10 Best Museums in Houston

Space Center Houston is the official visitor center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center. A draw for anyone interested in space exploration and technology, the center engages visitors with its more than 400 space artifacts and interactive experiences such as astronaut training simulations.

Go on a journey to the red planet in the Mission Mars exhibit. Visit Independence Plaza to see the historic NASA 905 shuttle carrier aircraft, and explore inside the high-fidelity shuttle replica Independence. Get to the museum early to reserve your spot on a tram tour – probably the highlight of anyone’s visit – which guides visitors through key NASA facilities at the center.

One of the largest art museums in the United States, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has a permanent collection of more than 70,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years. You’ll find paintings by Monet and Jackson Pollack as well as Chinese ceramics and Islamic artworks. Don’t miss the museum’s Glassell Collection of African Gold, the largest of its kind in the world. If you plan your visit on a Thursday, you can see the permanent collection for free.

Take a break from your explorations of the expansive collection to walk the sculpture garden, designed by American sculptor and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi. If you’re a film buff, check the museum’s website for weekly screenings of classic and contemporary movies.

The Menil Collection represents 17,000 works privately gathered by Houston philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil. It’s housed in several modernist buildings. Most of the works are modern and contemporary paintings, tribal art, byzantine and medieval art, and decorative arts from around the world. Admission to the museum is free.

View ancient Greek and Italian ceramics, pacific island wood carvings, and pieces by surrealists Rene Magritte and Max Ernst. The galleries are designed to present works of art in intimate and contemplative settings with minimal information displayed, so as to encourage visitors to focus on the art itself.

The Holocaust Museum Houston is dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust and honoring the memories of those who suffered and died. Founded in 1996 by a group of Houston-area Holocaust survivors, the museum’s exhibits cover the Holocaust from its origins in Nazi Germany to its aftermath and the ongoing struggle for human rights around the world today.

Museum exhibits feature thousands of artifacts that belonged to victims, survivors, and their families as well as personal testimonies of survivors who settled in the Houston area after the war. Recently renovated, the museum is designed to be interactive and engaging, aspiring to inspire and empower young people to fight intolerance, hatred, and antisemitism.

With 90,000 square feet of exhibit space, Children’s Museum Houston is one of the biggest and best in the United States. Designed to engage children of various ages to learn and explore, museum exhibits introduce children to STEM concepts, inspire imaginative play, and encourage physical activity.

A highlight of the museum is Kidtropolis, a kid-sized city where children can learn about different careers and cooperate with others to keep the city running. Create extraordinary objects and mechanisms at the Inventor’s Workshop, uncover clues and solve puzzles in the Secret Spy Game, and explore the properties of water while playing at FlowWorks. The museum also offers special programming such as social development workshops to give children the tools they need.

The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum preserves and shares the history of African Americans serving in the U.S. military. Formed after the Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers included veterans and former slaves, representing the first regiments of African American soldiers in a peacetime army.

It’s located in the historic Houston Light Guard Armory building. Museum exhibits cover the history of the Buffalo Soldiers, including their role in the settlement of the West, their contributions to the development of national parks, and their struggles against racism and discrimination. Check out the Military Inspired Art exhibition, in which veterans and active-duty men and women showcase their creative talents.

Aviation enthusiasts will love the Lone Star Flight Museum, home to a collection of rare and historic aircraft. It includes World War II-era fighters and bombers as well as helicopters and civilian planes. Most of these aircraft are still functional and ready to fly.

The museum’s exhibits explore the history of aviation, the science of flight, and the daring exploits of aviation pioneers. Weekend visitors can experience the adventure of flying in the museum’s flight simulators – and, for a price, you can even take a ride in a World War II warbird. The museum is also home to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, which chronicles Texas’ own astronauts, pilots, and engineers who have made aviation and aerospace history.

Seismique is a new immersive art museum that is a distinct blend of art, technology, and entertainment. The museum features more than 40 exhibits, each creatively designed to provide an uncommon experience using cutting-edge technologies.

The imaginative spaces include an infinity room, a psychedelic forest of neon trees that react to touch and movement, and an augmented reality aquarium. Wander through a field of giant illuminated bubbles or play like Tom Hanks on the keys of a giant piano. A fun experience for all family members, Seismique has a surprise around every corner.

The Color Factory Houston is a playful, multisensory art experience through the lens of color. A spinoff of the original Color Factory, which opened in San Francisco in 2017, this interactive art exhibition collaborates with artists, art institutions, and brand partners to design encounters that bring visitors a little dose of joy.

Jump into a rainbow-colored ball pit, explore 100 shades of blue, arrange the colors on an enormous Lite-Brite, and create a melody on the musical staircase. Admission to the Color Factory includes high quality photos in the strikingly photogenic rooms – and some colorful sweets to snack on – so it’s an ideal place to take a friend or a date.