Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
4.5
12:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
12:30 PM - 6:00 PM
About
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is the largest cultural institution in the southwest region of the United States. The Museum’s encyclopedic collections of nearly 70,000 objects cover world cultures dating from antiquity to the present and include in-depth holdings of American art, European paintings, Pre-Columbian and African gold, decorative arts and design, photography, prints and drawings, 20th- and 21st-century painting and sculpture, and Latin American art.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • scott r
    Silver Spring, Maryland
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressionist exhibition
    Mega museum with something for everyone. Ranks with the major big cty MFAs across the country. Extensive, impressive and FREE on Thursdays, with extended hours. I've been several times so concentrated on what intersts me most; you can easily spend 3+ hours. Clsong soon, the Impressionist exhibition was well worth the upcharge. Some real gems, though as always I could do without Mary Cassatt, lol. Never tire of Cezanne though. While not huge, this was an impressive island of relative solace amidst the genuinely sprawling museum complex (there's 3 main buildings, consult your maps) Free street parking is available with a short wak.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written September 8, 2023
  • GigiPM
    Atlanta, Georgia
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of the best museums I have ever been (and I have travelled a lot)
    From the architecture and design of the exhibits and placement of the pieces to the INCREDIBLE variety of art represented and how friendly the staff is, this is one of my favorite museums. They have a great gift shop, too and in the contemporary arts building a couple of cafes that looked great. LOVE IT!
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 28, 2024
  • Robin B
    Phoenix, Arizona
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very nice museum
    This is a very large, spread-out museum. We knew the particular exhibitions we wanted to see so we headed there directly (with a lot of directions from the staff), and we spent about 1-2 hours. This is a very nice museum, but I can believe it would take 3-4 trips to see everything there is to see. Our GPS took us to the museum. If you are driving, call head and get the address of the parking garage, which has underground walkways that you can take directly to the museum because there’s no street parking.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 25, 2024
  • BeLaZe
    Penfield, New York
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    World class museum: not to miss
    This is a great museum. It is large enough that even browsing through the entire museum may be too much for a day. And just browsing I found quite impossible: so many pieces of art stopped us midstep and invited us for exploration, even in rooms that exhibit styles or eras that I am not particularly attracted to. And how many styles and eras were represented! The legends and descriptions of the artifacts were very informative, arguably the best I have ever seen in any museum: they were concise, yet managed to include both historical context and fascinating factoids. Also, the buildings and connecting tunnels are impressive, parking is easy (and acceptably priced) and the staff was helpful.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 17, 2024
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    very nice art museum!
    an amazing art museum, especially with its recent modern art addition. there is a wide variety of art styles, ranging from BCE, to CE, to today. and all different cultures the museum I would estimate would take the whole day to see, there really is a lot to it. the seasonal instillations are nice, but quite frankly overpriced! for the budget friendly visitors, the entry is FREE ON THURSDAYS!
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written May 7, 2024
  • KimK971
    Beaumont, Texas
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice Variety of Art
    Really enjoyed visiting the museum a couple of months ago. There was a wide variety of art to view from old to neat to quite interesting and I even got to see a Picasso (which surprised me)! The only negative I really have is that the layout is really screwy and it's hard to navigate because of this.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 9, 2024
  • William Kim
    London, Canada
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit for sure
    This museum is awesome. There are several buildings outlining. As a result, you'll want to spend several hours here (3-4 hours maybe). I only had 2 hours when I came here since I was in the area on a business trip so I had to carefully pick and choose which exhibits to see and not see. This place is great since exhibits from all over the world and from centuries past and present are featured. You honestly could spend an entire day here. Try to come here on Thursdays as admission is free that day! The museum can get quite busy as a result, but I never felt overwhelmed as the museum itself was quite large and spacious. This is definitely an attraction in the area I recommend to all. Quite impressed with all that this place has to offer.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written July 16, 2024
  • Brenda Q
    Rosemead, California
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Art beauty for the mind and soul!
