A cool historical community-based center, the art program here is more Latino based art here. The…read morebuilding used to be an old school building use to be the Justin E. Dow Elementary School building, built in 1912. Despite the improvement they have done but it is still not as handicap friendly To enter the building there is a flight of stairs and they did build a ramp from an side entrance. But the ramp to go up inside the building is very steep, if you are in a wheelchair by yourself, it is very difficult to go up or go down without flying down. There are no ramps to go up to the second floor. The restroom on the first floor is not handicap friendly either as there is a step you have to get up to use the restroom and there is no grab bars and the sink and the toilet is so close, it is very tight inside. I love they have convert the classroom to different studio where you can take different class these offer here. I love the events they have here and the class but I wish they will improve on the accessibility for this place.

Came here for the Suchu Comedy Dance Fest a few days ago, and it was an awesome experience! The…read moredirectors of the facility are very nice and welcoming. There's a really cool mural on the back wall when you first walk in. I wish I could've gotten a picture of it, but I guess you'll have to go there and see it for yourself! The Suchu Fest has another show next weekend, so if you want to watch some great dancers or on a hilarious showcase, you should definitely attend!

The museum never disappoints the science lover in me. From the regular exhibits to the special…read moreexhibits on loan, there is always something interesting. The pictures are of the outside of the museum and the butterfly exhibit. There is a nice sloping walkway in the butterfly house. Also they have several benches to sit on if you want to just sit and be one with the butterflies while they fly around you. For $5 you can release a new butterfly into the butterfly house. It might be a cool experience for a child to release a butterfly. Aside from the butterfly house they have an IMAX, planetarium and the regular and special exhibit museums. There is a McDonalds in the lobby and restrooms throughout the museum. They have a parking garage that requires a fee (might be free with a membership). But on a rainy day this extra charge might be worth it. They sometimes run out of parking space though, so you might have to walk from free lots a ways away.

I visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science with the family and had a decent experience-- but…read moremy wallet felt drained. The museum has a parking garage that is convenient but fills up quickly. The cost is a $30 flat rate and the spaces are tight, so reverse parking is key. General admission, planetarium, butterfly exhibit, and special exhibits are all individually priced. We spent $226 for a family of four to see two special exhibits (including general admission + parking). The Terracotta exhibit was smaller than we hoped -- more smaller artifacts and limited interactive elements and terracotta warriors on display. The King Tut exhibit was more memorable-- more immersive, better videos, and a clear narrative about his life, death, and discovery. Food is the biggest drawback. The Element Grill closes at 3pm, so late-day visitors are left with pre-made café items from the Periodic Table next door. This included cold cut sandwiches, burgers/hot dogs sitting under warmers, canned soda and bags of chips at a premium price. Recommend to visit the HMNS on a Tuesday 5-8pm for free general admission or consider a membership to save on costs. Plan ahead and eat beforehand or bring food and enjoy a nice picnic across the street!

Impressive! This is the best and most is the immersive Children's Museum I've been to. The…read moreinteractive options across multiple floors of dynamic exhibits allow children to safely explore ( but yes you still need to watch your kiddos). They have simple task like make your own airplane and experiment with aerodynamics through wind tunnels and airflow. Hands on gravity, motion and momentum zones, and innovative activities like designing your own game controller! Climbing structures integrated throughout encourage physical play (and yes some energy burn)! Outdoors children manipulate the direction and flow of water in interactive water tables and engineering principles. Beyond exhibits, there are amenities like food court, bookstore, and gift shop. My only critique is in the ticket purchase. If you buy at the kiosk and not counter (24" away) you save $2 BUT then the kiosk charges you $1.62 processing fee so big whoop on the .38 cent savings. The kiosk only makes sense when purchasing multiple tickets but is still something for the business to take a look at. Overall, awesome space! Plan to stay several hours to enjoy all the offerings.

We had a great time at the Children's Museum Houston, especially checking out the Rube Goldberg…read moreexhibit, which was creative, hands-on, and fun for both kids and adults. The holiday features were a big plus -- the snow playground was a fun seasonal surprise, and seeing Elsa, Anna, and Olaf with a Frozen sing-along and meet-and-greet made the visit extra special for younger kids. That said, the experience would have been much better with stronger upkeep. Many of the electronic exhibits were not working, unplugged, or appeared damaged, which was disappointing for kids who were eager to interact. The museum was also very crowded, making it hard to spend quality time at some of the most popular exhibits. Overall, it's a solid outing and we still enjoyed ourselves, but improved maintenance and functionality of the interactive exhibits would really elevate the experience.

