Welcome to the MFAH
MFAH Director Gary Tinterow
Photograph by F. Carter Smith
Welcome to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. I hope you find mfah.org an inspiring guide to the wonderful experiences in store for you at the Museum, and I invite you to explore all of the exceptional exhibitions, installations, and virtual programming.
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Masterpieces provides a rare opportunity to see the distinguished Pearlman Collection outside of its home at Princeton University. Henry Pearlman’s personal approach to collecting sought to capture the momentum of art and thought at the dawn of the modern era. The exhibition juxtaposes Pearlman works with selections from the MFAH collections.
The art of Pipilotti Rist transforms the Museum’s Cullinan Hall into a cosmic getaway. Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest and Worry Will Vanish brings together two experiential works from the MFAH collection: Pixel Forest, an installation of thousands of hanging LED lights; and Worry Will Vanish, a video projection that takes visitors on a dreamlike journey.
Our new galleries for Art of the Islamic Worlds present, for the first time, the full extent of the MFAH holdings in Islamic art, enhanced by a significant selection of Persian masterworks on extended loan from the distinguished collection of Hossein Afshar. These permanent galleries for art from historic Islamic lands enable us to enhance our effort to reflect the city whose many communities we serve.
A special highlight has been introducing Houston—and the world—to the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, dedicated to the first comprehensive display of the Museum’s international collections of modern and contemporary art. This beautiful facility, and the surrounding plazas, gardens, and commissions, match the growth, diversity, and dynamism of our city. The inaugural presentation Connecting Currents comprises thematic installations of art from the 1960s to 2020.
When you plan your visits, check the ever-changing calendar of events for activities throughout the Museum, including the Glassell School of Art and our two house museums: Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens and Rienzi.
We offer a number of ways to enjoy the Museum for free. For example, MFAH members receive free general admission every day, and Family-level memberships include the children in the household. Children 12 and younger are always admitted free, and on weekends all children receive free general admission when they show their card from any Texas public library. General admission is free for everyone on Thursdays, courtesy of Shell Oil Company.
For me, the Museum is a place of wonder and enlightenment, as I hope it is for you. Please visit often, and say hello when you see me in the galleries.
Sincerely,
Gary Tinterow
Director
The Margaret Alkek Williams Chair
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
A Conversation with Gary Tinterow
Watch a series of conversations with Gary Tinterow about his ambitions and goals for the Museum, including partnerships both locally and abroad, and increased visitor access to the MFAH collections.