Museum District

The Houston Museum District is one of the country’s largest concentrations of cultural institutions. The district is home to 19 museums, arts, and cultural organizations within a nine-square-mile area. The Museum District includes a diverse range of institutions – from large to small, from science to art – that provide a variety of revolving exhibitions, art collections, performances, film series, and hands-on activities. The Houston Museum District enhances Houston’s creative and cultural life, adds to the vibrancy and quality of life of our community, and serves as a catalyst that supports the city’s economy.

HMNS

The Museum District is perhaps best known for its major institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and Children’s Museum Houston, but it is also home to other notable exhibition spaces and smaller community-based museums. Other Museum District institutions include Asia Society Texas Center; Buffalo Soldiers National Museum; Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; Czech Center Museum Houston; DiverseWorks; The Health Museum; Holocaust Museum Houston; Houston Center for Contemporary Craft; Houston Center for Photography; Houston Museum of African American Culture; The Jung Center; Lawndale Art Center; The Menil Collection; Moody Center for the Arts; and Rothko Chapel.

Awards

Houston Museum District became a 501(c)(3) in 1997 and was designated as a Cultural District by the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2010. Our nine-square-mile area is thought to be one of the largest concentrations of cultural institutions in the country.

Events

World AIDS Day Observance (Rothko Chapel)
Annual MLK Day Observance (Rothko Chapel)
International Women’s Day Observance (Rothko Chapel)
Summer Solstice Observance (Rothko Chapel)
The Frances Tarlton “Sissy” Farenthold Endowed Lecture Series (Rothko Chapel)
At DiverseWorks’ most anticipated biennial party and fundraiser, Luck of the Draw, attendees try their luck at winning original artworks from over 300 local, national, and international artists made specifically for DiverseWorks! This event is perfect for both the experienced and beginning collector, providing an opportunity to discover new artists and add unique works to your collection.
Hands-on Houston Family Festival (fall) – November 5, 2022. This fall festival is a free community event for families and visitors of all ages. This year, HCCC celebrates the Craft Garden and the fall exhibition, CraftTexas 2022, with indoor/outdoor hands-on activities, demonstrations by local artists, and food and refreshments from local vendors. (Houston Center for Contemporary Craft)
Craft Community Day (spring) – April 2, 2023. This spring festival is a free, family-friendly community event featuring demonstrations by local artist guilds and makers, food and much more. (Houston Center for Contemporary Craft)
Huffington Award Dinner (Asia Society Texas)
Night Market (Asia Society Texas)
Tiger Ball (Asia Society Texas)
Lunar New Year Celebration (Asia Society Texas)
AsiaFest (Asia Society Texas)
Festival of Eid (Asia Society Texas)
The Health Museum Gala, the 1^st weekend in November. This year they are celebrating Día de los Muertos with our Viva la Vida Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel (The Health Museum)
Houston Members Month in May. Full of fun gatherings and activities, including yoga, cooking classes and book club for members (and sometimes a friend) (The Health Museum)
Art Car Parade (they have the fART car): They enter our colossal colon in the art car parade as the fART car and has all sorts of fun things going on along those lines, like fart noises, fun fart facts, throwing tootsie rolls, etc. (The Health Museum)
Bike Art Parade. They have our skeleton Morty who rides on the back of their decorated Tandem bike and a QR code for a swag bag including a free membership (The Health Museum)
Party in the Park, Thursday, October 13, 7 p.m. (Menil Collection)
Neighborhood Community Day (each spring) (Menil Collection)
BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer): Since 2013, the Menil Collection and Aurora Picture Show have copresented this lively, annual evening of community-sourced projections covering the museum’s façade (Menil Collection)
Halloween Monster Mash Bash, Saturday, Oct. 29, Sponsored by Gilbert Andrew Garcia/Garcia Hamilton & Associates L.P. Howl at the moon while you bask in Houston’s ultimate Halloween party for kids. Let the ghoul times roll as you boogie to the hauntingly hip tunes of a wicked DJ along with monstrous characters. Move your bones in the Thriller Dance Party. Then, trick-or-treat the evening away. Be sure to come dressed in your most boo-tiful or frightfully freaky costume! (Children’s Museum Houston)
5^th Annual Turkey Pardon, Tuesday, Nov. 22, Following the White House tradition which began under President John F. Kennedy, sign the petition and join the Museum’s Kids’ Committee for the odd tradition of "pardoning" the-turkey-which-won't-be-eaten during an interactive ceremony which will include a real, live turkey! (Children’s Museum Houston)
New Year’s Noon, Saturday, Dec. 31, Kids finally don’t have to stay up till midnight to celebrate the New Year! Children’s Museum Houston’s Rockin’ New Year’s Noon is the city’s longest-running New Year’s Eve celebration just for kids! This end-of-year bash rings in the New Year at the stroke of noon with ball drop, just like in Times Square! Musical talents will spotlight this New Year’s Eve celebration complete with countdown, ball drop and DJ dance after party! (Children’s Museum Houston)
Zoo Lights (Mid-Nov – First weekend in January) (Houston Zoo)
Zoo Boo (October) (Houston Zoo)
The Jung Center annually hosts The Fay Lectures in Analytical Psychology. This series welcomes internationally renowned scholars in analytical psychology to The Jung Center for a weekend of pioneering and thought-provoking research into the mystery of the human psyche. Each installment of the Fay Lectures is published by Texas A&M University Press and makes a significant and enduring contribution to psychology. Our 2022 Fay Lecture "Opening the Closed Heart" with Jungian analyst and author Don Kalsched.
The Guardian of the Human Spirit Award Luncheon, held each November, recognizes individuals and institutions dedicated to enhancing the lives of others by demonstrating a true commitment to service and building an open-minded society for the enrichment of the local population. (Holocaust Museum Houston)
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner is held each May and presented to individuals and organizations that have shown moral courage to stand up against injustice, hatred, prejudice and apathy, and have used their skills and influence to make a better world for all people. (Holocaust Museum Houston)