July 11, 2018 through July 19, 2018
Houston Museums
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The Houston Museum District
Adjacent to Houston’s famed Hermann Park you’ll find the Lone Star State’s answer to the Smithsonian Complex in Washington DC. The Houston Museum District collects 18 superb museums, cultural centers, art galleries and historical sites into a 1.5-mile area. The district spans from the most famous museums in Houston to little known treasures well worth the visit.
Best of all, every museum in the Houston Museum District offers free admission hours, and 11 of them are free all the time. For the sake of space, we’ll highlight just a few favorites, and then list out the rest with information on their free admission:
Houston Museum of Natural Science
With an annual attendance of nearly 2.5 million people, the Houston Museum of Natural Science proves that the Smithsonian comparison wasn’t just hollow boasting. Bring the kids along for a full afternoon exploring fascinating exhibits on chemistry, space, ancient Egypt, weather and, always the kids’ favorite, Paleontology. Better known as the one with the dinosaurs. The Houston Museum of Natural Science shares its complex at Hermann Park with the Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and the Wortham IMAX Theater. (Free on Tuesdays after 2:00pm)
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Like the Natural Science Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has garnered national recognition as one of the top art museums in the United States. The impressive and diverse collection spans the globe and stretches back over 6,000 years. In fact, its encyclopedic variety is one of its greatest strengths, along with a genuinely beautiful campus and original works by undisputed masters like Cezanne, Matisse, Stella, and Picasso. (Free on Thursdays from 10:00am to 9:00pm)
Other Museums
The other official Houston Museum District members:
Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum (Free)
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (Free)
Holocaust Museum Houston (Free)
Houston Center of Contemporary Craft (Free)
Houston Center for Photography (Free)
The Jung Center of Houston (Free)
Lawndale Art Center (Free)
The Menil Collection (Free)
Rice University Art Gallery (Free)
The Rothko Chapel (Free)
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (Free on Mondays from 10:00am to 5:00pm)
Children’s Museum of Houston (Free on Thursdays from 5:00pm to 8:00pm)
The Health Museum (Free on Thursdays from 2:00pm to 5:00pm)