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Pop the Top on a Beer Can House and close the lid on an airplane-shaped casket
Houston could be considered the folk art capital of the world, with a house covered in beer cans, a monument dedicated to the orange, the world's oldest and largest Art Car parade and even a museum dedicated to the funeral industry. Houston is a city that celebrates the art in all people, and that philoposphy is evident in each funky location on this list.
Beer Can House
The story goes that John Milkovisch hated to throw anything away, and after years of drinking, both his attic and garage were bursting with empty beer cans. In 1968, he got the bright idea that the cans would make good house siding, and a folk art legend was born. Milkovisch didn't stop with the house. He blanketed the lawn with concrete blocks inlaid with bits of colorful glass. He drilled holes in the redwood fence, filling the spaces with marbles. With the cans' pull-tabs, he created clinking curtains that he hung from the front porch and eaves. More beer cans, wire and found objects became mobiles and lawn art. Altogether, Milkovisch spent 18 years decorating. Now, this little landmark has drawn curious visitors from around the world who come by to get a glimpse of the now legendary house outfitted with nearly 50,000 beer cans, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not.
As of March 1, 2008, visitors are allowed inside the Beer Can House. The story of the house is told through vintage photographs and archives donated by the Milkovisch Family. Visitors will see how the 1940s-era bungalow grew over the years to become the monument it is today. They will also come away with a better understanding of folk art and the importance of preserving environments created by self-taught artists such as Mr. Milkovisch. The restoration also includes the addition of a visitor’s center and gift shop located on the site of John’s old workshop.
Flower Man's House
Cleveland Turner, a very active folk artist, daily transforms the assemblage of junk and greenery around his house into something...different. His gaily painted house peeps out from beneath a riot of flowers, vegetation, and decorations that cover every inch of the small space available. Other people's trash truly is his treasure.
Art Car Museum
The museum, or "Garage Mahal," as many people know it, features the most imaginative, elaborate 
and artfully constructed art cars, low riders and mobile contraptions, as well as art exhibitions by local, regional and national artists. The conceptual origin of the museum was the 1984 Collision Show at Lawndale Art Center, which resulted in Art Car workshops around the city and, eventually, the Art Car Parade. The museum showroom celebrates the spirit of this post-modern age of car culture, in which individuals have remolded the factory model sameness of their cars to the specifications of their own images and visions.
Last Concert Cafe
Last Concert Cafe, a hard-to-find eatery on the east side of downtown, remains Houston's most eclectic restaurant. Formerly a whorehouse, Last Concert is now the place for live music and great Mexican food.
Commune on North
Commune on North is an art project, company and interdisciplinary workshop where Houstonian Molly Gochman creates and shows her work. Gochman, an experiential, inter-sensory artist, has been recognized around the world for her unique artistry and vision.
Aurora Picture Show
The Aurora Picture Show has distinguished itself as a home for vanguard work that falls outside the realm of conventional moviemaking. The non-profit cinema was founded in June 1998 by Houston-based media artists Andrea Grover and Patrick Walsh. Through volunteer labor and equipment donations, the two founders converted a 1924 wooden church building into a 100-seat capacity cinema. Aurora’s mandate from the start was to champion short artist made films and videos, to host visiting film/videomakers and curators, and to encourage active audiences. Through consistently visionary programming, Aurora has achieved a reputation as one of the world’s finest microcinemas. To date, Aurora has hosted over 120 visiting artists and presented over 3000 films and videos.
National Museum of Funeral History
The museum features our nation's largest display of historic funeral service memorabilia and artifacts with the tagline, "every day above ground is a good one." Exhibits include a 1921 Rock Falls Hearse, Fantasy Coffins, Civil War Embalming, 1900s Casket Factory and Funeral Artifacts. The museum's newest and highest profile exhibit is Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes, the result of a collaboration between the Vatican and the National Museum of Funeral History.
DiverseWorks
DiverseWorks is a nonprofit art center dedicated to presenting new visual, performing and literary art. DiverseWorks is a place where the process of creating art is valued and artists can test new ideas in the public arena. By encouraging the investigation of current artistic, cultural and social issues, DiverseWorks builds, educates and sustains audiences for contemporary art.
Orange Show Monument
The Orange Show Monument is a Houston postman's creation that extols the virtues of his favorite
fruit. The outdoor 3,000-square-foot monument is maze-like in design and includes an oasis, a wishing well, a pond, a stage, a museum, a gift shop and several upper decks. It was built single-handedly from 1956 until its completion in 1979 by the late Jefferson Davis McKissack. It is constructed of concrete, brick, steel and found objects including gears, tiles, wagon wheels, mannequins, tractor seats and statuettes. The monument encourages visitors of all ages to follow McKissack's theories relating health and longevity to good nutrition, hard work and eating oranges.
