Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
QUIRKY HOUSTON: ART CARS & BEER CAN HOUSES
Conservative Houston has a quirky, creative streak - one the
Orange Show Center for Visionary Art
(
713-926-6368;
www.orangeshow.org
) fosters with a few oddball museums and one fabulous parade.
The late Jeff McKissack spent decades molding his house into a junk-art tribute to his favorite fruit. Today the
giant, welded-steel oranges and plastic flower art takes up a mazelike 300 sq ft outside the
Orange Show Monu-
ment
(
http://orangeshow.org/orange-show-monument
; 2401 Munger St; admission $1; 10am-2pm Mon-Fri,
noon-5pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug; noon-5pm Sat & Sun Sep-May). Seek out the informational posters which illus-
trate his vision, and tour the house. Next door, a new art park is under construction.
Is it a house, is it a sculpture? More than 50,000 aluminum cans cover the
Beer Can House
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.beercanhouse.org
; 222 Malone St, off Memorial Dr; admission $2; noon-5pm Sat &
Sun) as siding, as edging, as wind chimes. It's worth buying a self-guide booklet or taking a tour to learn more.
Either way, don't miss the film on the house's history.
If you're not in town for the fabulous Art Car Parade (
Click here
) in May, the next best thing is to view a few
of the decorated vehicles at the
Art Car Museum
(
www.artcarmuseum.com
; 140 Heights Blvd;
11am-6pm
Wed-Sun) . The cars have been tricked out into anything from a stiletto shoe to a Mad Max-esque won-
der. Cool rotating art exhibits at the museum have included themes like road refuse and bone art.
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1
Montrose & Museum District
Museum-lovers, you've hit the jackpot in the area north around Hermann Park. To get a
full list of museums or to plot your route, check out the map at the
Houston Museum District
Houston Museum of Natural Science
MAP
MUSEUM
GOOGLE MAP
( 713 639 4629;
www.hmns.org
; 5555 Hermann Park Dr; general admission adult/child $20/15, butterfly conservat-
ory/special exhibits $5 extra per person; 9am-6pm; ; METROrail station Hermann Park/Rice)
World-class
traveling exhibits - on everything from Medici gems to Mayan civilization - have always
been a big part of the attraction at this stellar museum. With the $30 million addition of an
impressive dino-focused paleontology wing and the opening of an Ancient Egyptian hall
there are even more permanent reasons to visit.
Kiddos love the hands-on learning in the chemistry, energy and other science exhibits.
In addition to the IMAX theater, there are planetarium shows and a giant glass butterfly
