Museum
of Fine Arts
Houston, TX
Tel: (713)-639-7300
Make an early start to this wonderful museum because there is
so much to take in. Marvel to the works of the masters, then
take in the sculptures from many cultures. The splendid decorative
arts collection houses many examples of textiles and costumes.
Throughout the year visitors can enjoy a variety of lectures
that explain the various exhibits and collections in depth.
The Museum also presents a fine series of films each year. www.mfah.org
Menil
Collection
1515 Sul Ross
Houston, TX
Tel:(713)-525-9400
The museum was established in 1987 by John and Dominique de
Menil as a showpiece for their fine art collection, an eclectic
mix including tribal cultures and the Byzantine era, Warhol
and Matisse. In addition to the permanent collection, special
exhibits are staged every year. Also at this location are
the Cy Twombly Gallery, the Byzantine Fresco Chapel and the
Rothko Chapel. Complete your visit by dropping by the bookstore
for souvenirs of this fine museum. www.menil.org
Holocaust
Museum
5401 Caroline
Houston, TX
Tel:(713)-789-9898
A recent construction, the Holocaust Museum presents a stirring
visual and audio account of the Jewish Holocaust. Through
the stories of various people who survived this horrendous
period, visitors will be touched, changed and educated by
their experiences.
Grand
1894 Opera House
Wortham Center
Texas Avenue,
Houston, TX
Tel: (713)-546-0200
This non-profit institution, known as the 'Official Opera
House of Texas', brings locals and visitors alike a wonderful
selection of artists. From dancing to singing to comedy and
more, the Opera House has entertained millions throughout
its long life. A staple of the community, "the Grand"
features educational programs; it can also be reserved for
special occasions such as conventions and weddings, providing
a unique location. Houstongrandopera.org
Houston
Symphony
Jones Hall
615 Louisiana
Houston,TX
Tel: (713)-227-2787
The 3,000-seat Jones Hall is home to the Houston Symphony.
Founded in 1913, the Symphony is always busy, whether at home
or on tour or recording. Jones Hall allows the symphony to
perform at its ideal acoustic levels thanks to a moveable
ceiling that can be adjusted for each performance.
Houston
Ballet
Wortham Center
500 Texas Ave.,
Houston, TX
Tel: (713)-523-6300
Tickets (713)-227-2787
The Houston Ballet, an internationally renowned company, offers
over 100 performances a year, most notably its annual performance
of the "Nutcracker". The season runs from September
to June.
Space
Center Houston
1601 NASA Road 1
Houston, TX
Tel: (281)-244-2100
The Space Center is the visitors' center for the NASA Johnson
Space Center. Here visitors enjoy exhibits ranging from the
history of manned space flight to the future exploration of
space. A tram will take you off to see working areas, shuttle
payload bays (used in practice) and a Saturn rocket. The Kids'
Space Place is a fun, interactive hands-on area especially
for children ages 3-11. Here they can touch moon rocks and
view a full-scale model of the space shuttle. An IMAX theatre
provides thrills for all ages.
Sesquicentennial
Park
510 Preston
Houston, TX
Tel: (713)-250-3666
A wonderful city park presenting works of various artists,
sculptors, architects and over 1,000 local school children.
The Park features seven stainless steel columns measuring
70 feet each. The columns reflect the city's foundations of
technology, energy, medicine, manufacturing and more. When
lit at night from within, the display is magnificent. Located
on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou, the park was built in 1986
to commemorate the 150th birthday of Houston. It is a serene
and popular area for visitors to stroll and enjoy. A three-story
pavilion, surrounded by relaxing waterfalls, makes the area
even more attractive. Bikers and walkers alike will enjoy
the many trails winding throughout the park.
Market
Square Historic District
Main Street area
Houston, TX
Tel: (713)-656-1912
This park area is filled with many old buildings and the Heritage
Homes Tours are a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon.
Spanning an area of 28 blocks, the Bagby/Walker area houses
these lovely homes. The oldest commercial structure in Houston
is the Kennedy Bakery located at 813 Congress Ave. Another
building of note is the Rice Hotel, located at Main and Texas,
where President John F. Kennedy spent a portion of his last
night. Entered on the National Register of Historic places
in 1986, this area was the original downtown of Houston. In
addition to the homes and buildings, visitors can enjoy the
numerous restaurants and clubs.
The
Alley Theatre
Tel: (713)-228-9341 for tickets
(713)-228-8421 box office
This gem of a theatre has been a popular Houston landmark
for over 50 years. The Alley started life quite literally
in an alley and has much to offer. The Alley boldly experiments
with a large variety of productions for diverse audiences.
"Pay-what-you-can" nights open the theatre to all.
Young playwrights can submit their works to the theatre and
many educational and community outreach programs are available.
College students apply for internships here to further their
experience in the field. The Alley also uses Spanish and sign
language translators. If you'd like a look behind the scenes,
a backstage tour can be arranged. This truly is a theatre
with open arms!
Houston
Museum of Natural Science
One Hermann Circle Dr.,
Houston, TX 77030
Tel: (713)-639-4600 or (713)-639-IMAX
It's hard to know where to start first at this museum but
a truly unique experience can be found at the Cockrell Butterfly
Center. There, you will find over 1500 live butterflies from
around the world in an indoor rainforest setting. The Burke
Baker Planetarium is a world of wonder for everyone fascinated
by astronomy. Weekend nights feature laser lights shows accompanied
by various musical selections. The Observatory is world-famous,
as well as an outstanding exhibition of dinosaur fossils and
bones. Settle down in the Wortham IMAX theatre and enjoy the
huge six-story screen. www.amns.org
Admiral
Nimitz Museum
340 East Main Street
Fredricksburg, TX 78624
Tel: (830)-997-4379
Not too far from Houston, the Admiral Nimitz Museum presents
the story of Adm. Chester W. Nimitz and World War II in the
Pacific. Uniformed history interpreters relate stories of
World War II and present artifacts from the war. The indoor
area houses quite a few exhibitions but the 7-acre site has
outdoor displays too. Allied and Japanese aircraft, tanks
and a working flame-thrower are just a few. The Nimitz Museum
is truly a unique and educational experience for the whole
family.
Six
Flags Houston
Six Flags Astroworld & Waterworld
9001 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77054
Tel: (713)-799-8404
Visit two great entertanment complexes side by side. Six Flags
WaterWorld offers hours of fun for all from water slides to
a five-story interactive water tree house. Go next door and
thrill to the many rides at SixFlags Astroworld. With more
roller coasters than any other park in Texas, this Six Flags
will keep you "on a roll" for a long time. With
all the concerts, shows and restaurants, there's plenty of
time to sit back and relax before hitting those rides again!
Houston
Astrodome, Astrohall, Astro Arena
8400 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77054
Tel: (713)-799-9500
One of the largest multi-entertainment complexes in the world,
this magnificent domed stadium is fully air-conditioned and
can seat 60,000. It's to the NFL Houston Oilers football team,
the National League Houston Astros baseball team, the Tigers
of Texas Southern University, the USFL Gamblers and the University
of Houston's Cougars. Many other forms of entertainment also
take place under this roof including boxing, rodeos and even
conventions. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo takes place
in The Astrohall which is one of the largest exhibition centers.
The Astroarena has 6,000 theatre-type seats. The parking areas
have accommodation for 30,000 cars.
