The Menil Collection

A highlight of any visit to Houston, the Menil Collection displays highlights of the extraordinary art and archaeological artifacts collected by Houstonians John and Dominique de Menil, an era-spanning bounty ranging from Ice Age carvings to medieval and surrealist masterpieces. Admission is always free but requires booking a timed visit online.

Given the collection's size, it’s best to start your visit at the Main Building. Here, light-filled galleries hold art from the ancient world, Byzantium, Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Americas, and the Pacific Northwest, along with modern, contemporary, and surrealist works. After that, you can move to the satellite campus buildings, such as the Drawing Institute, the Cy Twombly Gallery, and the Dan Flavin Installation, before exploring the green spaces of the Menil neighborhood.

• Photography is allowed in entryways and hallways, but not inside the galleries.

• The on-site Bistro Menil offers European-inspired American fare, plus craft beer and wine.

• All Menil Collection buildings have accessible entrances; a small number of wheelchairs are available for visitor use inside the buildings.

• Food and drinks are not allowed in the museum buildings.

• You can store backpacks and luggage in a free coat check.

• Families with kids can bring strollers inside the galleries.

The Main Building lies on Sul Ross Street in Montrose, about a 15-minute drive from downtown Houston across Interstate 69 from Museum Park. On public transportation, you can take several bus routes, including #82 from downtown, or ride the METRORail Red Line to Wheeler and walk or bus the rest of the way. Parking is available in designated lots and on the surrounding street, with bike racks near the main entrance.

The Menil Collection is open Wednesday to Sunday from late morning to evening, and is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and major holidays. The green spaces of the Menil neighborhood, where you’ll see public sculptures, are open daily from dawn to dusk. The collection frequently hosts lectures, curator talks, and special events, so check the schedule online before your visit.

The Menil Collection is more than a museum, as it anchors Menil Park and Neighborhood, an urban oasis blending in with the existing neighborhood and suburban bungalows—an aesthetic experience in its own right. Here, you can find outdoor sculptures, such as Jim Love’s outsized Jack, as well as green spaces including Menil Park on Mulberry Street, an inviting grass lawn facing the Drawing Institute, and McGovern Green in front of the Cy Twombly Gallery.