Programs and Events at Bayou Bend
Bayou Bend is open year-round, with programs and events for adults and families with children. In addition to the highlights below, Bayou Bend offers an Election Celebration every four years and many other activities. For more information, contact Joey Milillo, programs manager, at jmilillo@mfah.org or 713.639.7759.
Are you interested in the docent program? Bayou Bend docents are nationally recognized volunteers who provide outstanding tours and education to visitors.
Family Days
Offered free of charge one Sunday afternoon each month* from September through May, Bayou Bend Family Days feature music, games, crafts, and a host of other activities that are fun for both children and adults. Families with young children are invited to take guided tours, led by volunteers from the Houston Junior Woman's Club, of selected rooms of the house. Plus, guests may register for great giveaways from the MFAH and Houston Public Radio. *Family Days usually take place on the third Sunday of the month, but check the calendar for specific days.
Preschool Story Hour
Preschool Story Hour takes place on the third Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. Stories are read aloud by an educator and are followed by an optional activity. Walk-ins welcome, advance reservation appreciated. Call 713.639.7750.
Book Club
Rienzi and Bayou Bend host a history book discussion series about life in America and Europe in the 1700s and 1800s. Meeting alternately at Rienzi and Bayou Bend, this book club offers free discussions on a regular basis.
Summer History Camp
Bayou Bend's Summer History Camp is a unique, interactive program that gives students a fun, educational opportunity to learn about life in 18th-century America. Every student who participaties is awarded a scholarship for the full cost from the Houston Junior Woman's Club. This generous sponsorship makes it possible for any student with a real interest in American history to attend. For more information, contact Joey Milillo, Bayou Bend programs manager, at jmilillo@mfah.org or 713.639.7759.
School and Group Tours
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens offers a wide variety of school tours throughout the year.
4th of July Celebration
On Independence Day, Bayou Bend is open for an afternoon of music, art activities, and historical demonstrations that celebrate American freedom. Admission is free.
Generously underwritten by
Mary and Michael Epps
In memory of Ralph E. Wallingford
Lectures
♦ The Carol and Les Ballard Lecture Series
Twice a year, renowned scholars speak about interesting aspects of American decorative and fine arts. Each lecture takes place in Brown Auditorium Theater at the MFAH. A reception follows.
2013 Schedule
"Which Yankees, Whose Traditions, and What Arts?"
Speaker: Charles F. Hummel, Winterthur Museum
Tuesday, March 12
"American Needlework"
Speaker: Linda Eaton, Winterthur Museum
Tuesday, November 12
♦ Talk + Tour
In the summer and winter, this series offers lectures in a themed format. Each lecture takes place at the Kilroy Visitor Center and is typically paired with a house tour experience.
Summer 2013
"Working Artists Examine the Craftsmanship of the Bayou Bend Collection"
Wednesdays, July 17 & 31 and August 14 & 28
High School History Group
With this new program for 2013, Bayou Bend is pleased to announce the beginning of a new social studies program for high school-age teenagers!
Speakers Bureau
The Bayou Bend Speakers Bureau, staffed by Bayou Bend docents, offers informative talks and lectures, illustrated with slides, for groups and organizations interested in learning more about antiques, gardens, history, holiday decorating, or the lifestyles of Americans in the past.
More than 60 topics are available. Presentations to educational institutions (teacher groups, colleges, etc.) are free of charge. Other groups pay a tax-deductible honorarium of $50 that is used to support the educational activities of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens. Please call 713.353.1508 for more information.
Detective Days
There’s mystery afoot at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens for sleuths ages 6 and older during the summer! Self-guided outdoor detective adventures feature educational themes ranging from plants and trees to sculpture and architecture. Indoor detective adventures are also offered, with tours of the historic mansion filled with antique treasures from the 18th and 19th centuries. Every Bayou Bend detective receives an Investigator’s Kit as well as a bottle of water for keeping cool during the hunt.*
*Water must be checked prior to entering the house for indoor hunts; no food or drink permitted in the house.
Family Learning Days
Bayou Bend offers a school-tour experience on weekdays, designed especially for families with flexible activity schedules. Click here to request more information.
Yuletide
The renowned annual tradition Yuletide: Holiday Time at Bayou Bend features festive lights, decorations, and period room settings that bring historic American celebrations to life. Especially popular are the Candlelight Evenings, when guests may tour the exhibition, then enjoy holiday refreshments and entertainment outside. Yuletide typically begins shortly before Thanksgiving and closes around New Year's Day.
Concerts
Bayou Bend partners with innovative music companies such as Ars Lyrica and the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra to bring you outdoor concerts throughout the year.
Azalea Trail
Each March, Bayou Bend participates in Azalea Trail, presented by River Oaks Garden Club. Azalea Trail showcases the colorful azaleas at Bayou Bend, Rienzi, private homes, and the garden club's Forum of Civics. At Bayou Bend, guests are able to enjoy the splendor of spring among the woodland gardens and glimpse Bayou Bend's collection of American decorative arts while passing through the main hall of the house. For more information, visit the River Oaks Garden Club website or call 713.523.2483. Tickets are also available at Bayou Bend beginning in February. Azalea Trail admission is the only way to view Bayou Bend during this weekend. Proceeds support local organizations including Bayou Bend and Rienzi.
Spring House and Gardens Days
3rd Weekend in March
A weekend of education and natural beauty in the gardens of Bayou Bend and Rienzi . Adult learners will enjoy guided garden tours, experts, demonstrations & more! Tours of the grounds introduce you to local experts in diverse fields of gardening and landscaping expertise, from landscape design to attracting bees. Guests will also have the chance to tour the historic house, enjoy light refreshments, and visit Rienzi via a trolley that runs between the two museums.
Flower Hour
Selected Spring Evenings
5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (last admission 7 p.m.)
Stroll through Miss Ima Hogg's historic estate at twilight. Newly renovated house interiors and 14 acres of gardens are open for self-guided tours. Enjoy light refreshments and music on the Diana Terrace. Before or after your visit, stop by the Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center to visit The Shop at Bayou Bend and the Hogg Family Legacy Room.