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As the most visited city in Texas you can bet there are a lot of things to do in Houston. Known as “Space City”, the NASA Space Center draws in over a million visitors a year. The Houston Rodeo is a can’t miss annual event in February and March. The Houston Zoo is one of the most visited zoos in the country.

When you think of cities full of museums Houston doesn’t come to mind. At least it didn’t for me. I was surprised by all the cool museums in Houston. There are so many museums in Houston that there are even one and three day museum passes! The passes offer free admission to the majority of the city’s museums. Although there are plenty of big Houston museums, most of the following museums are smaller, niche museums. These museums in Houston cover a range of topics.

I also didn’t know that in addition to all the top museums in Houston, the city is also known for really good food. Austin receives all the credit for the best food in Texas, but locals kept telling me that Houston actually has a better food scene. There are a lot of great places to eat in Austin, but I think the locals are right. There are some really good Houston restaurants. You’ll want to visit all the best museums in Houston on a full stomach. A restaurant recommendation within a 20 minute walk is included for each museum.

The Best Museums in Houston

Asia Society Texas Center

Asia Society Texas is part of a global network of centers that forms connections between Asia and the rest of the world. Houston’s Asia Society is more than a museum. There are a wide variety of events, tours, and educational programs.

The first floor of the center contains the small, permanent exhibit. Through six interactive stations you can expand your knowledge on five Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, and China. My favorite station was the Gathering Table where you can learn about foods from all the countries and where to try the different dishes in Houston.

The upstairs is devoted to a temporary art exhibit. It always focuses on some connection to Asia or Asian artists, but the art mediums and concepts vary. I visited on a unique day, the opening reception of the current “Xu Bing: Word Alchemy” exhibit. The exhibit displays a variety of Xu Bing’s work from both China and the USA. His work centers around words and languages. The exhibit is on display until July 14th, 2024.

The museum is free on Thursdays and included on the Houston museum pass.

Turkey Leg Hut

Can you guess what this restaurant serves? Come on, try to make a wild guess! Did you guess turkey legs? Who would have thought, right?

The restaurant only has QR code menus and no wifi. Without phone data it wasn’t ideal for me, but the waiter kindly went through the menu verbally. The thing to order is the turkey legs of course so that narrowed it down a bit.

The turkey legs come with a variety of toppings so the question is, which turkey leg to order? I went with the stuffed turkey leg. A heaping amount of the homemade dirty rice covers a giant turkey leg. There was no way I could finish my meal. My eyes were also starting to water from the spiciness. I was warned before ordering that the rice is spicy, but their whole menu has a kick to it. I’m definitely not bringing my dad here!

Turkey is not at the top of my favorite meats, but if all turkey was this flavorful it would earn a new spot on my list! Prices are on the higher side for a casual restaurant, but you do receive a lot of food. Plan to visit after the museum as you will most likely have leftovers. Unfortunately they recently had a fire and filed for bankruptcy, it’s definitely a Houston restaurant that needs your business now!

The Heritage Society

Located in Sam Houston Park the Heritage Society includes a building with exhibits and historic buildings on the park grounds. Entry inside the historical buildings is only available on guided tours. I didn’t have enough time for a tour, but the variety of tour topics sounded interesting. There are tours on African American history, women’s history, and German American Heritage, in addition to the general historic building tours.

The main building has a couple of very small exhibits. The permanent exhibit features a replica of Duncan General Store from Egypt, Texas. It’s set up to resemble the former store with many historical objects from the store. There’s also a 1911 Ford Model T.

The rest of the museum space is dedicated to temporary exhibits. When I visited there was an exhibit on the Houston Rodeo. It was full of rodeo memorabilia from the last 92 years of rodeo history as well as descriptions of the different rodeo events.

Currently it is $5 for adults to visit the exhibits and $17 for the exhibits and a guided tour. Admission to the museum is included on the Houston museum pass. There are restrooms and a tiny gift shop in the museum building.

Finn Hall

There are not a lot of places to eat directly around the Heritage Society. Many places downtown are only open weekdays. The food hall Finn Hall is open Mon – Sat. It has a fun, colorful modern vibe. It’s a good spot for a clean restroom downtown too.

With a good mix of places you’ll want to stay for the food! You’re sure to find something to satisfy whatever you’re craving. I headed right towards Carol Kay Cafe which serves southern favorites like biscuits and gravy.

I ordered the Nashville Hot chicken. It had a kick to it, but I didn’t find it overly spicy. Nothing like that dirty rice from the Turkey Leg Hut! It is served on a jumbo biscuit. It wasn’t listed on the menu, but there are also potatoes. As they were quite flavorful, that was a nice surprise.

