Fantastic visit to the Manil! I was very impressed by the collection available to view. The collection included Pacific Northwest and American, Middle Eastern, African, Pacific Island, and European art pieces in addition to some 20th century and modern art paintings and sculptures. Eclectic, but excellent. The gallery itself was beautiful and serene. They put a lot of energy and care into ensuring the art is maintained well and in good condition. The receptionists and attendants are very friendly. Bonus, the location is in a beautiful neighborhood and next to the Rothko Chapel. One can spend a few hours in this area. How generous that all is open and free to the public! A hidden gem! read more

Easy free street parking Free museum- reserve time on line before arrival Small enough less than an hour perfect for quick tour Quiet neighborhood with nice house and old trees The main building has a variety - a coffee shop next door- gift shop and another exhibit across the street read more

A Houston staple! It's free (donation optional) and a great activity for the whole family. Different exhibits to spark a variety of interests, you can visit the website and see upcoming exhibitions as well. The grounds are well manicured and the perfect spot for a stroll if the weather is nice. The Menil is a great place to bring guests from out of town. Check it out, you have nothing to lose! read more

A great, free art collection for view. However, no photos are allowed. There are 3 main wing/walkways. The front leads you to a gorgeous art piece with animals while a wing on each side leads you to pieces spanning thousands of years from all over the world. Expect ancient to modern art from a variety of artists. You can easily spend 2 hours looking through every piece. Since there's a campus with other buildings, keep track of your time if you are on a schedule. Parking is available in a lot nearby or some on the street further away. read more

Nothing like getting in trouble in a museum but I did for taking pictures. Oops! I did not know you could not take pictures in the Menil and when I walked in no one said anything to me about pictures to I was just clicking away. Then the dreaded picture police came up to me and told me I could not do that. Oops! Ok! It's a beautiful museum and pictures are allowed in the foyers and halls but not in the gallery areas. You will not be overly tired by a visit to this museum since it's not that big and there is no charge for admission. It was an overcast day and chilly during my visit, but there are awesome spots to sit and have lunch on beautiful days. This is a definite spot to visit on a trip to Houston to get your culture on and for fiscal responsibility- it's free. read more

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It's like viewing beautiful art...in prison. 5 stars for the art, 1 star for the viewing experience. I guess you could just embrace the experience like the "No soup for you" guy on Seinfeld, but the constant oversight is unrelenting and ever present. The atmosphere is so oppressive that it significantly encroaches on your ability to enjoy the art, which is a shame. However, this is the way it is and probably the way it will always be. So go enjoy the art - just don't talk much, don't get too close, and for the love of god do not sneeze. read more

I really like the concept and the location, free art and in a really good neighborhood! But the atmosphere is lacking, no pictures, no talking, no sneezing and on top of that the security is always 2 steps behind you. I feel like if you're going to be established in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in houston the least you can do is be a little more open minded to the fact that people want to take a cute date pic here there. ALSO none of the art has descriptions and some don't even include the artist and you can't pull out your phone to find out more information on the pieces. You're better off going to the Museum of Fine Arts on Thursday when entrance is free. Below is a picture of the only thing I was allowed to photograph, a plant. read more

The Menil Collection - Here's a picture of a plant no one yelled at me for taking - Art Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

