with advance notice. (Call for details)

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Lawndale Art
Center develops local contemporary artists and the audience for their art. LAC
is one of the only city institutions dedicated to contemporary regional artists
and their work. Located on the edge of the Museum District, the organization
use its prime location to present exhibitions, performances, lectures, film
screenings and special events, and offers an annual residency program to
further the creative exchange of ideas from among Houston’s diverse communities.
A board Programming Committee made up of local artists and professionals to
guide the venue and to select artists and exhibitions for presentation. &nbsp;The Art Center also dedicates itself to the
arts through an internship program and a residency program. &nbsp;

The Artist
Studio program is a nine month residency program wherein the artists have
access to a studio, a stipend and an initial materials allowance. Participating
artists present workshop or presentations, engage the general public and the
local arts community to share their practice or explore related topics.

From the
beginning, Lawndale has been an artist-driven organization. From inception, it
has been the premiere center for arts in Houston, and the region to show work, experiment,
perform and meet other artists. Early projects included art works by Luis
Jimenez, Sue Coe, The Art Guys, Nam June Paik, and Rev. Johnnie Swearingen.
Performance art and music were also a big part of the early years, including
performances by Alan Ginsberg and Spaulding Gray, to Black Flag and the Meat
Puppets.

&nbsp;

As an
artist- centered facility, there are opportunities throughout the year for
local artists to share their talents, and to have a chance to exhibit their art
through the Lawndale Art Center.&nbsp; From an
ongoing artist registry on their website, to exhibition proposals considered
early in the year, to the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.lawndaleartcenter.org/special/big-show/index.shtml">Big Show</a>,
the open-call juried exhibition. Each year, for that event, Lawndale invites a
guest juror to select from works submitted by artists living within 100 miles
of Houston to show three works of art not seen before in Houston to be shown on-site
for a chance to be included in the Show. See the show site for details.

The Lawndale
Art Center’s on-site archives contain materials dating back to 1979 including
exhibition announcements, posters, photographs, slides, artist’s correspondence
and materials on exhibits and programs presented by the facility.

For more
information on the artist programs, special exhibits, and tour details, call
Lawndale Art Center.

Lawndale Art Center is centered around four museum-quality galleries, three artist studios, and an outdoor sculpture garden that facilitate its role as a vital cultural resource for Houston. Lawndale also provides educational opportunities to area elementary, middle and high school children, and to local college and university students through its teacher orientation program, internship program, and guided tours and activities. Lectures and Workshops are held throughout the year. Topics and themes for these events vary, though some are scheduled annually. Guided tours are available to small groups, including school tours Mon-Fri 10 AM to 5 PM, and generally last 45 minutes. Contact the museum for more details.

Lawndale Art Center

Founded in 2012, the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) is dedicated to preserving, collecting and interpreting African American material and intellectual culture of Houston, Texas, the southwest, and the African Diaspora. Its ultimate aim is to educate and engage people of all ages and races and ethnicities. To this end, it offers a wide array of programming, including film showings, lectures, exhibitions, classes and even worship services.
 


Houston Museum of African American Culture

A permanent exhibit opened in February 2010 features a 1,200-piece collection of Czechoslovakian porcelain, pottery and glass, produced only for a 20-year period between the World Wars. The factories which made these pieces were either destroyed by the Nazis or made into munitions factories, and the pieces were not produced thereafter.

The Czech Cultural Center and museum, founded in 1995, and celebrates the culture of Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Silesia with events and exhibitions. The center features language classes, a museum, archives, genealogy resources, event facilities, library and an ecumenical chapel. Artwork displayed in the museum's exhibits include paintings, photographs, porcelain, various artifacts, and crystal.




Czech Cultural Center and Museum

Holocaust Museum Houston is also widely known as an education center, and the facility includes two classroom areas and a research library. The Boniuk Library and Resource Center contains more than 4,000 titles relating to the Holocaust, World War II, religion and anti-Semitism. The video section contains more than 300 titles on related subjects, and the tapes can be viewed in the Museum’s video room, or they can be checked out. A full-time librarian manages the center, and a full-time registrar is responsible for maintaining the Museum’s archives. Thousands of historic and original photographs, documents, letters, diaries and other artifacts from the 1930s and 1940s are cataloged in the archives. Researchers can examine these documents and artifacts by appointment.