I visited this museum specifically to view the Friday Khalo exhibit but found myself spending…read moreseveral hours exploring the rest of the museum. MFAH is a vast space that houses an impressive collection of arts and artifacts. Among its renowned pieces are works by Monet, Van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri Matisse, and many more. The museum also features an Islamic Art Collection, Roman Catholic collection, and African Gold exhibit. Additionally, MFAH offers numerous immersive and interactive experiences for visitors. I particularly enjoyed walking through Ernesto Neto: SunForceOceanLife. A great experience for both adults and kids. Frida: The Making of an Icon, a captivating exhibition, graced the halls of MFAH in January and will leave May 17. This remarkable exhibition showcases over 30 works by the iconic artist. Among the treasures on display are her authentic dresses, back braces, corset, and boot, offering a glimpse into her life and artistic journey. If you are a fan, this is a must visit. You will not be disappointed. Note: Special exhibitions like Frida's is only $10 on Thursdays.

The MFAH is huge with some works from famous artists and many artworks from around the world. The…read moreexhibits are pretty standard art museum galleries that you could find anywhere, but they sometimes have temporary exhibits that are more interesting and eclectic. They have free admission every Thursday, and we paid $10 each to get the all access pass for temporary exhibits. Parking is $10 in the garage. We went to see a Frida Kahlo exhibit and an interactive playground-like exhibit by Ernesto Neto. They gave us hospital grippy socks to climb on the structure. Kusama's Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity was cool as well, although one minute of standing in there was definitely sufficient. The least enjoyable "immersive" exhibit was the James Turrell one where we just sat on a bench for one minute to watch something, except that nothing happened. I am not an art person, so I wasn't super engaged by this museum as it is pretty similar to other art museums, but I think it's a good one for patient people who enjoy art.

Very cute museum, cheap tickets! Great vibes. Amazing historical connection and education.read more

Undoubtedly one of my favorite public spaces in Houston. You have the George R. Brown, Discovery…read moreGreen, and the Marriott Marquis in the vicinity, making for quite the downtown destination. I have to let you in on a little secret, though. Avenida is, to me, Houston's living room. Why? Watch parties for the Astros, Texans, Rockets, and my alma mater UH have taken place here, and they never fail in drawing huge crowds. When the Super Bowl was here eight years ago, this was where several sports outlets set up shop to broadcast their shows. On a beautiful day, it's a great place to take a stroll and/or mingle. I came here yesterday for the Texans Draft Watch Party, and despite the rain and the team trading out of the first round, I still had a super fun time. Highly recommend to locals and tourists.

Nice outdoor area between Discovery Green and GRB…read more Great place for live music and local vendors. I was here for the Black History celebration that's taking place every Saturday during black history month. The celebration includes vendors through BLCK Market and local music performers. The music acoustics were perfect. Marium Echo performed flawlessly. There was a bar/lounge-like area elegantly set up that would've been perfect on a nice weather day. Unfortunately it was pretty chilly so no one was sitting in the area. Looking forward to more concert series once the weather is nicer.

So the cool thing about the museums here in Houston is that on Thursdays it's FREE!!! This is…read moreprobably one of the biggest and most amazing museums that I have been to. They have three different buildings all connected underground and each building has different floors all separated by culture. My phone died towards the end, so I wasn't able to photograph any American or contemporary art.

this was an excellent museum !! also, the best part is it's free. the layout and architecture of…read morebuilding are unique and worth a visit! 10/10 would recommend!

This sculpture garden is managed by the MFAH although it is free, unlike the MFAH…read more It's relatively small but has quite a few pieces by famous artists like Rodin, Bourgeois, Matisse, and more. There is also Houston's version of the Chicago Bean (created by the same artist). There are a few places to sit and have lunch. I probably wouldn't come here as a stand-alone destination as it's small. However, it's a perfect addendum to either the MFAH or the Contemporary Art Museum across the street. Parking: You can certainly pay to park in the MFAH garage (5101 Montrose). However, there is free street parking in the area if you take the time to look and don't mind walking a couple blocks. For instance, Bayard Lane has free 3-hour parking (behind The Story Church). There are other streets with similar restrictions -- just pay attention to signs.

