The Museum District: Houston's Cultural Mile

Within a short walk of a single park lies one of the densest concentrations of museums in the country. Houston's Museum District grew up on the edge of Hermann Park in the early 20th century, when the city's oil fortunes were young and its collectors ambitious, and today nearly two dozen institutions sit within a mile or so of each other — art, natural science, photography, and the memory of hard history all crowded together on tree-lined boulevards. This walk threads the heart of that cultural mile, from the grand old art museum on Bissonnet to the science halls, the modern galleries, and the smaller specialized museums that give the district its remarkable range. Wear comfortable shoes, plan on a full afternoon, and remember that each door here opens onto a very different world.