Houstonians of all ages came out to support the arts community at Houston Museum Day this weekend. All 17 of the Museum District’s attractions had free admission, allowing patrons to experience all they pleased. | Elizabeth A. Baker/The Daily Cougar
Despite the rain, there was a diverse number of Houstonians who took advantage of free admission and made it out to the city’s 15th annual Museum District Day on Saturday.
The streets were refreshingly congested with pedestrians instead of cars, and there were a wide range of people who chose to come out and participate in the day’s events.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity (for) people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to come out to all the variety of museums we have here,” said Director of Educational Technology and Exhibit Development at the Children’s Museum of Houston Keith Ostfeld.
“The sheer diversity of this offer and the learning opportunity that this provides is tremendous.”
Seniors, parents and children were full of energy and did not let the gloomy weather dampen their spirits. Museum directors and employees greeted everyone with bright smiles and courteous manners as visitors came and went.
The Houston Museum District knew that the day was going to be chaotic and overwhelming, and they were well prepared for it. Color-coded maps were passed out to guests to help them locate their next destination, including the surrounding restaurants within the Museum District.
Police officers were plentiful at crosswalks and provided extra safety precautions for wandering young children. They also helped alleviate the weekend traffic in the area.
The museums were fully staffed, assistance was easy to come by and the organization throughout the Museum District played an excellent role in helping things run effortlessly.
Djenaba Donnett was a college student who found the appreciation in Houston’s Museum District Day.
“Art isn’t really my thing, but I do enjoy it and it helps me keep an open mind for my major,” said Donnett, a freshman who works at the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston.
“It also helps to meet new people, and you get to talk to new people so I can network, which is very important as a biology student.”
Each museum’s special events, which were held throughout the day, all started on time, which made for a delightful experience.
The Holocaust Museum was a popular attraction as people filled an auditorium to hear survival stories of Jewish prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Although the day may have been overwhelming for first-time museum visitors, it definitely served as an excellent day of culture for the city of Houston as well as a great learning opportunity.
“I would say that it’s very successful,” said Ostfeld. “Considering that is it boiling hot, super muggy and the fact that it’s rained several times on us – we’ve been tremendously successful.”
