Travelers get more for their money in America's fourth largest city.

Houston For Free

There are 18 museums in the Museum District of Houston. Ten of them are free to visit all the time.This post covers 9 of them.

1.   The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated primarily to preserving the legacy and honor of the African-American soldier. It houses the largest repository of African-American military history in the world. It is free to the public for groups of less than 15 on Mondays.

2.   The Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum houses two 13th century Byzantine frescoes--the only intact Byzantine frescoes in the Western Hemisphere. If you want to see true Old World craftsmanship, don’t miss this.

3.   The Children’s Museum of Houston is rated the No. 1 children's museum in the U.S. by Parents magazine. It is called A Playground for Your Mind™. The Museum is packed with 90,000 square feet of innovative, interactive bilingual exhibits for kids, ages birth to 12 years.  Free Family Nights are offered every Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.

4.   The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston is dedicated to presenting the best and most exciting international, national and regional art of the last 40 years.  The Museum Shop has some great artist and designer made items for sale.

5.  Czech Cultural Center Houston celebrates the culture of Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Silesia with events and exhibitions. I fairly drooled over the porcelain, pottery and glass especially the Amphora pieces on display.

6.   The Health Museum is the most visited health museum in the country featuring three-dimensional anatomy models and interactive exhibits. Admission is free on Thursdays from 2-5 p.m.

7.   The Holocaust Museum Houston was created as a living testimonial to those who perished in the Holocaust. Inside the Museum you will find the permanent display Bearing Witness: A Community Remembers; a World War II Holocaust Railcar; Two Galleries for art and photographs; an Education Center; the Lack Family Memorial Room for meditation and prayer; and outside is the Eric Alexander Garden of Hope. This is a not-to-be missed museum.

8.   The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is one of the few venues in the country dedicated exclusively to craft at the highest level, highlighting art made of glass, fiber, clay, metal, wood or found/repurposed materials. It is amazing what artisans can do. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the HCCC.

9.   The Houston Center for Photography is one of a handful of non-profits that exhibits works by artists from around the country showing great new photograph.  How come my camera doesn’t take pictures like that?

See you on the next post!