6 Must-see Museums in Houston Texas

One of the top highlights when travelling around Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is a hit for both children and adults.

The facility features planetariums, observatories, screen theaters, and exhibitions that display various periods of life on earth. The place is packed and incredible, that you may need at least two full hours to take it all in.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science houses permanent exhibitions of interesting artifacts like Faberge, gems, minerals, and even a cabinet of curiosities. They also display themes of African wildlife, Ancient Egypt, Texan Ecology, Energy, and Palaeontology.

One thing we love about the organisation is they offer membership packages that allow unlimited admission for up to 12 months. Your membership benefits also include discounts and educational opportunities for kids – making it a great place for family bonding time.

However, we do note that the tickets for admission are quite expensive, with adult rates at $25.00, while children below 12 and seniors cost $16.00.  The parking rates are also a bit pricey, with $10.00 for members, and $20.00 for the rest.

Children under the age of 2 are given free access. Other groups with discounts include students, military personnel, and groups of over 10 people.

That being said, if you’re a lover of natural science, this is definitely a place you should head to.

The famous Space Center Houston is part of a complex owned and developed by an educational foundation. This is one of the most innovative ways to introduce space travel and exploration to both local and international visitors, so this is truly a must-see.

In fact, it is one of the most expansive interactive museums you can visit in the state. Given their extensive collections on display, galleries, exhibitions, and presentations, guests take from 2 up to 5 hours of exploring the museum.

However, we do note that you should not make your visit while hungry, since the food served can be quite pricey. But, if you do like to shop for souvenirs, their gift shop has a lot of cool trinkets you can take home with you.

Another thing to consider are the tickets, which are more expensive than the rest of the museums in Houston. While kids aged 3 and younger can get in for free, adult tickets cost $29.95, seniors tickets for $27.95, and kids at $24.95.

Still, we believe that heading over to the Space Center Houston at least once in your life can truly help you rediscover the majesty of our universe. That said, look out for their free admissions on Thursdays by having a reservation by Monday.

Don’t forget to avail of a museum tour to make the most out of the experience.

Standing as the second largest art museum in Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts was designed by renowned architect, Mies van der Rohe, and contains more than 65,000 art works in total.

What we love most about this museum, aside from its spectacular portraits and displays, is that the cost of your visit is economical. In fact, students and children below the age of 12 can get in for free, for as long as they show identification.

Given the displays that span different cultures and time periods, the MFAH organisation offers opportunities for learning to families. That said, if you have a child with a flair for creativity, you can have them try out some of their online art activities at home.

Another thing to love about visiting this museum is it offers free admission on Thursdays. This is due to the courtesy of Shell Oil company’s initiative to make art more accessible to the community.

Moreover, the facility offers free parking for their visitors. In addition to all this, they also offer learning resources, as well as wellness programs for anyone interested.

While you can mostly cover the entire space in an hour long tour, we do recommend you check out their different activities for the day. These events don’t require extra cost, whether you’ve paid for admission or not – so that’s definitely a bonus.

Another top pick in the Houston Museum District is the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, an expansive display of modern art and life.

If you’re looking for an immersive and interactive museum experience with a diversity of displays from film, digital media, and performance, then this is the place to be. You can also look forward to more innovations as their exhibitions reflect the changes of the times.

While some regard it as more of a gallery than a museum, we recommend that everyone give this place a visit. This is a great way to renew your perspective on art, as well as on self expression.

Visitors may need a few hours to fully enjoy the experience, and here’s the best part – the admission is always free. However, we do note that the facility is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as on national holidays.

Their fundraising efforts, donors, and members make it possible for the museum to stay operational without requiring a penny from visitors. This also means that members get discounts on subscriptions and exclusive invitations to all events in the CAMH.

Lastly, artists, students, teachers, seniors, veterans and active military personnel are given discounts for individual memberships.

Revisited for its bustling and vibrant atmosphere, the Children’s Museum Houston is one of the best postmodernist architectural works and is a hit with both kids and adults.

What we love most about visiting this museum is it reminds us how much art can influence our lives, ever since our childhood. Especially designed as a playground for the mind, this museum offers workshops. 3D field trips, and amazing interactive exhibitions.

While they are closed on Sundays and Mondays, this 90,000 sq.ft. of space requires a few hours of roaming around to make the most out of the experience. 

You may also need to note that their ticket rates are relatively cheap, with adults and children costing only $15. Senior citizens and military personnel get discounts as well.

Another plus is the museum’s partnership with the HPL or Houston Public Library, which allows parents to access a database of resources for learning. This not only helps promote better literacy amongst children, but also encourages education that’s free of charge.

Furthermore, we love how the organisation reaches out to Houston communities as a four-star charity. The best thing about their initiatives is that they make sure that everything is recorded and accounted for, thus ensuring optimal positive impact.

At the end of the day, every museum must tell a story, and that is exactly what the Holocaust Museum Houston does. In fact, it stands as the fourth largest museum, hosting a human rights exhibition.

Not only does this museum remind us of the atrocities and wisdom of the past, but it also shows us what we should be careful of in the future. With that, the organisation managing the museum is also very involved in community affairs about equality and human rights.

It may not be open everyday, but their website serves as an available resource of discourse and learning on history and current affairs. Their tickets are also reasonably priced, and they offer various tour options for all kinds of visitors.

Something to look forward to is that visitors aged 18 and below can get in for free. Members are also given free admission, as well as active military personnel and their families.

You can even arrange for a virtual tour and interact during their live events. Their in-person guided tours, on the other hand, are great opportunities for institutions to remind students of history lessons.

That said, many people revisit this museum and roam around for an hour. However, if it’s your first time, you may need up to two hours to fully experience the museum.