This week's American Association of Museums Annual Meeting isn't all about droll sessions downtown. The museum set also knows how to party and power network.

Such was the scene Monday night at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Contemporary Arts Museum Houston during the district's Texas Sized Block Party.

Out-of-towners and Houston heavyweights alike started in the MFAH porte-cochere, dancing to Yelba and the Latin Fire while dining on ample El Tiempo fajitas and tasting that magical Tex-Mex elixir, queso. Museum budgets may be on the rocks, but thankfully, so were Monday night's margaritas. Inside, museum insiders were dazzled by the Turrell tunnel as they marched towards the landmark Charles LeDray and Carlos Cruz-Diez exhibitions in the Caroline Weiss Law Building.

"Everyone says it's the greatest AAM party that they've ever been to," MFAH interim director Gwen Goffe told CultureMap during a stolen moment in the MFAH board room. "Last year they were in LA, and LA knows how to party. But we have the heart. I think there's a spirit here."

Goffe gushed about the MFAH's morning entertainment by Dominic Walsh Dance Theater. "We don't have access to Hollywood stars, but these dancers were stars for sure. There's this block party, combined with the community art project, the PODS, the Art Car Parade. Everyone was dancing at the House of Blues on Sunday — all of this in addition to learning, of course."

At the other end of the block, dessert and drinks were doled out by Jackson & Copmany, which featured such indulgences as mini crème brulee, assorted cognacs and an expansive brandy bar. Following a tour of the Stan VanDerBeek exhibition, guests gathered on the front lawn to jam to DJ Peter Lucas.

"The bulk of the attendees spend all their time socializing with each other, because networking is so important," explained CAMH director Bill Arning. "In order to make a large-scale exhibit, you need to start with a collaborative partner. I leave each session and party with a pocketful of business cards. You don't know yet what's going to come out of each contact, but there's promise."

In many cities, not all museums know how to play nice as they compete for cutting edge attractions and audiences. Not so in Houston's Museum District. The collaborative spirit was on view as AAM attendees migrated between the neighborhood's institutions on Monday evening.

"One of the things we're getting to show off during AAM is that our institutions are all really close, that we talk to each other all the time and that we love to collaborate," Arning said. "The proximity of the museums is what makes that possible. The people I've spoken with have been pretty impressed by how they explore all the museums on foot."