Houston View » Houston Museums

Heritage Society – Candlelight Tour in the Park

Cathy Stucker — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:54:04 +0000

This December, the historic homes clustered in downtown’s Sam Houston Park once again open their doors for the Heritage Society’s Holiday Candlelight Tour in the Park. The 48th annual tour will take place on Friday and Saturday, December 10 and 11, 2010 from 6:30–9:30p.m. Visitors will get to experience an old-fashioned Christmas, with centuries-old seasonal decorations and costumed carolers setting the mood.

Share in the excitement as costumed re-enactors participate in historical vignettes portraying holiday celebrations from the past. Crafters will demonstrate long-forgotten holiday traditions. You can visit the Gingerbread tent to create holiday crafts or have your photo taken with St. Nick. You might even thrill to the experience of an unexpected snowfall, right in downtown Houston!

Tickets are available for $10.00 (adults 19+) and $5.00 (students 13-18 and Seniors 65+). Children (12 and under) are admitted free. Advance tickets may be purchased by contacting The Heritage Society Business Office at (713) 655-1912 or at their website, www.heritagesociety.org. Cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express may be used to purchase tickets. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate.

All proceeds from the Holiday Candlelight Tour in the Park benefit The Heritage Society to further the mission of preserving the past while educating for the future.

Image Credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Cathy Stucker — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:45:47 +0000

The purpose of the Center is to advance education about the process, product and history of craft, with an emphasis on crafts made of fiber, metal, glass, clay and wood. There are two exhibit galleries, a retail gallery and studio space for use by artists in residence. The exhibition galleries feature changing exhibits in many media. The retail gallery features one of a kind objects by artists from around the country, including local artists. Hands-on workshops are offered for all ages.

Docent-guided tours can be scheduled Tuesdays – Fridays between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. These tours are approximately one hour long. Visit the current exhibitions, talk to on-site Artists-in-Residence and see art in action. Tour groups also have the opportunity to explore the Craft Garden, where artists grow plant material used in craft making.

All tours and workshops are limited to forty people. There is no fee, however, donations are always appreciated.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
4848 Main Street
713-529-4848
Open Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. Noon-5 p.m. (Closed Sundays during the summer.)
No admission charge. Donations accepted.
http://www.crafthouston.org

Take Main Street southwest from downtown. Turn right into the parking lot, just before Rosedale Street and the Lawndale Art Center.

Image Credit: Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

Gulf Coast Electronics Museum

Cathy Stucker — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:54:45 +0000

The Gulf Coast Electronics Museum is another of those quirky little museums that seem to pop up around Houston. This one contains a collection of electronic equipment dating back to the 1940s, as well as art created from electronic parts.

Harry Keep set up an electronics shop in Houston back in 1945. When disaster struck in Texas City in 1947, Gulf Coast Electronics was first on the scene with communications equipment to aid rescue workers. Harry was also involved in the music scene in Houston. He had the first mobile recording set-up in Houston and volunteered his services to the Houston Symphony when they began performing at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park.

After Gulf Coast Electronics closed, the inventory was stored in the building and warehouse until 1988. That is when his widow, Jane Keep, decided to create a space that would honor Harry’s legacy by paying tribute to what he loved most: electronics and music.

It took almost 20 years to make Jane’s dream a reality, but the Gulf Coast Electronics Museum now exists as a place where Houstonians can view vintage electronics and art with an electronics theme.

In addition to the museum, there is space available for performances and private parties. To visit the museum or book a party, please call in advance: 832.264.9789.

Gulf Coast Electronics Museum
http://www.gulfcoastelectronicsmuseum.org/
http://www.myspace.com/electronicsmuseum
1110 Winbern St (between Fannin and San Jacinto one street north of Alabama), Houston, TX 77004
The museum does not have regularly scheduled hours. Call ahead before visiting: 832.264.9789

Image Credit (main image): http://www.flickr.com/photos/deneyterrio/ / CC BY 2.0

Image Credit (radio): http://www.flickr.com/photos/deneyterrio/ / CC BY 2.0

Forbidden Gardens

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:28:55 +0000

If a trip to China is out of reach, head out to Katy and Forbidden Gardens for the next best thing. This outdoor museum includes miniaturized exhibits of the Forbidden City (1/20th scale) and a 1/3rd scale model of the tomb of Emperor Qin (pronounced “Chin”), the first Chinese Emperor. Just as it is in China, the Emperor’s tomb is “guarded” by an army of terra cotta soldiers in formation. The 6000 terra cotta soldiers at Forbidden Gardens were made in Xi’an, the ancient capitol where the Emperor’s tomb was discovered in 1974.

