In the 1940s—30 years before the MFAH established a curatorial department for decorative arts—the museum outfitted a men’s smoking room with bentwood furniture that included chairs, tables, and a folding screen by the now-legendary Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. The exhibition Scandinavian Design shows how the museum has built upon this history, acquiring outstanding objects by Scandinavian architects, designers, and manufacturers dating from the 1920s to the 1970s.

► Admission is free when you purchase lunch from that day's on-site food truck or from the MFAH location of Cafe Express, so make Lunch + Look part of your Friday routine! General admission is always free for MFAH Members.