HOUSTON ATTRACTIONS
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest city within the state of Texas. It is the seat of Harris County and an economic center of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area –
the sixth largest metropolitan area in the United States with a population of around 5.6 million. The city has a multicultural population with a large and growing international community.
Houston's economy has a broad industrial base in the energy, manufacturing, aeronautics, and technology. Commercially, it is ranked as a gamma world city, and the area is a leading center for building oilfield equipment.
And to cap it all, Houston has recently been named as the country’s best city to live, work and play by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
Billed by the magazine as “The Comeback Kid,” Houston is ranked No.1 on the Best Cities of 2008 list, which focuses on strong economies, abundant jobs, reasonable living costs, and fun things to do.
HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO 2009
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the biggest event of the year in Houston. It is considered as the world’s largest
livestock exhibition as well as the world's largest rodeo – in events, entertainers and spectators lasting for three weeks. Beside the fierce competition in traditional rodeo events,
it also hosts superstar musical entertainers nightly to cap the daily events.
Scheduled to be held on March 3-22, 2009, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2009 is perfectly timed with the MapúaWorld 2009.
Alumni and guests from out of the state/country who are interested to grab the chance of a lifetime of watching this event should start checking
for ticket availability from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo website at least 3 months prior to the start of the event.
SPACE CENTER HOUSTON
Space Center Houston is a must-see attraction in Houston. Over the years, it has become a top tourist attraction, drawing thousands of visitors annually.
Through a combination of live presentations, film and a large collection of artifacts, visitors learn everything there is to know about the history of human space travel.
Popular events and attractions such as the NASA Tour, Blast Off Theater, Astronaut Gallery, and the Kids Space Place serve as entertaining and educational activities for children and adults alike.
Space Center Houston is open to the public 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on weekends. Admission is $18.75 for adults, $14.95 for children ages 4-11, and $17.95 for seniors.
Group rates are available, but interested persons should call 281-244-2105 in advance to secure those rates.
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the largest art museum in Texas and the fifth largest museum in the USA.
The permanent collection of the museum spans more than 6,000 years of history with more than 45,000 works from six continents housed in a family of buildings that boast 300,000 square feet of space.
Collections in French Impressionism, Italian Renaissance, decorative arts and post-1945 paintings and sculpture are amongst its most significant holdings.
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
The Houston Museum of Natural Science is one of Houston’s most popular attractions for locals and tourists alike. Its main goal is to educate the public with knowledge in natural science and related subjects.
Giant dinosaurs, precious gems and ancient Egyptian artifacts are some of the most important holdings of the museum. The museum also features an IMAX theatre and is often home to a variety of traveling exhibits.
MENIL COLLECTION
The Menil Collection is a privately owned museum that holds one of the nation’s most important collections of art.
Founded by Dominique and John de Menil, the museum holds approximately 15,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and rare books.
These impressive collections of art, as a whole, embody a uniquely eclectic selection of artwork that exemplify the de Menil’s dedication to and interest in modernism, as well as their refusal to conform to traditional norms throughout their assemblage of this fine arts collection.
It is open to the public and admission is free.
SAN JACINTO MONUMENT AND MUSEUM
The San Jacinto Monument and Museum is a 570-ft high column that was built to commemorate the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.
The Battle of San Jacinto, which took place on April 21,1836, won Texas its independence from Mexico. The monument is considered the world's tallest masonry monument tower and has been recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The San Jacinto Museum of History is housed in the base of the monument greeting visitors with bronze doors emblazoned with the six flags of Texas.
The San Jacinto Monument and Museum is open everyday, from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
THE HOUSTON GALLERIA
The Houston Galleria is widely recognized as the number one shopping and tourist destination in Houston. In fact, it is the fourth largest shopping mall in the United States. It houses an indoor skating rink, two Westin hotels and more than 375 fine stores and restaurants, in addition to office buildings and theaters – all beneath spectacular glass atriums.
