{"id":13615,"date":"2012-06-03T14:20:56","date_gmt":"2012-06-03T19:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/momstraveltales.com\/?p=1433"},"modified":"2012-06-03T14:20:56","modified_gmt":"2012-06-03T19:20:56","slug":"summer-fun-for-families-at-the-museum-of-fine-arts-houston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.momstoolbox.com\/blog\/summer-fun-for-families-at-the-museum-of-fine-arts-houston\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Fun for Families at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sure, you knew the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston<\/a> housed gorgeous masterpieces, but did you know that they also make that art come to life for kids of all ages through storytelling, movies and detective adventures?<\/p>\n

I had no idea there was so much to do… and I thought I was pretty in-the-know.<\/p>\n

Plus, admission is FREE every Thursday and\u00a0FREE for children ages 6 to 18 on Saturdays and Sundays, when they show their library card from any public library in Texas. So the air-conditioned \u00a0fun an learning can even be FREE! (Cha-Ching!)<\/p>\n

Break out your calendar and take notes…<\/p>\n

Here is what they have planned:<\/p>\n

Kinder Foundation Education Center Activities<\/h3>\n

The Kinder Foundation Education Center (KFEC) is an exciting place to enhance your museum visit! With art, poetry and storybooks, as well as a selection of MFAH publications, everyone can explore, interact and learn. The KFEC is open anytime the museum is open.<\/p>\n

Check out an MFAH Family Pack.<\/strong> MFAH Family Packs are filled with hands-on activities, looking games and books. You may borrow these interactive gallery resources free of charge during your museum visit. Stop by the KFEC and choose from topics such as Animal Adventures, Five Paintings to See with Your Little One and Let\u2019s Play!<\/p>\n

\u00a0Read a storybook together in the galleries.<\/strong> Every day at the MFAH, families can participate in the program A Book and A Look. Check out a storybook and take it into the galleries to read in front of a work of art, which you can also \u201cread\u201d together with the help of looking activities.<\/p>\n

Create your own multimedia experience:<\/strong> Cell phones, videos and more. At the KFEC, find out more about works of art that interest you by experiencing the museum\u2019s collection online: high-quality images, videos and information about MFAH artworks. Pick up What Should We Look at Next?, which features cell-phone stops designed especially for kids and families. Find a stop, call the number, and listen to learn and discover together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Breakfasts, Lunches, Snacks and Food Trucks: MFAH Style<\/h3>\n

Bring the kids and enjoy a break in the museum\u2019s Cafe Express, open from 8 a.m. until the museum closes. Have a picnic in Cullen Sculpture Garden, where you\u2019ll find outdoor seating and a curated selection of Houston\u2019s finest food trucks every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Free Kick-Off Event Summer Kick-Off Performance at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

Thursday, June 7 Say hello to summer! Join the celebration as the MFAH welcomes the season with a music performance by Mercury \u2013 The Orchestra Redefined (formerly Mercury Baroque). Family activities begin at 11 a.m., and the music starts at 2 p.m. Admission is free.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tuesdays\u2013Sundays Detective Days at Bayou Bend<\/h3>\n

June 1\u2013August 31<\/strong> Summer sleuths ages 6 and up can explore mysteries at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, the MFAH house museum for American decorative arts. Each detective receives an Investigator\u2019s Kit and a bottle of water for keeping cool during the hunt. Adventures take place Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for ages 12 and younger, and discounted for everyone else who accompanies the detective.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First Sundays Art Improv at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

June 3, July 1, August 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the first Sunday of the month, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., your family can choose a work of art\u00a0anywhere in the museum and make \u201cfriends\u201d with it: Sketch it, write about it and talk about it together. Then, visit the studio to create a work of art inspired by the new friend and your own imagination. Also available: Sketching in the Galleries and all the self-guided family activities at the KFEC.<\/p>\n

Sunday Family Zone & Studio at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

June 10, 17, 24 , July 8, 15, 22, 29,\u00a0August 12, 19, 26<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., look for signs in the main lobbies to tell you which gallery\u00a0the Family Zone is located in that day. Spend some time with the friendly family educators\u00a0for Sunday Storytime, Sketching in the Galleries, Gallery Investigations and Creation Station: Sit on a pillow and read; sketch a work of art; join an investigation of an artwork; and in the studio, create an art project inspired by original works of art on display in the Family Zone.<\/p>\n

Wednesdays Storytime Tours at Rienzi<\/h3>\n

June 6, 12, 20, 27, July 11, 18,<\/strong><\/p>\n

Summertime is storytime at Rienzi, the MFAH house museum for European decorative arts.<\/p>\n

Storytime Tours, from 10 a.m. \u2013 11:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, are a fun and interactive way to introduce children to the magic of art and literature. The beautiful estate sets the stage for stories related to themes in Rienzi\u2019s art collection. Families are encouraged to bring a lunch and picnic in the Rienzi Gardens following Storytime tours. Admission is free, but space is limited, so reserve your spot by calling 713.639.7800.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thursdays MFAH Summer Art Detectives<\/h3>\n

Every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the MFAH Art Detectives program gives families the chance to investigate new works of art through interactive experiences. Depending on which Thursday you visit, your family can create art in the studio or in the gallery! Admission is free.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Gallery Investigations + Studio<\/strong><\/p>\n

