Hobnob pays a visit to Houston for 4 fun-filled days. In addition to the many eating and drinking establishments we visited, we got our culture fix with some scenic walks, through parks and museums. See what lovely finds appear in our report, Houston: Parks and Museums.
On the agenda: We did an official tour of Bayou Bend, a beautifully landscaped house (as seen in the top photo) donated to the city by an oil-rich heiress; a walk through Hermann Park which was filled with brides and graduates taking advantage of the beautiful gardens for their portraits. The Museum of Natural Science is located in the park, so we did pop in for a look. The Museum of Fine Arts had some wonderful modern paintings and design, and an odd exhibit of fascinating, and eerily-realistic sculptures.
Bayou Bend
One of Houston’s leading philanthropists was named Ima Hogg. This unfortunate naming did not hold her back in the least. Oil money turned her into a world-class collector of early Americana, and she spent her long lifetime amassing elements that tell the story of early America.
At her demise she donated the house she designed, and had built into a museum, showcasing the historic period rooms with priceless objects, art, and furniture.
Set on grounds beautifully landscaped, we spent the afternoon wandering around, and touring the house with a docent. Go for the hour and a half tour to really make the most of it. Quite a treasure. mfah.org
Hermann Park
Wonderful water features and a simple Japanese garden sets the scene for many a photo op. Nice and shady, perfect for escaping the heat. hermannpark.org
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston
We popped into see the collection, which includes a gorgeous Tiffany glass window, and strangely colored paintings by Frederic Remington.
Eerily realistic sculptures by Ron Mueck was the current exhibit. Quite strange, the almost lifelike pieces were either smaller than life, or extremely oversized. The attention to detail was extraordinary, as seen in the artist’s self portrait, where every beard hair and pore comes to life. mfah.org
Houston Museum of Natural Science
The mummy exhibit had real shrunken heads on display. Very disturbing, but compelling to examine. hmns.org
For more of our Houston Report, see our other posts on the fabulous restaurants we dined at, plus cocktails and wine tastings on the agenda.