The Cullen Sculpture Garden was one of the first few spots I visited when exploring Houston after…read moremoving here and I've been back several times since. The garden is situated right next to the Kinder Building and Glassell School of Art at the MFAH, on the corner of Montrose and Bissonnet Streets. While located at a major intersection of the Museum District, it's tucked tastefully behind an unassuming wall, making it easy to miss while driving by but pleasantly tranquil while inside. The garden has a large number of contemporary and classical pieces by several notable 20th and 21st century artists, such as Louise Bourgeois and Henri Matisse. One of the most popular sculptures is the Cloud Column, a 30-foot reflective steel bean shaped column designed by Anish Kapoor, the same artist who created the famous Chicago bean. This sculpture is a fantastic center to take photos from any angle. The space is designed with a number of low walls to create a natural separation between the pieces but still making it easy for visitors to wander around without a defined path. The garden is completely free to visit and has a number of small tables to sit down, relax, and immerse yourself in the visual experience.

asia society of texas is a great cultural center. i think…read morethat the cost of entry is a little high for the amount of square footage that guests are allowed to explore, but they offer discounts for students. i had the pleasure of viewing the pikachu anime exhibit. it's always interesting to see modern art reimagined and other artists interpretation of art they have consumed. i do like that there aren't museum staff hovering over you while you view the art. they also have an asian cafe featuring a variety of asian cuisine from various countries. i would like to return and try a few things, maybe the on my next visit. support the arts! xx

The Asia Society Texas Center was in my youngest daughter and my bucket list for a long time. With…read morethe announcement of a Pikachu exhibit, we finally went this past Thursday. The small center consisted of two levels with a modern exterior design. The interior design was open and spacious. Ticket counter, gift shop, restrooms, cafe, meeting room, and main lobby were on the first floor. An permanent exhibit highlighting Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Janpanesse, and Indian culture were on display in the main lobby. The second floor had the Pikachu exhibit as well as some anime exhibit. Overall, all the art pieces and written narrations were insightful, inspiring, informative, and artistic. The whole family will visit again when oldest daughter comes home for Christmas. Every Thursday is free admission. There is a large private parking lot across the street. The cost is $7.

I just went to see Beauty and the Beast Saturday evening, and it was amazing!! The musical was…read moresurreal and close to the original animation. My husband and I both cried because it was sentimental of how we related to the actual animated film. My only advice would be to NOT take babies or children who aren't capable of sitting still and listening to the show. The first half of the show was interrupted by a couple allowing their baby and toddler to continue to whine and repeatedly ask for her mama. After a while, the dad finally left with his baby. Naturally, it was only after attracting some attention from others that the situation became evident. We adore babies/children; however, this was not the place for them. I blame the parents for being self-centered and ignoring their baby by allowing her to whine and waiting until almost the end of the first half of the show to excuse themselves out. I wish the staff would have noticed and stepped in. They're usually vocal when it comes to food or pictures and should also pay attention to whining babies.

Wow so I finally bought some last minute tickets to see Life of Pi! The show and cast was amazing…read more The venue is located downtown and if you go see an evening event you'll get treated to a beautiful backdrop of a towering skyline full of twinkling lights. Parking in the adjacent garage is $15. Next time I will get there at least an hour prior to get lower level parking. We arrived 15 minutes prior to show time and it took us at least 10 minutes to park and walk into the performance center. And we waited for 25 minutes just to get out of the parking garage when the show was over. Lesson learned. Everyone was dressed from casual (boo) to dressy/business casual (ladies in sundresses and some had heels or little sandals and men were in slacks and dress shirts or polo shirts and some men had suits or jackets or just a buttoned down collared shirt and khakis.) Personally, I dont like to go see a performance and see people in shorts and t shirts especially on a Saturday night performance, It runs the gamut in case you're wondering "how should I dress?" Intermission offered a full bar and snacks and candy. Tickets for our seating area were $128 pp next time I'll sit closer and pay more. Overall we had a fun time!