Prior to the opening of the permanent museum building in 1924, George M. Dickson bequeathed to the collection its first important American and European oil paintings. In 1974, John and Audrey Jones Beck placed on long-term loan fifty With more than 62,000 works of art, the majority of the museum's collection lie in the areas of Italian Renaissance painting, French Impressionism, photography, American and European decorative arts, African and pre-Columbian gold, American art, and post-1945 European and American painting and sculpture. The museum benefits the Houston community through programs, publications and media presentations. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is among the 10 largest art museums in the United States, with an encyclopedic collection of more than 65,000 works of art. The permanent collection of the museum spans more than 6,000 years of history with approximately 64,000 works from six continents. Trustees and staff dedicated the small art collection to the community and defined the function of the museum as bringing “art into the everyday life” of all Houstonians. The MFAH's permanent collection totals 63,718 pieces in 300,000 square feet (28,000 mThe school offers classes at the Studio School for Adults and the Glassell Junior School, as well as Community Bridge Programs, special programs for youths, and the Core Artist-in-Residence Program. As a result of its encyclopedic collection, the museum ranks nationally among the top ten art museums in attendance.Art Museum, Institute, Library, Sculpture Park in Houston, TX United States The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), located in the Houston Museum District, Houston, is one of the largest museums in the United States. The galleries of the MFAH main campus, Rienzi & Bayou Bend are open on a new schedule.Advance timed tickets are recommended. The first museum building – opened to the public in 1924 – represented the determination of Houstonians to transform their growing city into a rich cultural center. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is the oldest art museum in Texas. Enjoy an array of Italian-inspired fare with a Texas flair, a European-style coffee bar, a kids menu, and much more at the MFA Café, located on the lower level of the Beck Building.Join our mailing list for sneak peeks to upcoming events and insider information on the best museum district in the worldfor complete parking info, including a map you can download. Today the MFAH encompasses two buildings, the Caroline Wiess Law and Audrey Jones Beck buildings, that house its primary collections and temporary exhibitions; two decorative arts house museums; The Glassell studio art school; a sculpture garden; a facility for conservation, storage and archives; and an administrative building with the Glassell Junior school of Art Eye on Houston: High School Documentary Photography (January 16, 2019—August 11, 2019) Main address 1001 Bissonnet , Houston , Texas 77005 MFAH Information Line 713.639.7300 Sign up for e-newsletters MFAH Community Profile Each year, 1.25 million people benefit from museum's programs, workshops and resource centers. In 1917, the museum site was dedicated by the Houston Public School Art League (later the Houston Art League) with the intention of becoming a public art museum. The MFAH has two cafés, a repertory cinema, two libraries, and two nearby house museums for decorative arts: Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and Rienzi.Paolo Fronza, from Fellini Caffè, runs this sophisticated dining operation. In the 1930s, Houstonian Annette Finnigan began her donation of antiquities and Texas philanthropist The MFAH collection nearly doubled from 1970 to 1989, fueled by continued donations of art along with the advent of both accession endowment funding and corporate giving. Other facets of the collection include African-American art and Texas painting. The main campus comprises the Audrey Jones Beck Building; the Caroline Wiess Law Building; the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden; the Glassell School of Art; The Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza; and the BBVA Compass Roof Garden. We welcome all visitors at any time. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is among the 10 largest art museums in the United States, with an encyclopedic collection of more than 65,000 works of art.