    Could not believe how large the museum of fine arts is and their wonderful exhibits. It’s 3 buildings of wonderful collections. So much to see and explore. We loved the extensive impressionist collection and the Latin American artwork. There is an indoor cafe with great pizza choices and desserts to keep you going. We spent 4 hours exploring and only made it through two buildings.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 22, 2024
  • Rich R
    Cancun, Mexico
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible permanent collection, absolutely a do not miss
    One of my favorite museums so far! To begin with Thursdays are free from 11am to 9pm for the permanent collection, starting on the base floor with an astonishing optical illusion collection from different artists, definitely you shouldn't miss the Yayoi Kusama infinity room they have. From there you have 2 more floors to go full of Amazon pieces that present artists from all around the world, it would be a hard choice to pick a favorite. I didn't get to see all the collection in one run, if you take your time on each room, check out all the pieces, videos and descriptions might take more than 1 day visit unless you arrive early and leave till your finished, I was there for a good 4 hrs and didn't get to finish the first building, it was until later that I realized it is split in 3 buildings connected through an underground tunnel also filled with art pieces. They also have the Leonelli cafe with great coffee and breakfast, there's a nice restaurant if you're feeling hungry I didn't eat there but the decor is beautiful. I'm definitely going back to finish.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written August 31, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,776 reviews
Excellent
1,977
Very good
649
Average
118
Poor
21
Terrible
11

volcanogirl
Houston, TX16,094 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We've been MFAH members for years and always enjoy the rotating exhibits at the museum. We recently went for the Hockney/Van Gogh exhibit and really enjoyed it. Love Hockney's big exuberant nature paintings with his bold graphic strokes and vibrant colors - viewing them is like walking through an enchanted forest. The show is perfectly titled The Joy of Nature. Van Gogh's paintings by contrast seem very subdued, but you can see how they served as inspiration for Hockney. There are several other nice exhibits coming this year - everything from O'Keeffe to Monet and Matisse. I'd recommend getting a museum membership as individual exhibits can be pricey. While you're there, don't miss James Turrell's beautiful light tunnel that connects two of the buildings and the outdoor sculpture garden that has Kapoor's Cloud Column. There's a brand new museum building this year and two new restaurants. Wonderful to see this gorgeous museum continuing to expand. Admission to the general museum is free on Thursdays. Best parking is in the parking garage to the left of the original MFAH building. There's something for everyone here, and we really look forward to going back.
Written June 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

volcanogirl
Houston, TX16,094 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
We've been members of the MFAH for years. They have a fantastic permanent collection that includes everything from ancient artifacts to Impressionist masters. There are some nice surprises as well; our favorite is the light tunnel by James Turrell that connects the museum's two main buildings. Don't miss it. We love the ever changing exhibitions - everything from fashion to photography, Georgia O'Keeffe to Norman Rockwell. There's a great gift shop, a cafe where you can grab lunch, and a nice outdoor sculpture garden. For non-members, admission is free on Thursdays. If you have a free day, this is a beautiful way to spend it.
Written February 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CarolChE73
Allentown, PA62 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
I enjoyed my visit to this museum, but could not find the parking garage to save my life. It was not where Google said it was. I even asked a policeman and he couldn't tell me. I wound up parking a few blocks away on the street. For future reference, it is to the left of the main entrance (between Main and Fannin Streets). Since it was a free day, I spent $20 an the special exhibit of Van Gogh and an English artist inspired by him, named Hockney. I enjoyed that presentation. The rest of the museum had small collections of a variety of art. You could see a lot of art history in a small amount of time. I liked the Museum of Natural Sciences better if you have to choose one.
Written April 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Boris E
Staunton, VA948 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
Museum of Fine Arts in Houston allowed us to truly enjoy art in its finest form. I could have just spent an entire day in just one of the three buildings that host the classical art period. I just felt in love with all the paintings and sculptures in this building. Even though the other buildings represent different types of modern art, I really did not connect well with them and wished I could have dedicated more time to the classical art period. If you are visiting for the first time Houston, and wanting to see different touristic attractions, please make sure that you purchase the City Pass. It will save you a lot of money, if you are visiting several attractions during your stay. Overall, a great place to visit during a rainy or cold day.
