Cultural Activities
Houston Civic and Cultural Center
The Center covers 16 blocks in the downtown area. Attractions include Tranquility Park, commemorating the Apollo moon landing, 1939 art deco-style City Hall, Alley Theater, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts and the Wortham Center.
Performing Arts - Downtown
The Houston area offers many activities for those with interests in music, dance, art, theater, and film. For weekly listings, check the entertainment sections of the Houston Chronicle or Houston Press or call the telephone numbers listed below:
| Alley Theater | The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center |
| 615 Texas Ave. (713) 220-5700 Performances by a professional theater company. | 1202 Calumet @ San Jacinto (713) 522-6375 Specializes in jazz dance. |
| Houston Ballet | Houston Grand Opera |
| 501 Texas Ave. (713) 227-2787 Fifthlargest ballet company in the U.S. Performs in the Wortham Center at 500 Texas Avenue, September through May. | 510 Preston, Suite 500 (713) 228-3223 Productions run from September through June in the Wortham Center. |
| Houston Symphony Orchestra | Society for the Performing Arts |
| (713) 224-7575 Houston's oldest performing arts group. Season runs September through May. Most performances in Jones Hall (615 Louisiana Ave.). | (713) 227-4SPA Offers a diversified series in Jones Hall. Performances are held throughout the year. |
Theater District Parking
Parking is available at the Civic Center Underground or Alley Theater Parking Garage for $5.00. There is also limited free on-street parking during evening hours and weekends as indicated on curbside signs.
Comedy
| Comedy Showcase | |
| 11460 Fuqua, #300 (281) 481-1188 | 526 Waugh Dr. (713) 524-2333 |
| Radio Music Theatre | |
| 2623 Colquitt (713) 522-7722 |
Other Entertainment
| Miller Outdoor Theatre | |
| 100 Concert Drive (281) 373-3386 | Features free music and dance performances under the stars during warm months. Free tickets available at 11 am on performance days. |
| Rice University | |
Shepherd School of Music | Small orchestra ensembles, chamber music, as well as theater performances. |
| University of Houston | |
Moores School of Music | Small orchestra ensembles, chamber music, as well as theater performances. |
Museums
| Contemporary Arts Museum | |
| 5216 Montrose Blvd. (713) 284-8250 | Located in the heart of the museum district. Free admission. |
| The Museum of Fine Arts | |
| 1001 Bissonnet at Main (713) 639-7000 | Admission fee. Thursday free admission. Children five and under free at all times. |
| The Menil Collection | |
| 1515 Sul Ross (713) 525-9400 | Showcases exhibits from the legendary private collection of John and Dominique de Menil, ranging from prehistoric to modern times with emphasis on modern art. Free admission. |
One Hermann Circle Drive | One of the largest museums of natural science in the Southwest. The museum also houses the Museum of Health & Medical Science on the second floor, Burke Baker Planetarium, the Schwing Reading Room and the IMAX theater. Admission fee. |
| Rothko Chapel | |
1409 Sul Ross St. | Designed as an ecumenical center, features paintings by Mark Rothko. |
| The Children's Museum | |
| 1500 Binz (713) 522-1138 | Designed especially for children. Admission fee. |
| 1 Westcott St. (713) 639-7750 | Fully restored home of Miss Ima Hogg, featuring several thousand objects, including furniture, paintings, glass and textiles from 1620 to 1870. Beautiful gardens. Admission fee. |
| 5401 Caroline (713) 942-8000 | Lives Remembered: Photographs of a Small Town in Poland, 1897 - 1937. Permanent exhibition,Bearing Witness: A Community Remembers and the film Voices. |
| 1515 Hermann Drive (713) 942-7054 | An interactive museum featuring walk-throughs of the Amazing Body Pavilion and other displays, including the new Safetytown U.S.A. Miniclasses for all ages every 60 minutes. Admission fee. |
| The Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum | |
| 4011 Yupon at Branard (713) 521-3990 | Eastern Orthodox chapel housing two 13th-century frescos from Cyprus restored by the Menil Foundation. |
Film
Several theaters show art films. The Rice Media Center, (713) 348-4882, offers a series; the River Oaks Theater, 2009 W. Gray (713) 524-2175, shows new releases, classics and foreign films; River Oaks Plaza, 1450 W. Gray (713) 524-8781, shows first run and foreign films; the Greenway 3, 5 East Greenway Plaza (713) 626-0402, shows foreign and American films. The Museum of Fine Arts has a weekend film series, and the Alley Theater runs a summer film series. Most malls have movie theaters.