While the art is worth walking around in, a colorful mix of some more ancient artifacts and more modern contemporary pieces; the real pieces of work here are the staff guarding their exhibits and their front of house staff. The exhibits are free; that's the plus. Parking is free at their lot as well and it's a very generally aesthetically pleasing part of Houston that's a decent place to visit when it's hot outside and you run out of things to do. My issue here is the staff; having been here twice, about 4 years apart. This starts from the female attendant at the very front of house. She is absolutely ready to get you away from here so she can go back to checking her TikTok. With a mean mug, she is inspired to set the tone for your upcoming experience. The staff in the hallways and in each room follow suite! Under an air of self righteousness, they'll proudly tell you not to point at pieces from 10 ft away, proudly exclaim that the chair they're sitting on is indeed not art, and get their ego boost from bullying tourists. The funniest part is they'll start gossiping with each other in a non English language; not sure who they think they are but they don't belong in a Taco Bell, much less at a museum quality environment. If you're really that worried about people not having common sense, put everything behind glass and barriers around them. The staff are lucky to be paid to be virtual jail guards here and make those guards in the Stanford prison guard psychology experience very proud. The staff at Menil do their part to a tee to ruin the experience of those visiting the collection from what I see. They also need to stop staring intensely at people and do their job to be pleasant and helpful. The whole point of these kind of exhibits is to enjoy art in a relaxing environment and be respectful of the environment, however the self righteousness and rudeness of the staff here will have even John Menil rolling in his grave. Management here needs to wake up and have some pleasant people on staff! read more

The Menil Collection is free. Vast. Daunting. Haunting. A mish mash of collections, from all over the place. Intriguing. Disgusting. Beautiful. Fatiguing. Educational. Worth visiting yes. Would I come back. Probably. This building is the crown jewel of Menil, again executed by the hero architect - Renzo Piano. It is one of the few times when the "artist" architect must subjugate him/herself to other "artists". Essentially, museums are all blank white boxes, the most expedient method of housing art, at least in the business sense anyways. Usually, the tormented architect puts an effort to make "art" of buildings but stops at the external walls. In the case of museums, hands are completely tied. Function, the diva of museums, is at odds with art of architecture-inside and out. At the end you get a mixbag effort, lukewarm goofy shapes. Menil Collection has a weird spinal circulation system, at times feels like a maze. Exterior is bland and boring as it can be. ....... but despite not being a fan of the building, the artwork is definitely worth visiting. read more

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if you're looking for a free opportunity to get out & about town, this is it! A lot of folks have remarked on the staff, however, my experience was nothing but friendly. from the moment we walked in to the guards throughout the exhibit, everyone was incredibly nice. There were some folks that would get a bit too close for the artifacts, however, they are very clearly marked stand lines on the floor. They tend to blend in a little bit with the tile but if you've been to a Museum recently, you know where to stand. it was a little surprising that you couldn't take pictures, however, I really enjoyed this. You didn't see people walking around, staring at their phones. people were authentically and genuinely taking in the sights. How often do you see that nowadays! The collection ranges from Aunt degrees to more modern/contemporary artist like Magritte, Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Rothko. On our trip, we visited the main hall and the drawing institute, as well as the 3rd exhibit that was open (I can't remember the building name!). I also strongly suggest checking out the Rothko chapel. read more

The Menil Collection has a nice collection of art and it's a gorgeous building, but the experience was stressful! We began our experience in one of the darker rooms and didn't see the lines on the floor and were promptly reprimanded for getting too close. We noticed from there that the staff were constantly monitoring our group specifically, and it was nerve-wracking! We even were commenting on trying to find the card for a piece and one of the staff members silently pointed to the card because he was listening. Spooky! My friend took out her phone to Google something about an artist and she was reprimanded for that as well. Not a great experience here unfortunately! read more

A great way to spend a few hours Lost track of time in here Very quaint and peaceful Love the variety and set up This was my first time here and I was impressed I would hope they switch some of these exhibits out but they are very interesting to see at least once Would recommend going if you are a fan of art read more

The Menil Collection - Art Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been in Houston my whole life, and I can't believe I've never been here before until today! I came with one of my friends who invited me to explore these exhibits with her. For parking, you park on the street. We walked around and didn't realize that The Menil Collection was literally a series of different buildings with different exhibits. All walkable distance. The vibes here were so nice and calm. It made me feel safe when we were walking around. I saw so many families/people out here walking their dogs or having picnics on the lawn. It was so peaceful. There were so many trees around with plenty of nice shady areas to have a picnic at. The exhibits here are all free, and they do accept donations. There was honestly a lot more to see than I expected. My friend and I spent about a good hour and a half here. It's great to take a friend here or even to go on a cute/casual date! 10/10, would recommend coming here if the weather is nice to walk around. There was so much variety of art to look at: from paintings, to sculptures, to carvings, drawings, etc. Everyone here was so nice and friendly. I highly recommend coming here and making this a stop if you're in the Houston area. read more

