Art League Houston (ALH) has served creative Houstonians for over 75 years. The organization has a robust art school as well as community programming and rotating exhibits. ALH has forged partnerships and launched city-wide initiatives to keep the arts alive. 

Nestled on the University of Houston’s main campus, the Blaffer is one of the city’s leading university museums, celebrating over 50 years of showing innovative art. The organization focuses specifically on contemporary art and rotating exhibits. Don’t worry, though: You don’t have to be a student to visit—although the museum does hire Coogs to work in the galleries.

Photography is one of the most accessible and relatable art forms. This small gallery in Montrose offers many opportunities to dive into the medium through rotating exhibitions, and both on- and offsite class offerings.

All three of the free museums hosted at Houston Christian University are located in the Joella and Stewart Morris Cultural Arts Center. You can spend an entire day exploring, since each one caters to a different set of interests: the Dunham Bible Museum, if you want to know more about the history of printing bibles; the Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts, which centers the material culture of frontier-era Houston; and the Museum of Southern History, which largely looks at how the region rebuilt itself post–Civil War.

The Menil Collection has a stellar reputation worldwide, and is a beloved favorite of Houstonians. The permanent collection of John and Dominique de Menil showcases the arts of Africa and the Americas, Byzantine and Medieval art, as well as modern and contemporary pieces. The Menil campus also includes a gift shop and bookstore, the Drawing Institute, the Cy Twombly Gallery, and a public park that’s popular among picnickers and loungers. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the nearby (also free) Rothko Chapel.

Located on Rice University’s campus, the Moody Center for the Arts is one of the city’s younger institutions, having just opened in 2017. The museum has made a major splash in Houston's art scene ever since. The Moody also has a robust event schedule and curates public art throughout Rice’s campus. After your visit, enjoy some fresh air on the lawn or make your way to the Skyspace installation by James Turrell.

Located in a collection of row houses that have been converted into art galleries, this Third Ward institution has been a crucial part of the neighborhood’s fabric since 1993. The structures are home to rotating exhibits of contemporary art, with a focus on African American and BIPOC artists. Project Row Houses regularly hosts events and engages in community work beyond the museum itself, such as the restoration of the El Dorado Ballroom.

The smallest museum in Houston—we checked!—encompasses only 96 square feet and makes its home inside of the Inner Loop outpost of Game Over Videogames, a Texas-based store for used and retro gaming enthusiasts. Its collection mainly focuses on vintage consoles, providing a fun capsule history of video games.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science has more than a dozen permanent galleries and several special exhibits throughout the year. Tour the sprawling museum to find dinosaurs and (live) butterflies, and learn about science, space, wildlife, and so much more. Make sure to stop by the planetarium for an out-of-this-world film experience.

General admission is free on a first-come-first-serve basis every Tuesday from 5 to 8pm, but planetarium and Cockrell Butterfly Center add-ons will still require paid admission. 

Space City also happens to be the home of one of the top zoos in the United States, often vying against San Diego Zoo for the title of most-visited. It's possible to spend an entire day here and still not see every animal, attend every talk, or participate in every activity.

Houston Zoo is free the first Tuesday of every month, though tickets must be booked in advance and are available only on a limited basis. Planning ahead is highly advised.

Whether you're looking for art, classes and workshops, history, architecture tours, music, theater, and/or food from the wide range of Asian cultures, this is the place to be. Asia Society Texas Center always has something exciting going on, including two permanent exhibitions and an ongoing series of temporary ones. 

The exhibition spaces are free all day every Thursday, though special events and other add-ons may require payment. 

What was once a collection of artifacts stored in the home of Captain Paul Matthews and his wife, Barbara, transformed into a full-fledged organization and museum in 2001. The Buffalo Soldiers Museum is dedicated to educating the public on the history of African American soldiers in the US military.

The free Thursday admission deal runs from 1 to 5pm.

The Children’s Museum is a go-to destination to exercise your kiddo’s imagination and make them learn more about the world through interactive art and activities. Adults can enjoy the experience too, but note that your group must be accompanied by a child 12 or under to enter the museum.

Free Family Night occurs every Thursday from 5 to 8pm, and the Children's Museum recommends reserving tickets in advance to ensure a spot.

This museum is all about Czech culture, which became very present here after thousands of immigrants came to Central Texas in the 1800s. Learn languages in one of the interactive workshops and discover traditional music, art, literature, and more. 

Thursdays between 2 and 4pm offer free admission.

Houston is home to a world-class medical center, so it’s no surprise that health enthusiasts also have a dedicated space for geeking out. Learn all you need to know about the human body at the Health Museum, from weekly live organ dissections to immersive tours and family-friendly science labs.

As with the Children's Museum, the Health Museum also has a Free Family Thursday offer with advanced tickets highly advised, available from 2 to 6pm. 

Holocaust Museum Houston was founded in 1981 by survivor and Houston resident Siegi Izakson to fill a need for such a museum in the city, whose Jewish population stems in large part from the Galveston Movement of the early 1900s. The museum is a living memorial with permanent galleries dedicated to educating the public about the horrors of the Shoah, as well as temporary exhibits that showcase the ongoing story of Jewish culture and immigration in the US.

On Thursdays, admission is free from 2 to 5pm.

MFAH is among the top 10 largest art museums in the United States, holding more than 65,000 pieces of art. The permanent collection features art from Asia, the Islamic World, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, as well as photography, prints, drawings, and decorative arts. The museum also has a theater that shows independent films throughout the year, and rotating exhibits in its temporary gallery spaces. Head over to the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building across the street for even more art.

General admission to the MFAH is free all day on Thursdays, and it's open until 9pm to offer more time for exploration. Special exhibitions and movies will still require paid admission.