Next Thursday evening Rienzi, in partnership with CultureMap, is celebrating English Taste with a “punch party.” While this may bring visions of childhood favorites like Hi-C and lunchtime juice boxes, we are in fact taking a slightly more sophisticated and adult-like approach for this celebration, using eighteenth-century punch recipes. What exactly is eighteenth-century punch? Generally, it is described as a blend of spirits, citrus, sugar, and spices. The drink became popular during...

The past few days have been a flurry of activity at Rienzi.  MFAH staff members from several different departments – curatorial, preparations, conservation, and mounts – are all busy working alongside English food historian Ivan Day on the installation of English Taste: The Art of Dining in the Eighteenth Century. They are busy arranging Ivan’s delicious and sometimes unusual looking historical faux food on Rienzi’s Dining Room table for this exhibition which...

Dear Readers, Today we have a special treat - a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration of two terracotta lions made by John Charles Felix Rossi that flank the doors to Rienzi's Foyer by the MFAH's Conservation Department. Guest blogger, Ingrid Seyb, Assistant Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, shares her insights on the process of repairing, restoring, and preserving these handsome pieces. We hope you enjoy! - Casey & Caroline

Have you been reading along with The Rienzi and Bayou Bend book club this month?  I am in the middle of Bill Bryson’s At Home: A Short History of Private Life and enjoying how many of the fun facts fit right in with Rienzi’s unique environment!  This is especially true for Chapter 7, “The Drawing Room.”  Not only does Rienzi have a Drawing Room, it is one of our docents’ favorite rooms to...

Each year, Rienzi closes to the public during the month of August to give curators, conservators, and preparations a chance to evaluate the collection and make repairs to the house. Although void of visitors and docents, this August has been busier than usual for the staff.  Rienzi is preparing to open its first major exhibition, English Taste: The Art of Dining in the Eighteenth Century, on Saturday, September 17th as well as open a...