What a lovely museum! Super eclectic collections, and something for everyone. We spotted 2 Picassos, I am fond of folk artifacts and ancient artifacts. We came after the Rothko Chapel, but I would recommend visiting the Menil Collection first, and then visit the Rothko Chapel as a wonderful way to wind down. read more

When something is free, you have my attention. Thank you The Menil Collection. The Menil is a charming museum located in the Museum District. It had been quite a few years since my last visit so I was overdue. I stopped by on a Friday at 5:30 (they close at 7). Free street parking is available around the museum. An hour and a half was just enough time to see all of the exhibitions and the permanent collections. While not a huge museum, you still have a lot of quality art here. I saw paintings by Miro, Magritte, Picasso, Pollock, and other heavyweights. The temporary exhibitions were also cool and there are handouts to tell you more about them. The only big downside in my mind is that you're not allowed to take pics at the temporary exhibitions. Come on y'all, it's 2021! Tough to tell millennials like me that I can't take pics. After your visit, there's plenty more to explore. Stop by The Menil Bistro for some good eatin'. Check out the Cy Twombly Gallery across the street. Spend some time outdoors and have a picnic at Menil Park. Check out Rothko Chapel. You now have plenty of classy date ideas. You're welcome. read more

The art was fine and wonderful! Service was unwelcoming and rude. The greeter/front desk lady is very haste and impatient. She speaks very fast about the rules of the gallery, and tries to get you out of her way. The security staff make the experience unpleasant. They will stare at you for some time, even if you are cautious about not stepping past the line and not getting too close to the installations. If there's a room that's less occupied, they will follow you into that space to make sure you don't do the above and/or take pictures. This is fine and all, but the hovering is distracting and uncomfortable. However, I just stare right back at each and everyone of them, and they often look away. read more

Art was interesting and had a variety. Big bonus is that it is FREE! Nice space to walk around indoors especially in the Houston heat!

Although I do enjoy art, and appreciated this gallery I didn't like the secret service people in every room. They followed you around like a store. You can't get too close to anything, it's really quiet, and you can only take photos in the hallway, which is nothing to see. Don't know if I would be back. Read reviews on the Dan Flavin installation -- and I think I will hold out on visiting that one. read more

ART: While I wasn't totally smitten with their collection (personal preference), I can certainly appreciate a free museum. It's definitely a boon to have art available for complimentary viewing. I wasn't a huge fan of their contemporary collection but there were some exceptions. I also really enjoyed the indigenous and Pacific Island art, as well as their small collection of religious medieval icons. I was hoping to find some work from the Renaissance or Baroque periods (or realistic portraiture from later periods) but they don't have anything like that. I will say that they have a pretty great collection of surrealist works (a few Magrittes). I understand that art collections are subjective and despite not appealing to my personal preferences, the museum still offered a diverse array of works. RULES: The part that somewhat irked me was how strict they are toward visitors. They definitely have that stuffy, security watching everyone like a hawk vibe. No photography is allowed (not sure why, just ban flash like everyone else). The part that really bothered me was their rule about water bottles. Upon entry, the staff told me that I would have to leave my aluminum water bottle at the front desk. I asked if there were water fountains inside and was told no. This made me nervous since it was 100 degrees outside and I'm pregnant and need to drink ample water. In retrospect, the museum is fairly small and the front desk is centrally situated so you could return and drink from your bottle (this is somewhat annoying/awkward though). I understand if they had some sort of incident in the past and are worried. Perhaps they could allow visitors to bring closed water bottles but encourage them to only drink in the areas outside the galleries? Although I'm not crazy about all the rules and the art isn't entirely up my alley, it's still art available to the public for free. That's always welcome. read more

