MFAH Events from September 2 – September 15
*Reminder: Timed tickets to the main campus, Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and Rienzi are recommended to be obtained in advance online at mfah.org/tickets.
Opening Soon:
Going Underground: The Jewels of Bernhard Schobinger, open September 3, 2026 through January 3, 2027
One of the most significant artists working in contemporary jewelry today, Bernhard Schobinger reimagines it as a subversive medium, using scavenged and alternative materials to reveal their hidden histories. Going Underground, the first U.S. exhibition to examine Schobinger’s career, features pivotal pieces of experimental jewelry and selected sculptures from 1968 to the present, with necklaces, bracelets, and rings drawn from prominent private collections and the holdings of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Featured Events:
Lecture | In Conversation with Hew Locke, Wednesday, September 2, 6 p.m.
Over more than three decades, Hew Locke has used photography, drawing, sculpture, and assemblages to explore the histories of colonialism across five continents—filtered through present-day realities of global trade, migration, and diaspora. In this conversation with Brittany Webb, curator of modern and contemporary art, Locke discusses the material, art historical, and geographic influences on view in the exhibition Hew Locke: Passages. Topics span his research in major museums to his travels between the United Kingdom, Guyana, and beyond. Caroline Wiess Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet Street.
MFAH Playdate, Friday, September 4, 11:30 a.m.
Through play and experimentation in programs like MFAH Playdate, toddlers have their first experience with art. This event encourages children 4 and younger, with their adult caregivers, to join a Museum educator for a multi-sensory experience in the galleries. Participants sing songs, listen to storybooks, and join in fun games and activities, all while being introduced to ideas and themes found in the art on view at the MFAH. Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, 5500 Main Street.
Studio & Gallery Visit | “In Living Color”, Friday, September 11, 12 p.m.
The Jubilee Quilt Circle of the Community Artists’ Collective invites you to visit their studio space at the Glassell School of Art. Learn more about their work and explore In Living Color, the culminating exhibition of their second year in the Quilters in Residence program. Glassell School of Art, 5101 Montrose Boulevard.
The Masterson Legacy: A Behind-the-Scenes Tour at Rienzi, Sunday, September 13, 2 p.m.
Step into the private world of the Masterson family, the original owners of Rienzi. Get an exclusive look at hidden rooms, art objects, and areas of the house not usually on view. Take advantage of this opportunity to explore a forgotten piece of history and learn about the legacy of Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III. Rienzi, 1406 Kirby Drive.
Events:
Drop-in Tour | “Hew Locke: Passages”, Wednesday, September 2, 1:30 p.m.
Hew Locke’s artwork reflects his passion for reassessing global trade, the movement of peoples, and the reality of the diaspora for millions of people past and present. In this tour, learn about the multilayered topics explored in Hew Locke: Passages, the intriguing exhibition that highlights the artist’s career since the 1990s. Another session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9. Audrey Jones Beck Building, 5601 Main Street.
Tour | Artwork of the Month “Dorukha Shawl”, Friday, September 4, 1:30 p.m.
Art enthusiasts are invited to dive deep into a different work of art every month. In September, learn about Dorukha Shawl and discuss how the art moves you. This work is included in the exhibition From Persia to Paisley: Global Luxury and the Kashmir Shawl. Another session is scheduled for Friday, September 11. Caroline Wiess Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet Street.
Happy Hour Friday, Friday, September 4, 5 p.m.
Happy Hour happens on Fridays! Once a month, Happy Hour Friday features Tango Night. Meet your friends at the MFAH for the best night of the week. Explore the campus, visit the galleries, and get a drink at the bar (payment by credit card only). A regular session is scheduled for Friday, September 11.
Family Zone, Sunday, September 6, 1 p.m.
On selected Sundays, families are invited to visit the MFAH Family Zone. You’ll find engaging gallery activities with coloring sheets, colored pencils, books, and more. Knowledgeable staff members are on hand to help answer questions about the works of art on view. Audrey Jones Beck Building, 5601 Main Street.
MFAH on the Move | Bilingual Zumba, Sunday, September 13, 11 a.m.
“MFAH on the Move” invites you to meet up with FiTMiX Communities every second Sunday of the month for Zumba at the Museum. Yuri Amor Perez and fellow FiTMiX instructors get you up and moving with free Zumba in the beautiful outdoor setting of Cullen Sculpture Garden. Mixed into your Sunday-morning Zumba practice are opportunities to explore works of art from around the world.
Little Artists, Sunday, September 13, 1 p.m.
Families are invited to join an exciting art adventure at the Museum. Activities include a storybook circle, making art projects in the studio, and visiting the galleries with an MFAH teaching artist. Recommended for families with children ages 3 to 5. Caroline Wiess Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet Street.
Exhibitions on View:
Ernesto Neto: SunForceOceanLife, on view through September 7, 2026
Returning to the Museum’s vast Cullinan Hall this spring and summer, Ernesto Neto: SunForceOceanLife is a soaring crochet installation that fills the space with spiraling color and movement. A major MFAH commission by renowned Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto, SunForceOceanLife suspends visitors some 12 feet in the air as they navigate an interior network of hand-woven passages.
