The humidity is looming even more now that summer is on the horizon. It is critical to have some indoor activities available! I have been taking my child to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) since she was a baby, and I know many other parents who have done the same. If you are a parent who loves art and wants to visit when you are in the area, go for it. There is a lot about the MFAH that makes it great for families:
Children 12 years and under are FREE for most exhibits. (There is a charge for some special events & special exhibitions.) Thursday evenings are free to everyone for permanent exhibits so this can be a great time to bring older children.
It has ample parking situated at both ends of the massive Sarofim Campus in the Beck building garage and in the Kinder building garage. If you are able to take the metro Red Line, the Museum District station lets off right next to the museum.
It is well-air-conditioned, making it a great place to visit on hot summer days when you need a change of scenery or want to take a walk but it is too hot to be comfortable outside. (The Downtown Houston tunnels are also great for this, but that's for another post.) It's also good for rainy days because all of the buildings are connected underground.
There is a casual cafe on site with both indoor and outdoor seating available. The menu changes slightly at least a few times a year, but Cafe Leonelli consistently serves a few salads, flatbreads (with cheese flatbread for children), and light sandwiches. They also typically have a salmon dish and pastas to offer. For dessert, there are pastries and gelato. The cafe is light, modern, and airy with counter service and both indoor and patio seating.
Most of the restrooms are large, clean, and stroller, diaper-change, and potty-learning friendly.
The relatively recent addition of the Kinder Building only served to improve options for families with small children. Now, you can easily park at either the Kinder Building or Beck Building. Be SURE to snap a photo of your parking location for later reference in case you forget & pay at a kiosk before you leave. Members receive a discount.
While visiting the Sarofim Campus of the museum, you can access 3 artworks that double as tunnels between the three main buildings. We in our family have affectionately nicknamed them:
The "light tunnel" (connecting the Beck Building and the Law Building),
The "rainbow tunnel" (connecting the Law Building and the Kinder Building), and
The "yellow tunnel" (situated between part of the Kinder Building and the other end housing the Glassell School of Art).
All of these tunnels are stroller or front-facing-baby-wearing-friendly (MFAH doesn't allow baby-carrying backpacks, wagons, or scooters). They provide a pleasant, air-conditioned walk through a stunning, frequently-changing, large collection of artwork owned by the MFAH.
Babies at the MFAH
Here are my favorite things about visiting the MFAH with babies:
Most of the galleries are large and easily accessible for strollers (and wheelchairs, too). Most of the elevators are large, too, with the exception of one small one that allows access to the top floor of the Law Building (but it is still manageable).
There is seating throughout if you need a rest from carrying the baby or if you need to take a nursing break. Also, the cafe on site is good for parental nourishment.
Periodically, the museum hosts art-making events and play dates especially for infants and/or young children. Some require a modest extra charge. Lookout for them on the MFAH website.
There are many large artworks with high-contrast (for very little babies with limited vision), bright colors, and interesting subjects that capture babies' interest (and that adults obviously can enjoy, too).
Toddlers & Preschoolers at the MFAH
When kids reach the toddler and preschool age, even more fun options emerge:
Toddlers love making their way through the tunnels and checking out the outdoor sculpture garden and fountains. All are stroller-friendly (but wagons are not allowed) in case their little legs get tired.
Be sure to take them to the screen in the Kinder Building that distorts their image as it is well-loved by kids and adults alike. If you enter the Kinder Building from the corner entrance at Bissonnet St. & Main St., the screen will be right in the center gallery across from the ticket booth on the ground level. It's hard to miss it.
There are family art-making workshops, special free family days and festivals, and even a winter children's film festival to look out for. There are film options for both young children and older ones. Some require a modest extra charge. Lookout for them on the MFAH website.
On days when there is no family workshop or event, it can also be nice to bring along a sketch pad for kids to use while they are inside in the galleries or a field watercolor set (like this one) if they are hanging out in the sculpture garden. They can view art and then be inspired to create a bit!
On warm days, visit Cafe Leonelli for gelato and enjoy it while hearing their thoughts about the outdoor sculptures. While I am not sure it is officially sanctioned, little kids love splashing around in the fountain near the Glassell School of Art and the sculpture garden. Just make sure they are dried off well before entering the museum again.
Local kids or visitors who will be staying for awhile can also signup for classes and camps at the Glassell Junior School. We adore these classes as do many of our local friends. The teachers are highly-trained artists AND very personable with young children. We have taken classes there for a couple of years now, and the roster of teachers is pretty consistent; there is not a lot of turnover and teachers seem happy and engaged, overall.
Older Kids at the MFAH
It can be fun to take older kids (who don't pose as much of a safety risk) to the rooftop garden on top of the Glassell School of Art. Walk to the top to enjoy the views. It's selfie-worthy, so older kids will appreciate it.
By the time kids are older and their attention spans have a bit more capacity, it can be nice to take them to some of the special temporary exhibitions. One of my personal favorites with kids over the years has been "Pixel Forest & Worry Will Vanish." It has been to Houston twice since I moved here, and I have taken children of friends and my own child multiple times. They loved it! We also loved the optical illusions from the Leandro Erlich exhibit and Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection. We took our niece to The Glamour and Romance of Oscar de la Renta and all of us were so impressed--I wish this one would come back and I am not even a fashionista. Whenever a Van Gogh exhibition comes to town, it is typically a blast with lots of interactive features. Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence is on view at the time of this post, and people have been buzzing about how awesome it is for months. Keep an eye out for these special events on the general MFAH calendar.
Of course, older kids also enjoy the permanent collections and many of the other features of the MFAH that are enjoyed by younger children and adults. Finally, there are lots of Glassell Junior School classes and camps available for older kids, and the artwork that results is amazing.
These are a few of our favorites. If you have good tips for visiting the MFAH with kids, please share!
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