5 Best Summer Museums

Houston's 5 best summer museum experiences: Kids and fun grownups both love these eye-opening exhibits

Summer travel season is in full swing, but there's no need to hit the road for a long trip. Houston offers a world of fun — and educational — activities at some of the best museums in the nation. Here are five sure-fire choices that are just around the corner:

1. The Children’s Museum of Houston

Exhibit: Summer of Epic Adventure - The Sequel! is a fun-filled interactive activity that allows kids to become a superhero by completing a variety of science experiments to earn badges of honor. The educational adventure will continue through Sept. 3 at 12, 1 and 2 p.m. and is included in the general admission fee.

Specials: Admission is free for everyone on Thursday evenings from 5 to 8.

2. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Exhibit: Pretend like you're a resident at Downton Abbey with a visit to this renowned collection of paintings, sculptures and decorative arts from Houghton Hall in England. Traveling to the United States for the first time, Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House will be on display from June 22 to Sept. 21.

Specials: Admission is free for children 12 and under every day. The cost for the Houghton Hall exhibition is $15 for visitors 13 and up. General MFAH admission is free on Thursdays, but a $15 ticket will still be required to see the exhibition.

3. Houston Museum of Natural Science

Exhibit: Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters explores the science behind the power of natural events and the impact on human lives through interactive experiences and videos. The exhibit, which is up through Sept. 14, also explains the stories behind natural disasters.

Specials: In The Friday Feeding Frenzy, staffers feed the museum's live animal collection, including snakes, centipedes and praying mantises, at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. every Friday throughout the summer. Or explore the world without leaving Houston in the World Trekkers program, a series of cultural festivals for the whole family, featuring crafts, native cuisine and entertainment inspired by each featured country. The first stop is Brazil. This cultural adventure will take place on June 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. General admission is $10.

4. Holocaust Museum

Exhibit: The Rescuers: Picturing Moral Courage highlights those brave men and women who participated in rescues during the Holocaust and the genocides in Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda. The exhibition, on display through August 31, is based on the work of Leora Kahn.

Specials: Admission is free for children 18 and under and for college students with a valid ID. On Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m., admission is free for everyone.

5. Menil Collection

Exhibit: Interested in fashion? A Thin Wall of Air: Charles James presents a selection of classic evening gowns, suits, coats and daywear from Dominique de Menil’s personal collection — all designed by James, along with furniture he created for the de Menil’s River Oaks home. This unique collection is on display through Sept. 7.

Specials: The Menil charges no entrance or exhibition fees. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Houston Museum of Natural Science presents the World Trekkers program.

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Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

visual-art downtown mural gonzo247