Just like everything in Texas, the portions are big!

The Museum of Fine Arts

Many of the best museums in Houston are small, niche museums. With a three building complex and an outdoor sculpture garden, the Museum of Fine Arts is very large. I definitely think it should be added to the list of the best US art museums.

Is it just me, or do you feel so sophisticated in an art museum wandering around the galleries? If you love the “feel” of an art museum, you’ll enjoy the Audrey Jones Beck building. It contains room after room of European paintings and that’s just the 2nd floor of the first building! I always appreciate a museum with good organization. I liked how the rooms progressed from European Art in the 1400s all the way to post impressionist paintings from the early 1900s. American Art can be found on the first floor.

There is also the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building with modern and contemporary art. For art from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Islamic worlds visit the The Caroline Wiess Law Building. While artwork is unique at every art museum, the types of art can be similar from museum to museum. Check out the additional temporary exhibits as they often include styles of art not found in every museum. Until May 2024 there is an interesting exhibit on “Blackness in American Collage”. It’s a distinctive way to share Black narratives through a variety of compositions and materials.

The admission is steep, but you’ll receive your money’s worth as there is so much to see. Start your visit early in the day and make sure to head to the galleries that interest you the most first. With the purchase of a Houston CityPass you can gain free admission to the museum and four other Houston attractions. Admission to the permanent galleries is free on Thursdays.

Richmond Ave

I visited the museum when there was a festival with food trucks. The immediate area around the museum doesn’t have a lot of places to eat. Walk about 15 – 20 minutes to Richmond Ave which has a lot of local restaurants. I ate at the Pit Room, described below.

Another place on my list was the Toasted Coconut. It looked like it had a fun vibe and interesting international fare.

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum

This is one of the many cool museums in Houston that focuses on a niche topic. It covers African American history starting with the history of the Buffalo Soldiers. Your visit will begin with a movie about the history of African Americans in the military.

Exhibits are organized more thematically than chronologically. Different rooms cover an array of topics. There’s a section on Ironriders who were soldiers on bicycles in the late 1800s. One room on tools and technology showcases historic musical instruments played in the military, weapons, and examples of food rations from different wars. There are also 19th and 20th century rooms. Listen to the short clip about Cathay Williams, an African American woman who joined the army as a man.

It is a fairly small museum, but it’s packed with artifacts and information. A lot of the information was in long multiple paragraph 8 x 11 sized signs. I found it a little overwhelming to read a lot of it, but it does showcase an important part of history that is often overlooked.

The museum is free on Thursdays from 1 – 5pm and included on the Houston museum pass.

Tacos A Go Go

I can’t believe I never got a chance to eat here as I was staying only a minute away! The tex mex spot was highly recommended. They serve a variety of tacos. I wanted to try the tater tot taco.

Houston Museum of African American Culture

HMAAC has several small, temporary exhibits. Using art, the exhibits focus on African American culture and history. I liked the section of art from local Houston artists.

Be aware that the exhibits listed online may not be the ones actually in the museum. That was the case on my visit. Facebook seems to be kept up to date and you may be able to find the current exhibits there. Or have a surprise and find out when you arrive at the museum!

The museum puts on a variety of other events including lectures, open mic nights, and films. Entry to museum exhibits is free, but some of the other events require an admission.

Birria Queen

This bright pink food truck is across the street from Peggy Park. It’s tucked back off the street in a fenced in area with picnic tables and outdoor games.

Along with some sweets and drinks you can order tacos, quesadillas, and ramen here. Unless there is a daily special you can only order tacos in sets of four. Beef, chicken, shrimp, crawfish, and jackfruit tacos are available. It is possible to mix the proteins within one order. I tried one of each of the meat and seafood tacos. If you don’t eat meat in the land of BBQ, it’s a good spot to find a vegan meal.

While the tacos are very good, they are a little pricey. Unless it’s at a festival, usually street food is a cheaper alternative to a sit down restaurant. At $20 for four tacos it’s a bit steep. I’m spoiled by street tacos for under a $1 in Mexico, but I did love the crispy shells. To dip the tacos, the sauces and consommes were also tasty.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is another one of the free museums in Houston. The exhibits highlight artists, materials, and methods that influence daily life and communities. Most focus on craft materials such as clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or found and recycled materials.

The exhibits change and cover a wide variety of topics. When I visited there was one on the art handling process. It was a unique look at what happens before an art exhibit opens. When visiting an art museum, all the work of getting the art to the museum is rarely considered.

As of writing the main entrance on Main St is closed. Enter through the back entrance from the parking lot behind the building.