Hew Locke: Passages, open through September 13, 2026
Hew Locke reinvents the signs and symbols that define public spaces—from statues to coats of arms, royal insignia, official portraits, monuments, and imperial architecture. He uses photography, drawing, sculpture, and assemblages to explore the histories of colonialism across five continents—filtered through present-day realities of global trade, migration, and diaspora. The most comprehensive survey of Locke’s work to date, Hew Locke: Passages showcases the spectrum of his practice through three decades of his sculptures, collages, and assemblages.
Picasso–Klee–Matisse: Masterpieces from the Museum Berggruen, on view through September 13, 2026
Highlighting the careers of Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee, as well as Henri Matisse’s signature cut-outs, Alberto Giacometti’s haunting sculptures, and the works of Georges Braque and Paul Cezanne, this exhibition explores the relationship of famed gallerist and collector Heinz Berggruen with the artistic community of postwar Paris and beyond. Assembled thematically, the collection reflects an intimate, personal approach to the European avant-garde that shines new light on titans of the 20th-century art world.
George Washington: America’s Enduring Icon, on view through November 22, 2026
George Washington: America’s Enduring Icon includes objects from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries featuring images of George Washington during his lifetime, as well as many that mourned or honored him after his death. The exhibition examines the many ways that Americans have recognized, honored, celebrated, memorialized, and appropriated the memory of Washington.
America 250: 1776–2026, open through January 3, 2027
This year, the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As the nation considers its past and imagines its future, art offers meaningful perspectives into moments in time. With America 250, the MFAH highlights American artistic achievements in its permanent collection. Guests are invited to discover these works of art throughout galleries on the main campus and at both house museums: Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and Rienzi.
The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl, on view through January 3, 2027
A celebration of sculptural form and material mastery, The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl marks the first U.S. exhibition dedicated to the German artist. Spanning nearly five decades of her work, this presentation features a series of necklaces and brooches that exemplify Dorothea Prühl’s visionary approach to contemporary jewelry.
Midcentury Menu: Dining in the Atomic Age, on view through January 10, 2027
The end of World War II ushered in an exciting era of economic prosperity and technological advancement that changed how Americans thought about food. Through popular media, particularly magazines and television, advertisers encouraged the use of technology to create the ideal home. They marketed a modern, aspirational lifestyle to women while promoting prepared foods and myriad new appliances celebrated for their convenience and efficiency.
Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, ongoing
The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building is dedicated to the Museum’s international collections of modern and contemporary art. The soaring spaces feature displays that span media encompassing painting and sculpture, craft and design, video, and immersive installations. The third-floor galleries are devoted to thematic exhibitions, with installations of art from the 1960s onward. New installations include Behind the Wheel, Energy, Color into Light, Line into Space and Material Presence.
Films:
Some Like It Hot, Friday, September 4, 7 p.m.
Directed by Billy Wilder
(1959, 122 minutes, English)
Brown Auditorium Theater, 35mm
Celebrate the centennial of Marilyn Monroe’s birth with Billy Wilder’s classic comedy Some Like It Hot. After a police raid on the Chicago speakeasy where they perform, jazz musicians Joe and Jerry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) find themselves unemployed and on the run. When they stumble upon a gang war, they land a gig in Florida with Sweet Sue and Her Society Syncopators. Just one problem: It’s an all-female band, and Joe and Jerry aren’t women. Transforming themselves in drag, they befriend the alluring Sugar Kane (Monroe), but things derail for the pair as they start attracting unwanted attention. The cast also features Joe E. Brown in a memorably myopic role. Other screenings are scheduled for Saturday, September 5 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 6 at 5 p.m.
Take Care of My Cat, Friday, September 11, 7 p.m.
Directed by Jeong Jae-eun
(2001, 112 minutes, Korean with English subtitles)
Lynn Wyatt Theater, 4k digital restoration
A sleeper hit in 2001, this perceptive debut chronicles the lives of five graduating friends (among them Bae Doona and Lee Yo-won in breakout roles) whose bonds fracture as they contend with unrealized dreams and unequal opportunities. Set in the port city of Incheon, the film tackles notions of class, solidarity, and privilege – in what is now a timeless snapshot of a rapidly evolving society. Suffused with the joys of girlhood, yet clear-eyed about the uneasy transition into adulthood, Take Care of My Cat offers a tender portrait of young women at the turn of the new millennium. Another screening is scheduled for Saturday, September 12 at 7 p.m.
White Nights (Le notti bianche), Sunday, September 13, 5 p.m.
Directed by Luchino Visconti
(1957, 101 minutes, Italian with English subtitles)
Brown Auditorium Theater, 4k digital restoration
The achingly romantic White Nights is an exquisite adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novella, transforming the shattering tale of two restless souls into a black-and-white dream. Shot before La dolce vita and 8 ½ made him an international star, Marcello Mastroianni plays a lonely drifter who meets a woman (Maria Schell) on a Tuscan bridge in Livorno. As they spend nights wandering the misty streets, a delicate romance unfolds that quickly entangles them in a web of longing and self-delusion. Known for its otherworldly aesthetic, critics praise the restoration for preserving this atmospheric daydream and maintaining a gorgeous balance between reality and cinematic artifice.
More information available at https://www.mfah.org/films.