The good thing is that it is easy to park and free to visit. We did donate $20. The art is nice, and there are four different buildings to visit. The not-so-good is the staff. We visited while meeting our future foster son with his case worker. She took notes on her phone and was yelled at for taking photos. She was not taking photos but taking notes on our interaction on her phone. I understand the rules entirely. However, if you want to avoid devices in the museum, take them to the entrance. Another time, we used our phone to find a proper definition of Surrealism to explain to the kid. Again, we were yelled at for taking photos, which we were not doing. I have traveled worldwide and been in many art museums but the staff here is over the top. More people watching the visitors than visitors. These people need to realize there are other things to do with your phone than take photos. They have some great pieces but nothing worth all the staff. It served our purpose to spend a few hours with a kid and talk to him. I doubt we will be back. read more

the best stuff imo was by Max Ernst. woman at front desk main building was helpful and prompt. the Cy twombly gallery was disappointing most of the art lacked taste in there except green room in back.not allowed to take pics inside some of the rooms and there's guards watching the whole time. read more

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Great free museum with a nice collection of items. I would definitely go again to look.

What a collection! This is a formerly private collection, that has been released to the world- where every Houstonian can come and admire exquisite works of art from ancient Rome all the way to modern craziness or Papua New Guinean art. There's such a diverse and deep mix of artists here. It really was fantastic. We came here with some younger fans of art, and I must have been admonished by the museum security about eight times about everything we were doing wrong- no running! no screaming! no breakdancing in the middle of the gallery! not so close! Back it up! Keep backing it up! Indoor voices please! No photography! Seriously, they were on to us. Yea, the youngsters had never been to an art museum before, and were so impressed with all of it, especially after we took them out for sodas and candy beforehand. They were floored that there was so many things they'd never seen anything like that before. They were so awestruck by the art- it was amazing! But I read about how some artist punk came and vandalized one of their Picasso paintings, so I can see why the gallery guards are nervous, and I didn't take offense to the security guards being good at their jobs and calling us out for not being the typical, proper patron of the arts. The museum is laid out by genre of art, get a map. There's plenty of other things to see around here too that are part of the art compound. This is a beautiful part of Houston, and a treasure to all of Texas! read more

Everyone should come here at least once. I would prefer not to comment on the art since that is something different for everyone so I will comment on the place. It's beautiful and has a nice outdoor area for picnics and things. The art is fabulous and I won't review it other than saying you will not be disappointed. I've been several times and have had a different experience each time. read more

I love to take my kids to various museums throughout Houston and we decided to check out the Menil Collection because I've always been curious to visit. Although the museum did have a few cool exhibits it was overall lackluster and could be organized differently for public viewing. We were in and out in about 20 minutes. The staff was watching my kids and I very intensely I figured because they were scared my kids would touch something, however my kids are well behaved we didn't need to be watched the entire time that was very irritating. It was an experience however I don't see us visiting this museum again read more

The Menil Collection - Art Museums Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is a very lovely free museum that I've had the pleasure of visiting on several occasions. During this past thanksgiving weekend in Houston, we enjoyed exploring the grounds of the Menil, along with the new aboriginal Australian exhibit and the French architectural design temporary installation. I especially enjoyed the Aboriginal exhibit which consisted of four rooms with canvases and painted wooden columns. The Menil also features a bookstore and gift shop and several simple yet beautiful outdoor spaces. The exhibits change frequently making this a spot you can easily visit multiple times in a year. I really appreciated the pamphlets they provided at the Australian exhibit that allowed you to dig deeper into the context of the work and people who created them. Parking can easily be found for free on the surrounding streets. read more