The permanent exhibit at the Museum is Bearing Witness: A Community Remembers, which focuses on the stories of Holocaust survivors living in the Houston metropolitan area. A tour begins with a look at life before the Holocaust. Visitors then see the beginnings of Nazism and Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. The displays progress through the disruption of normal life, to segregation, to imprisonment in concentration camps and, finally, to extermination. The roles of collaborators, by-standers, rescuers, and liberators are portrayed through artifacts, film reels, photographs, and text panels. The main exhibit ends with the moving short films, Voices and Voices II, which alternate daily in the 100-seat theater. These films are compilations of verbal testimony from area survivors.

Holocaust Museum Houston

The parents were led by&nbsp;Sharon Brier and they recognized that the city did not have enough opportunities for children to learn. The museum became a success soon after it opened. Today, it receives around 850,000 visitors a year.&nbsp;In
 2009, the CMH opened its doors to a new addition featuring an 
additional 39,000 square feet, including seven new, permanent exhibits. In total, the museum features 90,000 square feet of space with 14 galleries.&nbsp;Traveling exhibits also enhance the learning experience.&nbsp;

The Children's Museum of Houston (CMH) is located in the city's museum district, near Hermann Park. Its mission is to encourage a lifelong interest in learning through innovative, interactive exhibits and bilingual programs for kids up to age 12. It is housed in a building designed by internationally acclaimed architect Robert Venturi. Founded in 1980 by concerned parents, the museum focuses on workshops in literacy, math, health engineering, civic engagement and cultural and social studies.

Children's Museum of Houston

The museum was founded in 1909 and it started out as simple displays in downtown Houston. Eventually it was located at&nbsp;the Houston Zoo and&nbsp;later the Burke Baker Planetarium. Finally in 1964 the current museum was built. The museum has grown significantly since then.&nbsp;Permanent exhibits include:

Albert C Glassell, Jr. Hall – over 40
species of game fish found &nbsp;off the coast
of Cabo Blanco, Peru.

Hall of Ancient Egypt – themes of
writing, religion, natural resources and mummification are explored

Morian Hall of Paleontology – More than
450 fossils and fossil replicas provide a glimpse into the past.

Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals – See
more than 750 mineral specimens, from around the world.

Wiess Energy Hall – Explore the process
of energy development, and the ways energy is used.

Lester &amp; Sue Smith Gem Vault –
Thousands of hours of design and craftsmanship created this collection.

John P. McGovern Hall of the Americas –
A collection of artifacts from 50 Native American cultures

Frensley/Graham Hall of African Wildlife
– Integrated themes of ecology on the African continent

Welch Hall of Chemistry - Discover chemistry
innovations that have changed the world.

Earth Forum – arrangement of 11
workstations, focusing on the dynamic changes of the Earth.

Do the Weather with Chita Johnson –
meteorology display lets you be a weather reporter!

Strake Hall of Malacology – a hall
dedicated to the study of Mollusks

Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife –
dramatic overview of the seven biotic provinces within Texas.

Vintage Texas Wildlife Dioramas – New Dioramas
in the Education Wing.

One of the most heavily attended museums in the country, the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) houses the Burke Baker Planetarium, the Wortham GIANT Screen Theatre, and the Cockrell Butterfly center, and a host of fascinating and intriguing permanent exhibits that focus on astronomy, space science, Native American culture, paleontology, energy, chemistry, gems and minerals and much more. Further, the facility accommodates a wide array of traveling exhibits covering even more categories. 

The Museum is a major science learning center, with over a half million school children visiting annually, including every fourth and seventh grade class in the Houston Independent School District. In addition to the main building, the museum operates two satellite location: the George Observatory in Fort Bend County, which features one of the largest telescopes in the country available for public viewing, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land which features exhibits on dinosaurs, mineralogy, and exotic live frogs.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

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 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.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The CAMH was founded in 1948 thanks to the efforts of&nbsp;a group of seven Houston citizens. The Museum offers a great panoply of programs, special events, talks, and
more. Speakers range from exhibiting artists to international art scholars, to
interesting viewpoints from other fields. Specially programed Loft Concerts by the renowned
contemporary classical group Musiqa is created for the Brown Foundation Gallery
Exhibitions. Other music performances, festivals, and concerts, as well as
children’s musicals and dance performances are all part of the annual schedule
of events.&nbsp;The museum also supports ongoing programs about contemporary art not
directly associated with and particular specific exhibit. A new series
conceived around themes of musical influence in everyday life asks artists,
musicians, and all-around creatives to share the music that has influenced
them, past and present. Check out the calendar for details. Educators,
students, and teens can all get involved with special programming that not only
suits their needs, but addresses the issues that stand in the way of young
minds interacting with contemporary art. Teachers, school and community groups
are encouraged to take advantage of the museum’s docents, what they call their “Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) teams.&nbsp;

Founded in 1948, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston is situated in the heart of the Houston Museum District. It is unique in that for the last 40 years it has been a non-collecting institution dedicated to simply offering contemporary international, national, and regional art exhibitions. The Museum's aim is to document how art impacts modern life through. In addition to the art exhibitions the museum also offers lectures, original publications and a variety of educational programs and events. The current facility, which opened its doors in 1972, was designed specifically by Gunnar Birkerts for the museum's use.

Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston

The Jung Center supports the belief that expressive arts and movement classes can facilitate physical and psychological healing, and help to build a stronger community. &nbsp;The Center offers a variety of exhibitions and programs that seek to promote&nbsp;personal
growth and well being, with a focus on the following areas: Psychology and Life; Expressive Arts; Body, Mind and Spirit;
Continuing Education; Graduate Education; and scholarships.

Outreach programs from The Jung Center include the
expressive arts after-school programs at The Nehemiah center. The SHAPE
Community Center (Self-Help for African People through Education) strives to
improve the lives of people of African descent ( that is, all people) through
programs and activities that emphasize unity, self-determination, collective
work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. 

Historically, the Center has constantly sought programs to
integrate the appreciation and the value of arts in ways that are not always
considered for such attention. From children whose lives have been
dislocated&nbsp; by family violence, to
children served by neighborhood centers and the Texas Children’s Hospital, even
serving those with substance abuse or motor skills challenges, the Jung Center
strives to provide support for the betterment of the human condition across all
boundaries.

Founded in 1958, The C G Jung Educational Center is a more than a museum or art gallery-this nonprofit educational institution is dedicated to offering diverse educational opportunities in the arts and humanities. The galleries and programs are always open to the public, and there are multiple educational and outreach programs for young people and adults alike. The gallery of the Center showcases rotating exhibits of works by established and emerging artists. Along with the traveling exhibits, the galleries present exhibitions drawn from the Center's permanent collection, including works by Peter Birkhauser. 

The Jung Center

One of the highlights of the Museum is the Port of Houston exhibit. As the second largest US port in terms of gross tonnage, the Port of Houston is the greatest contributor to Houston’s economy. Through photos and artifacts, this exhibit introduces visitors to the history of the Port and provides an overview of the maritime career opportunities available today. James Manzolillo was born in Pennsylvania and it was there that he found his love for boats. He built his first raft when he as twelve and eventually studied naval and maritime engineering in college and graduate school. He served in&nbsp;the Merchant Marine during WWII. In the 1950s he worked for Caterpillar, which made tractor engines. He was hired because the company thought their engines could be used on boats. He founded his own company in Mexico in 1959, where he built shrimp trawlers. Later, he gave lectures on the Cunard Line cruises, which went all over the world. It was during this time that he bought the models, navigation instruments, etc. that would become the museum's collection. He died in 2007.&nbsp;

Founded in 2000 by naval engineer James Manzolillo, the Houston Maritime Museum celebrates and preserves maritime history from around the world, dating from the Middle Ages to today. The museum features ten galleries of model ships based on the following themes: Modern Warships, the Modern Merchant Marine, Sailing Ships and Steam Power, Ships in Bottles, Great Lakes Vessels, Convict Models, Ancient Chinese and Middle East, History of Navigation, Voyages of Discovery, Ocean Liners, Port of Houston, Sailing Warships, and the Offshore Energy Industry. In addition, the museum is home to a world class collection of historical navigation tools, including astrolabes, quadrants, sextants, and maritime compasses.

Houston Maritime Museum

Since its inception in 1995, the ACC has been committed to fulfilling its mission of serving the Arab American community through cultural programs, outreach and social services; promoting Arab culture and heritage and fostering a greater understanding of Arab Culture amongst the Houston community at large by serving as a liaison and resource center. The Center operates a small museum and library. 

Arab-American Cultural and Community Center 

<div>The museum is located on the 640-acre Taylor-Stevenson Ranch, the only African-American owned ranch in Texas to be officially recognized with the “century” designation. A “century ranch” is one that has been continuously owned by the same family for 100 years.</div><div><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.americancowboymuseum.org/#!hours-admission--directions/c1p1b"></a></div>

The American Cowboy Museum serves the community by preserving and interpreting the art, history, and culture of the contributions of African Americans, Hispanic, Native Americans, and Women to the development of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and public events reflective of the Texas region’s rich traditions and shared heritage. 
The founder, Mollie Taylor-Stevenson, Jr. and her mother were the first living African Americans inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, Texas. In 1988, Mollie Stevenson, Sr., and Mollie Stevenson, Jr. founded and continue to operate the museum in the effort to preserve the multicultural history of the West.

