In the meantime, I would like to share more of the wonders
of my home state of Texas. There are
some world class museums in Houston that should not be missed. In this post, I would like to introduce you
some other Houston gems -- small museums, cultural centers and folk art
experiences!
The Printing Museum
was renovated a few years ago and the displays are fabulous! They provide a history of printing and the
temporary and permanent exhibitions showcase all types of printing – from letterpress
to lithography!
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| Sign made from type blocks |
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| Miniature book |
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| Printing press and type |
Sadly, soon after I visited the Bicycle
Museum they lost their exhibition space.
☹ When they do
find a new space, be sure to visit. Here
is a sample of what you will see:
If you appreciate the work of James Turrell, don’t miss the Live Oak Friends Meeting House. Here you can view a Turrell “Skyspace” at
sunset. And there is a bonus second
installation called “Night Piece” where the roof is closed. On occasion there are musical events that enhance
the experience!
Universities often have museums and Houston Baptist
University (HBU) is no exception. In
fact, they have THREE fun history museums:
Dunham Bible
Museum, Museum
of Southern History, Museum
of American Architecture and Decorative Arts.
The Dunham Bible Museum features some of the rarest bibles,
bibles in many different languages and beautifully illustrated works.
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| Torah Scroll |
I especially enjoyed The Museum of Southern History which
provides period rooms to view the clothing, furnishings, tools, etc. depicting life in
the South during the mid-1800s.
I love
this piece describing how Victorian ladies would use their fan in different
ways to convey messages to their suitors!
The Houston
Maritime Museum is another hidden surprise!
Our docent was very knowledgeable and it was amazing to see so many
beautiful ship models as well as get a history of the Houston oil industry.
The Asia Society
of Texas, located in Houston, is a wonderful cultural center to visit.
Take an architectural tour to learn about the beautiful
building and how it was constructed.
There are rotating exhibitions downstairs and in the Sarofim Gallery on the 2nd
floor that feature works for all different Asian cultures. Check out their calendar of events before
visiting to catch a tour, lecture, workshop, or performance! Finally, plan to stay for lunch as there is a
lovely café in the building.
If you love folk art and cars then drive on over to the Art Car Museum!
In addition to amazingly decorated cars, the
Museum also has a exhibition area which features international artists.
The best way to experience these art cars is to go to the
annual Houston
Art Car Parade, usually held in April.
Here are some of my favorite cars from a few years ago:
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| Flower Power |
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| Slipper |
Did you know that Houston is considered the Art Car Capital?
😊
Although it’s not in Houston, I must recommend visiting The Bryan Museum in Galveston.
Be sure to get a tour – there is SO much
to see here about the history of Texas and the American West that you will want
to spend a day. Besides the content,
the building itself is historical. The
tour guide will explain how the building was used as an orphanage in the late 1800's.
Friends, this is just the tip of the iceberg of fun places
to visit in the Houston area! I’ll write
about others in a future blog.
Thank you all for sharing our travels. I'm thankful to have the opportunity to see so many wonderful sites and meet so many kind people! I hope that all of you have a
Happy Thanksgiving!
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| Penelope & Wendy |