Stunning art. Easily competes with other art museums, which is shocking since it's free. That said, as many others have pointed out, the staff is over the top. They made me feel very uncomfortable as I was enjoying the art. One staff member took a step every time I did, and was walking very close to me. It was intrusive and negatively impacted my experience here. read more

The best thing about this museum/art collection is the area that it is in and the vibes of the neighborhood but that is it. The museum staff here has probably never been to a art museum or interacted with any museum goers before working here. As soon as we walked in there was no signs or any communication about signing in. As we ventured into the first exhibit, we were kindly told that no photos were allowed and we quickly apologized and put our phones away. The other security guards then proceeded to follow me and breath down my neck for the remainder of this exhibit. As I walked out of this exhibit , all 3 of them lined up as I turned around to see if they were still stalking us and indeed they were. It was truly comical. Almost as comical as some of the pieces here in the collection. I understand everyone has their own interpretation of art however you can't call EVERYTHING art. At one point there was a square canvas painted blue. Just blue. I wish I could have shown you but the security would have probably slapped my phone out of my hands to prevent me from documenting how much of a joke this museum is. Finally, the things that interested me about this museum was not even on display and was closed. Truly disappointing. read more

Review #297 What's better than seeing artwork from the greatest artists from around the world? Seeing it all for free! Picasso, Andy Warhol, Max Ernest, Piet Mondrian, and so on...you get the idea. The Menil Collection is a Houston gem and a must see for anyone traveling or living in the greater Houston area. Located in Montrose (not far from downtown). Strict guidelines enforced by grumpy security. Absolutely zero photos, which I don't understand. I've snapped photos of the Mona Lisa, Starry Night and so on. And dont you dare get close to anything or risk being barked at. Keep your little ones close! I warned you! The Menil has a huge beautiful lawn with sprawling breathtaking trees. Pack a lunch and picnic blanket and enjoy your time. Even with the overly strict Menil rules the museum is a must see! DO GO TO THE WEBSITES TO READ ABOUT THE DONTS and what you need to know before entering. read more

Its free! Its an amazing collection of surreal and African art (havent seen this many Max Ernst painting in one roof since I was at the Guggenheim in Venice). The surrounding park and exterior are quite nice. Why wouldnt you come here!! read more

amazing and must see collection but... it's absurd to not be able to take pictures when you are allowed to at damn near any other art museum ever no info on anything in one room due to "updates," which is kinda strange i also got accused of touching a painting when i was just trying to get a little closer to see the texture. i literally had my hands behind my back too. i've never touched a painting in my life all in all, pretty uptight, but of course id return over and over to see the art read more

The Menil Collection is composed of several small buildings next to each other, each housing different exhibits. It's in a really nice area and it was fun to walk around and not crowded at all. The collections are interesting (everything from Egyptian artifacts to modern art). And it's FREE and i'm all about free museums. Cons: no pictures allowed in most places, it's honestly quite small (expect to spend about an hour or two), security guards follow you around even in small exhibit rooms read more

Wonderful art and a deep history but....... The staff! Each room had someone watching your every move and if you were a bit close to art they would reprimand you I asked one of the docents a question about a piece of art and she told me "I cannot comment on art since it will take me way from my job of monitoring the room. If you want an answer to an art question some one up front can help " Although I have been in hundreds of art museums throughout the world today I was made to feel like a child who didn't know how to view art It is their collection and their rules and I applaud them for caring so much and enforcing rules, the constant monitoring with reprimands was a real downer read more

No pictures, no videos and no fun. Don't you dare move or talk. My toddler is very well behaved and was holding my hand and they still mentioned she should be holding my hand? Ummm ok Karen...we visit art galleries and museums very often, we know how to behave in a public setting. They follow you around like you stole something and I couldn't even carry my diaper bag on both shoulders. They said to carry it off one shoulder or on my chest. Why? I don't get why you would even make up this stupid rule. This isn't the Louvre Museum...not really sure why they behave in this manner but I won't be coming back here. read more