Written January 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Y8807OGrobertw
Spring, TX4 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
The Van Gogh/Hockney Exhibit was actually quite nice and we enjoyed viewing the exhibit. HOWEVER, it should have been called the Hockney Exhibit with a few Van Gogh paintings. We did not know anything about Hockney, but did enjoy his bright colorful unusual paintings. But, again, we were expecting to see a LOT more Van Gogh pictures and for the price of the tickets, we were very disappointed. Next time, I will call ahead of time and make sure that what I am planning to see is what is actually there!
Written June 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PhyllisBarrier
Little Rock, AR379 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Couples
We came to Houston to see the special exhibits - expensive but worth the price. We especially enjoyed the Norman Rockwell exhibit that included a section on FDR’s Four Freedoms. We were there on a Monday, December 30. The museum is usually closed on Mondays, and that made Houston work into our travel plans.
One problem was the cafe. It was supposed to open at 11:00. Staff said they weren’t ready, then when they finally opened an hour or so later, it was a pitiful selection. People were waiting to order off the regular menu. Staff should have said they would only have pastries, soup, which sounded like leftovers. They should have been more honest from the beginning. We left and had lunch at the Monarch in the Hotel Zaza across the street.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joseph A
Warren, NJ121 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Ok! we were in the convention center and needed something to do in our free time. Found the MFA, and noted two special exhibits: Monet to Picasso and Norman Rockwell so we took the tram (4 blocks from our hotel) and it stopped just in front of the MFA. The Monet to Picasso was an outstanding surprise: some items we only saw before in books. Not only were the museum loans wonderful, there were 3 rooms full of exceptional paintings and sculptures from private collections. We especially appreciated the private pieces, as we feel unlikely to see them again. We then went to the museums regular European section and once again felt very pleased to have come there. Even without the special exhibits, we feel the museum is worth the trip and a few hours to enjoy the displays. We certainly plan to return at our next visit to Houston
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sam Zuo
Los Angeles, CA90 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
I happened to visit during the special exhibition of Monet to Matisse. The admission to special exhibition includes the general admission with a few extra dollars. I'd recommend the special admission if you are interested. The museum is huge with three different buildings. I entered through the east building where the special exhibition is located. It also hosted some old western paintings. The west building hosted another special exhibition and worldwide arts. I didn't make it to the north building because of lack of time. I believe it hosts the modern arts. It could take a whole day to carefully go through the exhibits. I really love it that they have a brief introduction about most of the exhibits to help you understand them.
Written September 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

houstontravelingfool
Houston, TX3,866 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021 • Couples
Was so looking forward to visiting this new building and it didn’t disappoint. It’s architecturally beautiful, allowing natural light to dance on exhibits throughout the three floors. Its interior staircase reminds me of New York’s Guggenheim. I loved the way the exhibits were spaced out, allowing people to really see each item and not be crowded by whatever was next to it. I had many favorites but LOVED the visual representation of cities’ populations with blown glass objects in various sizes. Most exhibits were quite contemporary, which only added to the drama of the building. All in all, a wonderful way to spend a delightful afternoon. Masks were required and it wasn’t very crowded so social distancing wasn’t an issue. Enjoy.
Written April 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

houstontravelingfool
Houston, TX3,866 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We went specifically for the Berthe Morisot exhibit on New Year’s Day. It was beautifully curated and hung. Impressionists are my favorites and Morisot didn’t disappoint. We then walked through the Norman Rockwell exhibit and it was well worth seeing up close. What an amazing artist! I was so taken with his faces and just stood there in awe. We are so fortunate to have this caliber museum in Houston and I’m proud to be a member.
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Museum of Fine Arts, Houston - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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