Other exhibits feature a scale model of the city of Suzhou, known as the Venice of China, and replicas of ancient Chinese weaponry, architecture, and conveyances. The attention to detail in the exhibits will amaze you.

A 20-minute video tells you about Chinese history and Forbidden Gardens. It runs continuously during museum hours. Guided tours are offered at 11 a.m. and noon, and self-guided tours may be taken any time during museum hours.

The museum was privately funded by Mr. Ira Poon, a businessman and Hong Kong native who made the U.S. his adoptive home. Katy, Texas was chosen as the museum’s location due to its proximity to Houston (with the third largest Asian population in the United States) and the many rice fields which reminded Mr. Poon of China.

Because Forbidden Gardens is an outdoor museum, dress appropriately for the weather. The museum closes during severe weather, so check the weather forecast or call ahead before making the trip to Katy if the weather looks iffy.

Forbidden Gardens
23500 Franz Road, Katy, Texas
281-347-8000
Open Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Hours are seasonal and subject to change. Call or check the website.) Private group tours available other days by appointment.
Admission: $10 Adults, $5 Seniors 60 and over, $5 Children 6-18, $3 Children 5 and under. Groups of 20 or more, $5 per person.
http://www.forbidden-gardens.com

From Houston, go west on the Katy Fwy (I-10) to the Grand Parkway (Hwy 99) exit. Turn right on the Grand Parkway, then left on Franz. The entrance is on your immediate right.

Art Car Museum

Cathy Stucker — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:11:43 +0000

Art cars in captivity! The Art Car Museum, a.k.a. the “Garage Mahal” opened in February, 1998, as a place to celebrate art cars and the artists who create them, as well as other artists who often go unrecognized by other museums and galleries.

You’ve probably heard of the Art Car Parade sponsored by the Orange Show. The cars on display here are just a tiny sample of the art cars featured in the parade, but it is worth a visit. In addition to art cars, there are always exhibits of other art here, including photographs, sculptures, painting and multimedia exhibits. The exhibits change from time to time, and you will want to schedule a trip to the Art Car Museum just to see the building!

The 2010 Art Car Parade will be Saturday, May 8th. For more information about the parade and the events surrounding it, see the Orange Show website.

For more on art cars, also see the Houston Art Car Klub (HACK).

Art Car Museum
140 Heights Blvd., Houston, Texas
713-861-5526
Open Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
No admission charge. Donations accepted.
http://www.artcarmuseum.com

From Memorial Drive, go north on Heights Blvd. The Museum will be on your right, near the railroad tracks.

Museum of Printing History

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:33:47 +0000

Everything you ever wanted to know about printing, from ancient books, to early printing presses, on through the first Xerox machines! There are vintage printing presses that are used to demonstrate historical printing techniques, such as how documents were printed in colonial times. The Museum offers classes on printing, papermaking and bookbinding, too.

There are traveling and rotating exhibitions of fine art prints, rare books and manuscripts, and artifacts. One of my favorites of the permanent exhibits is the miniature book collection. True miniature books do not exceed three inches in length, and the detail and beauty of these small wonders must be seen to be appreciated. There are also colorful illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages and much more.

The Museum will customize tours for groups, or just come and explore on your own.