This is a great free exhibit in Houston! Plenty of parking and really interesting exhibits. The size of the museum is perfect for browsing - it took me and a friend about an hour to see everything in the main building. There is currently a great exhibit with works from Niki de Saint Phalle that I really enjoyed! Every gallery has informative pamphlets and the staff are very courteous and professional. There are several other buildings around the site with other exhibits and the area is really nice to walk around. read more

I think of this as an abbreviated version of MFAH, similar exhibits, just smaller and FREE. If you are not the artsy type, it will take about an hour to go through everything. It is not as overwhelming as the MFAH. The Menil has four main exhibits with a few others that rotate. These exhibits also include some video pieces and cool contemporary art sculptures. There is a free parking lot across the street from the building. The lot isn't too large, but there is plenty of space depending on the time you go. If you don't find a spot, there is plenty of street parking around the area. TIP: If you do make it out, be sure to check out the Cy Twombly Gallery, the Rothko chapel just a block away, the Byzantine chapel, and a few other rotating exhibits that are within walking distance. read more

I have loved coming here for years, but I find the accessibility lacking. Only one of the exhibits I went into had a bench. Only one. This is a common problem at art exhibits, but I was hoping the Menil would be better. The cards were all so small that you had to get quite close (and you're not supposed to get within 2 feet of the art, which the cards are maybe 6 inches from). The tape to demarcate how close you can get to certain pieces blends in to the floor for even my perfectly fine eyes, I can't imagine they are functional for anyone with sight problems. I appreciate the accesible entrances and no doors into different rooms, but that is not enough. Do better, Menil read more

I am a lifelong, native Houstonian who has been enjoying art and attending museums, including the Menil, since childhood. The gallery attendants have always been a bit overbearing and intrusive but today was just too much. I'm convinced they hire people who can't get employment elsewhere, because some of them don't even talk, they GRUNT at you in a non-human language if you point at art behind GLASS (as my 65 year old parents did) or if your toe accidentally crosses the almost invisible black tape that is supposed to act as a barrier for the visitor to stand being the art (as my husband did and immediately pulled it back). I understand rowdy kids come to the menil and might touch the art but read the damn room. You have people walking around with their arms folded, or clasped behind their back. Doesn't that show you that these particular visitors might respect art and know not to touch it? Also, the gallery attendants have taken to clearing their throat in a disgusting, obnoxious manner. It was literally almost all of them! I can only guess they are instructed to do this by the higher ups? What gives? They also will not move so you can read the captions on the wall. Do you want people to visit your museum or not? The Menil Collection, you have become a blight on Houston and Museum culture in general. I can only imagine Dominique De Menil is rolling over in her grave. Shame on YOU! read more

It was only when one of the older guards here barked at me to stop taking photos did I realize that I hadn't been to the Menil in a long, long time. I didn't know the museum reversed their photography policy but the guard sternly said that taking photos was never permitted. Well, that's incorrect. The Menil used to allow personal photography before the smartphone age. (I have attached some of my old photos so Yelpers at least have some indication of the great collection here.) While almost all other major museums in the US and Canada now permit photography, the Menil has this notice: 'To help us maintain the Menil's tranquil atmosphere, we ask all visitors to please refrain from taking photographs inside the museum.' That's silly. The design of this renowned building by Renzo Piano has tranquility embedded into it. Only a stampede could disturb that equilibrium. I'm giving the wonderful Menil a low rating only because of a policy that is so out-of-step in the 21st century. read more

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Free to the public - Picasso, Calder, Magritte, and more! Cy Twombly Gallery, Mark Rothko Chapel, and Byzantine Chapel are adjacent, and don't forget to view the newly acquired Jasper Johns exhibit at the Menil Drawing Institute. A must for modern art lovers and antiquities enthusiasts. read more