The museum, which is housed in an area of the Taylor-Stevenson Ranch, offers tours, exhibits, oral historians who offer stories and lectures dressed in native attire and hands-on activities. (Please note the at the museum's website as of July 2016 is not working)

National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum

In the late 1920s, east Texas lumber and railroad tycoon W.T. Carter bought an airfield in southeast Houston. Later, the city of Houston decided that it needed a civilian passenger airfield. Carter sold the land to the city in 1937. Joseph Finger designed the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal, a streamline moderne structure that was finished in 1940. The project was completed with assistance from the Public Works Administration. Finger had earlier designed Houston City Hall, completed in 1939.By 1954, the terminal was no longer used because William Hobby Terminal was completed. It fell out of use in 1978. In 1988, Houston's Department of Aviation demolished buildings that had been tacked on to the original terminal to bring it back to its 1940s appearance. It has been owned and operated by the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society since 1998. The first phase of the museum was completed in 2004. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019The Aviation Heritage Gallery features exhibits on the Douglas DC-3, including original oil paintings by Jonathan Frank. The Airline Galleries, Hall of Flight, and Starliner Theater feature original aviation art, stunning period photographs, outstanding scale aircraft models, artifacts, uniforms, memorabilia and documents of various airlines, Howard Hughes and Houston Cessna dealer King Cruse. The Aviation Meteorology and Air Traffic Control Galleries feature vintage weather and ATC equipment such as teletypes, radios, and light guns as well as weather charts and navigational maps. The galleries also feature Houston's aviation history and the history of learning to fly. The Children's Dream of Flight Gallery features vintage aviation toys, games, and books as well as an aviation play table and reading library to inspire young visitors to dream of flight.

While most major cities have razed the beautiful Art Deco airport terminals of the 1930s and 1940s to make way for modern buildings, jet traffic or the closing of airports, the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal stands on the William P. Hobby Airport as a quiet monument to the rich and varied history of aviation in the region. The building holds the 1940 Air Terminal Museum which is dedicated to promoting the city's significant civil aviation history. The Houston Municipal Airport Terminal is a beautiful and rare example of classic Art Deco airport architecture from the golden age of flight. The Terminal served Houston during the years when air travelers dressed in their finest and embarked for exotic destinations aboard roaring propliners like the Douglas DC-3 and the Lockheed Constellation. Designed by noted architect Joseph Finger (who also designed Houston's City Hall), the Terminal was built to meet Houston's growing role as a major center for air commerce in the 1930s. The terminal was completed in 1940 and served as the primary commercial air terminal for Houston until 1954.

1940 Air Terminal Museum

Mission
Control Centers control space flights, usually from lift-off until landing, or
until the end of the mission. Various staff closely monitor the missions 24
hours a day, 365 days a year,&nbsp;using telemetry, remote communications that
are transmitted to equipment for monitoring. These personnel are extensively
trained to supervise areas such as the altitude control system, power,
propulsion, thermal, altitude&nbsp;dynamics,&nbsp;orbital operations and other
systems that are found on the ships or ISS1.The Christopher Kraft
Jr. Mission Control Center, also known by radio call-sign Houston, is housed in
NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (previously the Manned Spacecraft Center)
in Houston, Texas. The Johnson Space Center was established in 1961 and has
become home to the U.S. human space flight program2.Christopher Kraft Jr. worked as a NASA engineer, starting in 1958 when the organization was created. He was assigned to the Space Task Group, the team responsible for putting an American man in space, and worked during missions such as the first human orbital flight and the first spacewalk. After over a decade, he retired to a management position. He then&nbsp;became director of the Johnson Space Center, and was instrumental in creating the Mission Control Center.
In June 1965, the Houston Mission Control Center
was first used for Gemini 4, the tenth manned American spaceflight. It also
controlled all the flights for Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle
projects until it was repurposed in 1989 to control the Space Shuttles. The
Mission Control Center now monitors the International Space Station and the
flights to the station3.

NASA's Christopher Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center is where highly trained personnel monitor flight control for America's human space program, including coordinating with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Beginning in 1965, the Center controlled missions such as Gemini and Apollo. Prior to liftoff, missions are controlled from the Launch Control Center located at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, then control is transferred to Mission Control after the ship has cleared the launch tower. Given its importance to past and current America's space operations, the Center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.  

Museums of Houston-Citywide Tour

Asia Society Texas Center

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information