Mad Hatter's Ball

Children’s Museum’s Mad Hatter’s Ball with Alice and the gang is a stunning visual delight

The Children’s Museum of Houston annual gala is always a hot ticket. This year was especially so as 500 guests filled the ballroom at The Corinthian to celebrate the “Mad Hatter’s Ball" in visually-stunning Alice in Wonderland surroundings.

Partygoers entered the looking glass through shiny silver curtains into a fantasyland as Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, courtesy of Party Princess Productions, greeted them. The whimsical setting was the work of Bergner & Johnson Design, who brought the evening’s Mad Hatter theme to life. “There are lots of garden elements, top hats, clocks, and hanging elements (including floating playing cards, rampant vines and dazzling chandeliers). We’ve been here working since Tuesday,” Rebekah Johnson told CultureMap.

The interiors were so spectacular that more than 630 people liked a photo that CultureMap posted on its Instagram page Saturday night.

While black tie attire ruled the night, there was no shortage of exuberant hats in every shape and size.

The philanthropic spirit was evident as attendees purchased $50 raffle tickets (to win a Cartier Ballon Blue 36mm stainless steel watch), and bid on silent and big board auction items. Live auction items, including a five-night getaway at The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa in Phucket, Thailand and a Labradoodle puppy, went to the highest bidders, who were inspired to give back.

Jackson & Company’s multi-course menu fueled guests before they hit the chess-inspired dance floor to the tunes of popular band, Skyrocket.

Elva and Truett Akin, and Monica and Greg Meeks chaired the evening which raised $955,000 dollars to further develop the museum’s educational and outreach programs.

Having fun for a good cause were Claire and Jack Blanton III, Leslie and Jack Blanton, Reyne Hirsch, Jennifer Roosth, Children’s Museum of Houston board president Geoff Bracken and wife Shelley Bracken, Bill and Courtney Toomey, Melissa and Michael Mithoff, Lisa and Kevin Barksdale, Kristen and John Berger, Dr. Kelly Coleman, Pam and Stephen Daniel, Julie and Ron Finck, Glen Gonzalez and Steve Summers, Hunt and Allison Harper, and Brad and Lauren Morgan.

Also joining in the fun spirit of the evening were Amy and Zeph Moss, Katherine and Paul Murphy, Winifred and Nicholas Phillips, Mindy and Sean Rice, Rachel and Sebastien Solar, Anabella and Saul Solomon, Candace and Brian Thomas, Ali and Haydeh Davoudi, Carolyn and Chris Dorros, Eleanor and Dan Gilbane, Leigh and Chris Joseph, Claudia Kreisle, Jennifer and Chris Laporte, Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith and wife Tiffany, Krystal Thompson, and Molly and Coert Voorhees.

John Harrell, Caroline Harrell with the Queen of Hearts,left, and Alice, right.

Houston, Childrens Museum of Houston Mad Hatters Ball, Oct. 2016, John Harrell, Caroline Harrell

Photo by Alexander Rogers and Gary Maltz

John Harrell, Caroline Harrell with the Queen of Hearts,left, and Alice, right.

fundraisers

Big Spenders

Retro futurism meets philanthropy as Houston museum gala raises $3.6M

Houston Museum of Natural Science Gala 2026

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Will Lee, Britton Daugbjerg, Ella Fertitta, and Jason Fertitta.

Big spenders to the front, please.

On a night when Houston’s black-tie crowd orbited the worlds of science, style, and a little retro-futurism, the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Futurama: A Stardust Odyssey Gala 2026 felt less like a traditional fundraiser and more like an expedition through the museum’s halls.

Chaired by Randa and Charlie Williams alongside Susanne and Joel Bartsch, the gala welcomed more than 350 guests who arrived ready to lean into the evening’s mid-century futuristic theme. Instead of a traditional program, tables were scattered throughout the museum, an intentional design that encouraged guests to roam. Blooming Gallery’s décor channeled a bright, Jetsons-inspired palette before shifting into a copper-and-marigold Mad Men mood as the evening progressed.

Let’s talk about the Vault Auction, as it had a gravitational force all its own, delivering a treasure trove of museum-worthy marvels and luxury collectibles.

Among the headliners was a jaw-dropping 90–troy-ounce crystallized gold specimen from the Beta Hunt Gold Mine in Western Australia, with a $850,000 starting bid. A Chanel brooch centered on a GIA-certified yellow sapphire had a starting bid of $180,000, while a dazzling pair of earrings featuring Paraiba tourmaline, Mahenge pink spinel, and diamonds was valued between $800,000 and $1.2 million. The crown jewel of the display? “Rocks in a Box,” a museum-quality curated mineral collection assembled by HMNS curators selling for $1.8 million.

Need a ride? We got you. A 1965 Jaguar XKE Series 1 4.2 Coupe donated by Stephanie and Frank Tsuru was up for grabs.

Gulf Coast Entertainment’s Justin and The SwingBeats Quartet filled cocktail hour with jazz standards and retro pop. Later, diners gathered in Morian Hall of Paleontology and the Morian Overlook for a multi-course meal of elevated Southern fare.

After dinner, the celebration shifted into high gear in the Grand Entry Hall. Joystix Entertainment transformed the space into a retro arcade with glowing pinball machines, Donkey Kong cabinets, and pool tables. Flamingo showgirls by J&D Entertainment strutted through the crowd. Guests danced to live music, sipped milkshakes, nibbled late-night mini grilled cheese sandwiches, and even tried their luck at claw machines filled with gemstones and minerals.

The affair became the most successful gala in the museum’s history, raising $3.6 million to support educational programs, exhibitions, and outreach initiatives.

Orbiting the scene were Mary and Ron Neal, Patty and T. Mark Kelly, Caroline and Jack Williams, Nancy and David Pustka, Cynde and Chris Stravros, Mary Helen and Pete Bowden, Meg and Dick Weekley, Al Walker, Joella and Steve Mach, Monica and Fox Benton, Lisa and Mike O’Leary, and Chandos and Ike Epley, alongside many of Houston’s leading philanthropists and community supporters.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Will Lee, Britton Daugbjerg, Ella Fertitta, and Jason Fertitta.