There's no party like a zoo party

Houston Zoo gets an international closeup as the zoological world hits town

The Houston Zoo will squarely be in the spotlight as with a worldwideAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums convention in town
Baby elephant Baylor will surely pop out to get some zoo expert attention.

First the World Cup campaign, then the Final Four build up, and now . . . THE ZOO!

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) will hold its 86th annual conference here in Houston Saturday through Sept. 16 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. More than 2,000 zoo and aquarium professionals from around the world will gather in the Bayou City to discuss the roles of zoos and aquariums in wildlife conservation, putting the Houston Zoo on center stage in the international zoological community.

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall, is scheduled as the keynote speaker. No word yet on whether Aquarium owner Tilman Fertitta will be in attendance.

Houston is becoming something of the go-to-spot for big cultural conferences. The American Association of Museums is holding its annual conference in town in May of 2011. Between 5,000 and 6,000 museum officials from around the world will hit Houston for that event.

This week's Zoo affair is sure to include some field trips to see Baylor, the baby elephant recently bypassed in the competition to be Houston's new fire chief.

unspecified

This Week's Hot Headlines

Austin restaurant chain bowls over River Oaks and more popular stories

Photo by Becca Wright

undefined

Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, including restaurant openings and a major acquisition for MFAH. Plus, where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Houston. Catch up on our most popular stories below, then visit this guide to the best Christmas weekend events.

1. Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth. On this episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

2. Houston's only Michelin-recognized Tex-Mex restaurant now open in Bellaire. It didn’t take Sambrooks Hospitality Group long to turn Mandito’s into Candente. First announced in September, the restaurant’s second location officially opened December 22.

3. 25 Houston restaurants celebrating New Year's Eve with caviar, bubbles, and more. Houston restaurants are ringing in the new year with indulgent menus featuring caviar, lobster, and steak, along with plenty of bubbly.

4. Houston museum acquires historic Masonic lodge property for new greenspace. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has acquired a prime parcel to expand its campus in the Museum District.

Holland Lodge masonic building The building at 4911 will be torn down for the new greenspace. Holland Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M./Facebook

5. Houston's richest residents, best suburbs, and more top city news in 2025. As 2025 comes to a close, we're looking back at the stories that defined Houston this year. These are the City Life stories that captured Houston's attention.