America’s fourth largest city invites its citizens to celebrate the fourth largest museum district in the nation. Houston is hosting its 15th annual Museum District Day this Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The event will feature several museums in the Museum District, which is surrounded by Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center.
The Houston Museum District hopes to bring awareness to its diverse and nationally-recognized exhibitions by sponsoring this family-friendly event and allowing the general public in for free during the entire day.
The Museum District consists of 18 members, 17 of which will waive their general admission fees for members of the community who wish to participate in the event.
“We encourage everyone to visit the wonderful museums that are members of the Museum District and stop by anytime,” Mayor Annise Parker said at a press conference Tuesday.
“But we particularly want to invite those who have never experienced the wonders of the museums to come down for Museum District Day.”
The day will feature special events located at various museums throughout the day including film screenings at the Museum of Fine Arts, live performances at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum and emotional Holocaust survival testimonies at the Holocaust Museum Houston.
The Children’s Museum of Houston is providing the opportunity for parents, brothers and sisters to bond with their younger family members as well. They will be able to attend hands-on workshops, get creative with arts and crafts and learn about human organs.
Fine arts majors will get the chance to enjoy docent-led tours of two exhibits: The Spectacular of Vernacular and Perspectives 175: Marc Swanson: The Second Story at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. These exhibitions offer aesthetically pleasing handcrafted visuals and sculptures layered with dense American history.
Houstonians are also invited to explore the other side of the world and get an international feel by visiting the Czech Center Museum Houston.
The European-oriented building honors Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and Slovakia, from which antique jewelry, folk art and furniture are on display and exceptionally arranged within the gallery.
At the Holocaust Museum Houston, participants are encouraged to display their patriotism by bringing care package items to gift to troops serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Guests will also be allowed to sit down and write letters of appreciation to send off with their special goodies.
This can easily be turned into something heartfelt, especially if there are loved ones stationed overseas.
Visit lesser-known museums like the Byzantine Fresco Chapel, Rothko Chapel for meditation and quiet multi-religion worship or the John C. Freeman Weather Museum to experience something new.
Documentaries, performances and presentations that are scheduled throughout the day are more than enough to satisfy the needs of the more studious population outside of the classroom.
College students and professors who are more interested in a scholarly approach towards the event will definitely be able to benefit from everything that Museum District Day has to offer.