June 7, 21, July 5, 19,\u00a0August 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Visit the galleries to investigate a work of art by looking carefully, uncovering details and\u00a0thinking about the cool stuff you discover. Talk with an MFAH educator and explore hands-on materials to further your investigation. Each time you complete a case, you\u2019ll earn a prize and a chance to win an MFAH Family-level membership. In the art-making studio, create a project inspired by the work of art being investigated that day.<\/p>\n

Gallery Investigations + Sketching<\/strong><\/p>\n

June 14, 28,\u00a0July 12, 26, August 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sharpen your observation skills and have fun at the\u00a0same time! Visit the Gallery Cart to get\u00a0involved with looking games and hands-on art activities, and talk about what you see with a friendly MFAH educator. At each program, families investigate art from a different continent. Kick your experience up a notch by sketching the art you see. All materials are provided.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thursdays \u201cReel Kids\u201d Summer Matinees at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

At 2 p.m. every Thursday, enjoy an animated, family-friendly movie on the big screen. Admission is free.<\/strong> Visit www.mfah.org\/reelkids for film descriptions and details.<\/p>\n

June 7 \u2022 Whisper of the Heart<\/p>\n

June 14 \u2022 Summer Wars<\/p>\n

June 21 \u2022 Ponyo<\/p>\n

June 28 \u2022 Summer Wars<\/p>\n

July 5 \u2022 The Cat Returns<\/p>\n

July 12 \u2022 Howl\u2019s Moving Castle<\/p>\n

July 19 \u2022 My Neighbor Totoro<\/p>\n

July 26 \u2022 Looney Tunes<\/p>\n

August 2 \u2022 The Adventures of Prince Achmed<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First Thursdays First Thursday Sketching at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

June 7, July 5 On the first Thursday of the month, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., sketch works of art in the museum<\/p>\n

August 2 galleries during this free, informal program. An MFAH teaching artist is on hand with paper, pencils and clipboards to get you started.<\/p>\n

First Thursday Sketching is open to adults, kids, families, couples\u2014everyone\u2019s invited! Admission is free.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wednesday 4th of July at the MFAH & Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens<\/h3>\n

July 4 Celebrate Independence Day with the MFAH!<\/p>\n

\u2022 Main Campus The museum, Cullen Sculpture Garden and The MFAH Shop are open.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Bayou Bend The annual 4th of July patriotic family event features an extravaganza of Americana, with free admission from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Saturday Art + Studio Family Workshop at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

July 14<\/strong> \u201cAiming for Beauty: Japanese Folding Screens\u201d<\/p>\n

This engaging, in-depth program in the galleries offers a personalized experience for your family. First, MFAH educators lead you on an interactive exploration of the exhibition Unrivalled Splendor: The Kimiko and John Powers Collection of Japanese Art, diving into the stories and traditions of the art on display. In the studio, create your own folding screens using a variety of beautiful, handmade papers.<\/p>\n

\u2022 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (families with children ages 4\u20136)<\/p>\n

\u2022 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (families with children ages 7\u201310)<\/p>\n

The cost is $10 per person for MFAH members and $15 per person for nonmembers. Reservations must be made in advance: www.mfah.org\/families or 713.639.7586.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sundays Family Art Workshops at Rienzi<\/h3>\n

July 15, 22 Rienzi, the MFAH house museum for European decorative arts, invites families to come together to create art, write stories and poems, and watch performances on the last two Sundays in July, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but space is limited, so secure your spot by calling 713.639.7800.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fantasies and Fairytales<\/h3>\n

Sunday, July 15<\/strong><\/p>\n

Join us for an engaging afternoon of children\u2019s literature, featuring fantasies and fairytales. Younger students will explore the many fairytales written from the point of view of different cultures and have the opportunity create and dramatize their own stories.\u00a0 Older students will take part in a creative writing workshop developing their own unique fantasy narrative.\u00a0 This workshop is lead by instructions from Rice University\u2019s Literacy and Culture Project.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tales of the Arabian Nights: A Marionette Performance and Workshop<\/h3>\n

Sunday, July 22<\/strong><\/p>\n

Enjoy an afternoon of entertainment as Aladdin and Princess Jasmine outsmart Jafar to keep the magic lamp safe from evil hands. This glittering story from The Tales of the Arabian Nights will dazzle all ages as string puppets perform on an elaborate marionette stage.\u00a0 After the performance, master puppeteer Jean Kuecher will reveal the back stage secrets and design of puppetry.\u00a0 The afternoon continues with a puppet making workshop where children are encouraged to create and show off their own puppets. This event is produced by the Texas Marionette Playhouse.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Free Finale Event Summer Finale Performance at the MFAH<\/h3>\n

Thursday, August 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Top off the summer season with a fun, family-friendly performance in the galleries. Activities begin at 11 a.m., and the show starts at 2 p.m. Admission is free.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Make plans to beat the heat and explore all there is to offer… \u00a0You won’t hear “Mom, I’m BORED!!” while you are there and you’ll also keep your kids brains working during the summer.<\/p>\n

I know I’ll be there with my three kids more than a few times this year… If you’re in Houston, maybe I’ll see you there!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, located in the heart of Houston\u2019s Museum District, is a dynamic cultural complex comprising two gallery buildings, a sculpture garden, visitors center, library, caf\u00e9, movie theater, two art schools, two house museums, and two gift shops. Visit the MFA,H website<\/a> for details and directions.<\/div>\n
Not in Houston? See what your local art museum has planned.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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