Art Car
 
Did you know that Houston is considered the center of the Art Car world and hosts the world’s largest Art Car Parade each year?  Meet a Houston Greeter and art car artist and tour Houston’s art car and folk art scene.  Let our Greeter show you around your choice of one of Houston’s great folk art sites: the Art Car Museum, the Orange Show, or the Beer Can House.
 
The largest art car parade in the country rides down Allen Parkway from Bagby St. to Waugh Dr. annually each Spring. This celebration of folk art and artistic expression is free and fun for everyone who enjoys seeing imagination take to the road. From its modest beginning in 1988 when 40 cars participated, The Art Car Parade today boasts more than 250 vehicles and 250,000 spectators. Anything on wheels is allowed so unicycles, lawnmowers and go-carts are just as likely to roll down the street with cars, vans and pick-up trucks – all transformed into mobile works of art.
 
Enjoy folk art? See the Art Car Parade with a volunteer Houston Greeter who will share the parade’s history and information about the folk art scene in Houston. Schedule a Greet today and we’ll connect you with one of our artsy Greeters.
 
* Please note that the Art Car Museum is not open on Mondays and Tuesdays.
 
Art in Houston
 
This greet offers an overview of the vitality of the visual arts in Houston. You can visit galleries along Gallery Row, the largest and longest-running commercial art space in Houston, or you can meet one of our Greeters at her studio at Winter Street Studios, an art complex with studios for more than 80 Houston artists, located on the Washington Avenue Corridor. It’s guaranteed to be a very special visit filled with a variety of artistic pieces.
 
Children’s Museum
 
In the heart of the Museum District, this museum is full of life and fun.  There are twelve galleries of hands-on activities that will amuse and educate young and old alike.  Join a Greeter and spend some time in the brightly colored, astoundingly informative Houston Children’s Museum.
 
Contemporary Art Museum
 
Located in the heart of the Museum District, this small museum displays large shows with lots of punch. Their exhibitions are constantly changing so there is always something new and exciting to see. Best of all, entrance to the CAM is free! Start here and then consider exploring more art at other museums or the Sculpture Garden, which are all just steps away.
 
Holocaust Museum
 
Houston has a number of interesting exhibits in its Holocaust Museum. The main exhibit is “Bearing Witness,” which gives an overview of Europe during the time of the Holocaust. There are two films shown daily in a 100-seat theater. These films change on a regular basis. The museum also contains a book store and two galleries of changing art exhibits. Come experience what this museum has to offer.
 
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
 
Located in the Museum District, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is a non-profit organization founded to advance education about the process, product and history of craft. HCCC’s major emphasis is on objects of art made primarily of fiber, metal, glass, clay and wood. A Greet to this small and beautiful museum includes opportunities to observe and ask questions of artists as they work on current craft projects in their studios, and to enjoy the outdoor garden of plants used for various crafts. The museum quality exhibition space (more than 3000 square feet) has curated temporary exhibits celebrating a variety of themes and media. You’ll want to come back again and again!
 
John Biggers’ Art
 
John Biggers was an internationally acclaimed artist who established the art department at Texas Southern University. Visit with a local artist who was a student and friend of Biggers and see some original pieces now privately held by this artist.
 
Menil Complex
 
The Menil Complex has something for everyone. You can see art, architecture, or the Byzantine Chapel. You can experience the Cy Twombley Museum, the Rothko Chapel, the Menil Art Museum, bookstores and more. This Greet is sure to entertain people of all interests.
 
Metro Rail Public Art
 
Tour the metro rail stops and check out the art that decorates them. These places are sure to be spark the artist in you.
 
Museum District General
 
The Museum District is home to 16 major museums. One of our Greeters would be happy to accompany you to several of these exciting locations, including some of your choice.
 
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
 
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is one of the largest art museums in America.  It is a major Houston attraction that is visited by more than 2.5 million people each year.  A total of 300,000 square feet of space is dedicated to the display of art.  The collection contains nearly 60,000 artworks which date from ancient times to the present. The major civilizations of Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Africa are represented. The museum is comprised of two major buildings: the Caroline Wiess Law Building and the Audrey Jones Beck Building.
 
The Health Museum
 
The Health Museum is a unique Houston experience.  Accompanied by a Houston Greeter, learn how The Health Museum and the world renowned Texas Medical Center partner to create an inspirational look at the life sciences.  Visitors to The Health Museum see You: The Exhibit, an exploration into the who, what, where, when, and how of YOU.  Using the latest multi-media and special effects technology, explore your physical, unique and future selves.  Identify your personality, view your internal organs, see what you will look like in 30 years and much more.  Discover dozens of hands-on exhibits and science stations inside the Museum’s signature exhibition, the Amazing Body Pavilion, featuring a larger-than-life walking tour through the human body, where guests can explore how each system of the body works.  Experience science in 4D at the McGovern Theater and journey into a world you’ve never seen before (at least not quite like this) at Planet You 3D, a 3D microscopic adventure into the alien landscape of your own skin.
 
The Museum of Natural Science
 
This museum is a “gem” in itself, with an extraordinary collection of gems and minerals housed in a spectacular setting. Also not to be missed is the section devoted to geology and the art and science of finding and extracting oil, as well as special exhibits that have included jewelry made for the Russian Tsars by Faberge, the Thermopolis Archaeopteryx, and a special exhbit on the amazing world of magic. Only Houston could do this so well, and a Houston Greeter would love to share this exhibit with you.
 
Museum of Printing History
 
This museum will fascinate you! You’ll learn about the history of printing and printmaking, see examples of various types of printing, and see typographers and artists at work.
 
Neighborhood Stroll/Menil
 
Some neighborhoods are just meant for strolling.  And one place Houstonians consider nearly perfect for this pasttime is in the Montrose area around the University of St. Thomas, heading toward the Menil Museum. One Houston Greeter lives in this area and loves to share this experience with visitors and their children.  There are lots of live oak trees for climbing and crawling under. You will be sure to enjoy this Greet!
 
The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts
 
The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts is in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and other private and public lenders to bring world-class art exhibitions to Northwest Houston. The Pearl is housed in a former county library, leased to the museum and renovated through private funds, grants and gifts. Together with the Barbara Bush Library, The Centrum, and the Cypress Creek Community Center, the Pearl is part of the Cypress Creek Cultural District. The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts brings the best in original, high-quality museum works of art to the day-to-day environment of the residents of Northwest Houston. The Pearl, a non-collecting museum, borrows from public and private collections. The Pearl complements its exhibitions with an active schedule of programs and services. Founded on the community center concept, the Pearl reaches beyond traditional museums to enlighten, educate and entertain.
 
Asia Society Houston
 
Asia Society is the leading global and pan-Asian organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of the United States and Asia.
 
Recently, the Asia Society opened its new building in Houston. The 40,000-square-foot Center features the 273-seat Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater, Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery, Edward Rudge Allen III Education Center, Fayez Sarofim Grand Hall, and more. The building was designed by Japanese-born, Harvard-educated Yoshio Taniguchi. It is a graceful design with stunningly beautiful stone, wood and glass that contribute to its distinctive character. Visit the Center with a Houston Greeter to see this wonderful new addition to the Houston cultural scene.
 
Winter Street Studios
 
Winter Street Studios, an old furniture warehouse, is one of Houston’s most exciting creative workspaces. It is a thriving arts community and houses over 75 local artists’ studios. It is also becoming a fashionable site for many local special events.