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Houston airport's massive new art installation celebrates Texas flowers

Dale Chihuly glass art installation at George Bush Intercontinental Airport IAH

Here's a first look at Dale Chihuly's beautiful new art installation at IAH.

Photo courtesy of Houston Airports

Holiday travel in Houston just got brighter. A gargantuan new art installation will welcome flyers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

The piece is called Coastal Prairie Fiori. Inspired by the famous wildflowers of the Texas coastal plains, the construction is made up of 537 colorful, hand-blown glass elements and stretches nearly a third of a football field over the 17-lane TSA screening area in the new International Central Processor (ICP). Suspended on five custom armatures, the piece adds both color and a sense of adventure to flying to and from the city.

Coastal Prairie Fiori is the work of Dale Chihuly, arguably America’s best-known glass artist. He started working with the material in the 1960s during a weaving class, working shards into tapestries. Chihuly then moved into glassblowing, growing in expertise in the art even after being blinded in the left eye in a 1973 car crash. In the last several years, he has been specializing in airport installations, including Denver International Airport (DEN) and Will Rogers Airport (WRWA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

“The way an installation interacts with a space — its light, dimensions, energy — is important to me as an artist,” Chihuly said in a statement. “The relationship between art and its environment is key. Coastal Prairie Fiori embodies that relationship; it’s hundreds of elements, when combined with the natural light that pours in through Bush Airport’s atrium, transforms the space. The way this shifting light interacts with the glass is incredibly dynamic.”

The ICP checkpoint will be fully operational by summer 2025.

Chihuly’s installation is the latest in Houston Airports’ commitment to enriching the travel hubs with various art. In February, Houston Airports installed two art cars in IAH and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). These cars honored famous Texas musician Stevie Ray Vaughan and the legendary late singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury. The airports have increasingly become a space to display the work of artist both local and international as travelers pass through.

“The installation of Coastal Prairie Fiori represents our commitment to enhancing the international passenger experience through art that captures Houston’s natural beauty and cultural vibrancy,” says Jim Szczesniak, Director of Aviation for Houston Airports. “As a key part of our larger IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program, the new International Central Processor provides an ideal space to showcase this impressive installation, which we hope will inspire and captivate travelers from around the world.”

The Houston Airport System is renowned for its art, winning World's Best Art in the Airport from Airport by Skytrax in 2023 and 2024. Both Bush and Hobby were highlighted in the award for having exceptional art displays that celebrated Texas culture.

family vacay with the dinos

Dino-sized Texas state park declared No. 5 best for families in 2026

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Dinosaur Valley is the best place for families to camp in 2026.

Camping trips are core memory makers for children, and Dinosaur Valley State Park in North Texas has emerged as one of the top five best places to camp with kids in 2026.

The campground at Dinosaur Valley was the only Texas locale to be included in The Dyrt's 2026 list of the 10 best family-friendly camping destinations in the country. The winning sites "pull out all the stops" with activities, playgrounds, fishing opportunities, and much more to cater to young campers.

Dinosaur Valley State Park is located in Glen Rose, 60 miles southwest of Fort Worth and about a four-hour drive from Houston. As its name suggests, dinosaurs once roamed the park and left tracks in the bed of the Paluxy River, which visitors can still see and experience for themselves today.

"The sheer wonder of standing in an actual dinosaur footprint is something children never forget, and the park makes it easy to find them," the report said. "The park also features a dinosaur interpretive center and life-size dinosaur replicas that kids of all ages will love."

Dinosaur Valley State Park dinosaur tracks See the dinosaur tracks for yourself.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

The park offers many more activities for families to enjoy, such as 20 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding tours, or swimming and fishing in the river.

The Dyrt says there are 70 campsites for visitors to book, which include sites with electricity, hike- or walk-in primitive camping areas, and 20-person group camps. Nightly rates for camping trips range from $16-$60, plus the $8 daily entrance fee.

In addition to the well-kept campground, reviewers praise the park's dedication to preserving its dinosaur tracks and the natural landscape.

"Every camp spot has its own water source and electricity hookup, [which] makes a huge difference at the hot Texas summer days and perfect for spending the nights not in a complete dark in case you’re using only a tent without a generator," one reviewer said. "The trails are great even in the Texan summer as many of them are beside the river where you can cool off. Highly recommended for families with kids all ages!"

The top 10 best places to camp with kids in 2026 are:

Normandy Farms Campground, Massachusetts
Greenbrier Campground, Tennessee
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Florida
Spacious Skies Bear Den, North Carolina
Dinosaur Valley State Park Campground, Texas
HTR Niagara Campground, New York
Camp A Way Campground, Nebraska
Ocean Lakes Family Campground, South Carolina
Jellystone Park Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Minnesota

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