Main Street and Montrose Boulevard Architecture Walk

After Rice Institute and Hermann Park opened in the early 1910s, Houston’s South End became an increasingly desirable neighborhood in which to live and work. The area gained cachet in the 1920s when it became the location of the new Museum of Fine Arts, leading it to be nicknamed “Houston’s Cradle of Culture” — and today, the Museum District remains one of the most beautiful parts of the city.

Our 90-minute, docent-guided walking tour will explore the area between Main Street and Montrose Boulevard just north of Hermann Park, including the MFAH complex, the charming neighborhood of Colby Court and the imposing churches of Main Street. Along the way, we will discuss how the area developed and how it has changed through the years. We will see buildings designed by William Ward Watkin, Joseph Finger, MacKie & Kamrath and Carlos Jiménez — including Finger’s own home on Portland Place — and will get a glimpse of the Museum of Fine Arts’ massive $450 million expansion, construction of which is now under way.

Please note this is an exterior architecture tour only. The tour will not go inside any buildings. There are no public restrooms along the tour route.

Tickets are $10 for the general public ($7 for Preservation Houston members and students). Children 11 years old and under are admitted free. Tickets may be charged to Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Tickets go on sale at 1:30 p.m.Sunday, April 9, in front of the Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Boulevard. The last tour group will leave just after 2 p.m. Reservations are not required.

Free street parking is available in the neighborhood; please observe posted parking regulations. The tour’s starting point is a short walk from the Museum District station on MetroRail‘s Red Line. Tour participants who walk, bike or use public transportation will receive a $2 discount off the tour price.

Join Preservation Houston and get a free tour
Join Preservation Houston before Sunday and this weekend’s tour is on us. Just bring confirmation of your new membership — you’ll get a free tour and discounts for future tours, and you’ll support historic preservation in Houston.