The Museum features artifacts such as:

Mesopotamian Cylinder Seals
Ancient Papyrus Fragments
Asian Movable Type & early Asian Printing
Illuminated Manuscripts
1450 Gutenberg Press Replica
Old Master Etchings & Engravings
Ben Franklin’s “Pennsylvania Gazette”
Historical Newspapers
Documents printed by Samuel Bangs, first printer in Texas, with one of his presses
1830 Star-wheel Oak Lithography Press
Letterpress & Type Collection
Antique Bookbinding Equipment

Museum of Printing History
1324 W. Clay at Waugh, Houston, Texas
713-522-4652
Open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m
Admission: Free. Guided tours are available for $4 (Adults) and $2 (Students and Seniors). Call to schedule tours.
http://www.printingmuseum.org

From the intersection of Westheimer and Montrose, go west on Westheimer to Waugh. Turn right on Waugh, past West Gray, to West Clay. Turn right on West Clay. There is free parking in the lot next to the museum, in the lot across the street and on the street.

Houston Fire Museum

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:25:52 +0000

The museum is housed in the former fire station No. 7, opened in 1899 as the first paid fire station for the City of Houston. Inside, you’ll see everything from fire fighter uniforms and helmets to fire fighting vehicles (including a 1912 water tower). Antique equipment on display at the Houston Fire Museum includes a 1937 Chevrolet pumper, an 1895 Ahrens Fox horse-drawn steamer, a 19th century hand powered pumper, as well as a 1938 REO fire truck. Also of interest is the old dispatch board, where dispatchers kept track of which units were active and where they were working.

Members of the Houston Fire Department provide guided tours, lasting about one hour, to groups. Call the museum for reservations and information.

The museum is also available for birthday parties and events. Check the website or call the museum for more information.

Houston Fire Museum, 2403 Milam, Houston, Texas
713-524-2526
Open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Admission: $3 Adults, $2 Seniors and Children
http://www.houstonfiremuseum.org

To reach the museum, take Milam (one way street) from downtown. The museum is on your left, at the corner of Milam and McIlhenny. Parking is available on the street.

Rosenberg Railroad Museum

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:03:39 +0000

Along the railroad tracks in downtown Rosenberg (about 35 miles southwest of downtown Houston) you will find the Rosenberg Railroad Museum. Even the outside of the museum is interesting: it is a corrugated steel building painted to look like the Union Depot which was formerly located nearby.

You can walk around the grounds and view the 1879 Victorian Era Business Car, a red caboose, and Tower 17, from which towermen controlled the train traffic at the crossing of the Gulf Colorado & Santa Railroad (Santa Fe) and the Galveston Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway Company (Southern Pacific).

Inside, you’ll find exhibits including artifacts from each of the eight railroads that traversed Fort Bend County, a model railroad layout, railroad signaling artifacts, early photographs, maps, and brochures, and railroad advertising. The museum also owns a business railcar built in 1879 which is open for viewing. Guided tours are available.

Rosenberg Railroad Museum
1921 Ave F, Rosenberg, Texas
281-633-2846
http://www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/

From southwest Houston, take the Southwest Freeway (US 59) south to Rosenberg. Exit at Highway 36 and go north about 1 mile to Avenue I. Turn right on Avenue I and go two blocks to Third Street. Turn left, go two blocks and turn left on Avenue F, just before the railroad tracks. The museum is on the corner of Avenue F and Third Street.

John C. Haley, M.D. “Body Parts” Museum

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 03:07:49 +0000

Down in the basement of the DeBakey Building at the Baylor College of Medicine is perhaps the oddest museum you’ll ever see.
Dr. John C. Haley taught at Baylor College of Medicine, and there are displays of memorabilia from his life and career. But most of this small museum consists of what the nickname indicates—body parts. (No, the parts are not from Dr. Haley’s body!)

The official name of this small exhibit is the John C. Haley, M.D. Museum; however, locals in the Houston Medical Center refer to it as the “Body Parts Museum.” Heads, hands, legs, and various internal organs, both healthy and diseased, are preserved here for your viewing pleasure. These are projects completed by Dr. Haley himself, his students and other Baylor students. Not for the squeamish, but fascinating for those interested in medicine and anatomy.

Security was stepped up at Baylor after 9/11, so you will have to check in with security and show a photo ID to enter the building, but admission is free.

Want to see more of Houston’s unusual sights? Get your copy of “Offbeat Houston” and you can see places even the natives don’t know about!