The Pit Room

You don’t want to leave Houston without having some BBQ. My Lyft driver on the way to the airport was a chef. Of course I had to ask for his BBQ recommendations. He said that the Pit Room was one of the best in Houston along with Pinkerton’s and Corkscrew.

From the line out the door I was guessing The Pit Room was a local favorite, but I was happy to receive confirmation that I chose well for my last meal in Houston. The Pit Room is within walking distance of many of the best museums in Houston.

There can be a wait, especially on the weekends. The brisket makes the line worth it! I have had some top notch bbq throughout Austin and San Antonio, but Houston’s may have been my favorite. The sides are great as well. The charred green beans had an excellent flavor.

There is indoor and outdoor seating. The patio seating that is shared with the Patio bar is really nice.

More Museums in Houston

I have my work cut out for me as there are still so many museums in Houston I would like to visit. Believe it or not the following Houston museums are just the ones located in Midtown and the Museum District!

Houston Center for Photography
Rothko Chapel: The inside is full of art.
Menil Collection: An art museum.
Czech Center Museum: Devoted to Czech and Slovakian cultural, history and art.
Diverseworks: Has art exhibitions and performances.
Holocaust Museum Houston
Lawndale: An art and performance center.
Contemporary Arts Museum
Children’s Museum Houston
Houston Museum of Natural Science
The Health Museum
The Printing Museum: About the history of printing.

More Info About the Best Museums in Houston

Do All the Houston Museums Have Restrooms, Water Fountains, and Wifi?

All of the museums and food places have restrooms except for the Birria Queen food truck.

Most of the best museums in Houston described above have water fountains. There were no water fountains at the Heritage Society. The water fountains were not working when I visited the Buffalo Soldier Museum.

As for wifi, at the Asia Society Center I needed to ask for the wifi password for a different wifi network. I couldn’t get wifi to work at the HMAAC. At all of the other Houston museums the wifi worked fine.

When Is the Best Time to Visit the Museums in Houston?

One of the great things about museums is that they are temperature controlled, so they are a great activity year-round. In general if you don’t like the heat, you’ll want to visit Houston fall through spring. Even in February, some days were quite hot and humid.

How Do I Get to All of the Museums in Houston?

All of the Houston museums above are located in downtown, Midtown, or in the Museum District.

The red metro line runs along Main Street through all three neighborhoods. Each museum is within walking distance from the red line. These areas of the city are walkable, but most people don’t seem to walk. I found streets to be fairly deserted.

Midtown and Museum Park are known as good neighborhoods, but it can be a little rough in some spots near the metro stops. There’s a large homeless population and they congregate near the stops and under the highway bridges.

The neighborhoods are fairly residential. Walking on the parallel streets a few blocks west or east of Main street is nicer. To walk between Midtown and Museum Park you’ll need to go under the freeway. Avoid Main St and Fannin St as there is quite a large homeless population. Walking a few blocks west on Austin St or La Branch St is better. To the east Montrose Blvd goes over the highway and is in a nicer area. The underpass on W Alabama St wouldn’t be my favorite place to walk at night, but it is fine during the day.

Where Should I Stay if I Want to Visit Houston’s Museums?

If you’re planning to visit a lot of the best museums in Houston it will be most convenient to stay in Downtown, Midtown, or the Museum District. Additional information about walking in the neighborhoods is provided above.

Where to Stay Downtown

Downtown is pretty dead during the weekends. Many restaurants and businesses are only open Monday through Friday. It’s where more hotels are located, but there isn’t a lot to do. It is convenient to all the metro lines including the red line to Museum Park.

Where to Stay in Midtown

Midtown, midway between downtown and Museum Park, is known as a good neighborhood. It has a few museums, several entertainment venues, and some restaurants. The feel really varied from block to block.

As I was in Houston working for a couple of weeks I stayed at Lodgeur at Mid Main Lofts, a furnished apartment. The customer service was very good from before my stay through the end of my stay. It’s right on the red rail line which is very handy. When booking make sure to ask for a quiet unit facing the courtyard and not the streets, especially Main St and Holman St. There is a nice outdoor pool and gym.

Where to Stay in Museum Park

Museum Park is the nicest of the three neighborhoods. Hotel Zaza is one of the only hotels in the area. There are several furnished apartments though.

Where to Stay Near NRG Stadium

A lot of hotels are located near NRG Stadium. This is handy if you’re also going to the rodeo. If it’s rodeo season, February/March, make sure to book early. The red line is nearby and will take you to Museum Park in about 15 minutes.

Which one of these Houston museums interests you the most? If I helped you discover the best museums in Houston, please consider supporting me by Buying Me a Coffee!

The Best Museums in Houston and Where to Eat Nearby