Patron Groups
5A: African American Art Advisory Association
Celebrate the accomplishments of African American artists by becoming a member of the African American Art Advisory Association (5A). Membership dues go toward acquiring African or African American art for the MFAH collections, in addition to initiatives and programs that further the Museum’s mission to exhibit and interpret art for all people.
Art + Paper
Art + Paper fosters a deeper appreciation for the graphic arts and encourages the understanding and collecting of works on paper through a series of exciting events with artists, collectors, curators, conservators, and other experts. Membership dues directly support the prints and drawings department.
Art Crowd
Art Crowd is a vibrant group of MFAH members in their 20s and 30s interested in expanding their experiences at the Museum. It’s the perfect atmosphere for connecting with other young individuals involved in Houston’s dynamic arts scene. Art Crowd members receive exclusive perks in addition to their regular MFAH membership benefits.
Collectors Studio
Collectors Studio creates a personal access point where emerging art enthusiasts and collectors (primarily in their 30s and 40s) experience specially crafted programs to enhance their appreciation for art. Through engagement with the Museum’s vast resources, this group is the premier Houston destination for connecting with art from around the world across all disciplines.
contemporary@mfah
contemporary@mfah celebrates the vital role of contemporary art in the Museum’s programs through one-on-one dialogues with curators and artists, tours of private collections, exclusive exhibition viewings, and studio visits. Members have the opportunity to learn about best practices in collecting, and dues create a permanent legacy, bringing landmark works into the MFAH collections.
Core Salon
For those who wish to support emerging artists and critics in the Core Fellows Program, the Museum’s premier residency program at the Glassell School of Art, the Core Salon provides an opportunity to connect with Core Fellows, join discussions on contemporary art, and more. Members at the 10 X 10 level receive a limited-edition work of art created by a former Core Fellow.
Design Council
As part of the decorative arts department, Design Council focuses on the defining role that art objects and design play in everyday life. This dynamic group meets for lectures, visits to private collections, and behind-the-scenes exhibition tours. Design Council also supports the Museum’s growing collection of decorative arts, craft, and design.
Family Circle
Family Circle fosters long-term appreciation of the visual arts for families and children while supporting the MFAH. Benefiting a range of important education initiatives, the programs are led by the learning and interpretation department. Members enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes tours and fun programs for children that encourage lifelong interest in the visual arts.
Film Buffs
Film Buffs is the Museum’s membership group for movie lovers. Industry professionals such as Wes Anderson, Stockard Channing, Peter Fonda, and Richard Linklater have participated in Film Buffs events. Members receive admissions to the Museum’s year-round film screenings; passes to sneak previews; invitations to social events and programs with visiting filmmakers, and more.
Friends of American Arts
Friends of American Arts is a patron group offering social and educational programs with insight into the diverse field of American art. Focusing on the rich time period from the 18th century to WWI, the range of themes includes topics such as Colonial Era and Gilded Age portraiture, the American West, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the work of Native American and African American artists.
Friends of Asian Art
Friends of Asian Art members play an active role in one of the most rapidly growing collections in the Museum. With the Arts of Korea Gallery, the Glassell Collection of Indonesian Gold, the Nidhika and Pershant Mehta Arts of India Gallery, the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Arts of China Gallery, and the Arts of Japan Gallery, the Museum offers something for every connoisseur of Asian art.
Latin Maecenas
Latin Maecenas members learn about the exciting field of Latin American art through lectures, seminars, and visits to prominent private collections in Houston and abroad. Other opportunities include interacting with contemporary Latin American and Latino artists; traveling internationally with curators; and attending the biennial Latin American Experience Gala.
Photo Forum
Photo Forum supports the photography department and has made possible the acquisition of more than 500 modern and contemporary photographs. Patrons gain access to the Museum’s curators and renowned collection through behind-the-scenes seminars, special tours and exhibition receptions, artist lectures, and visits to prominent private collections.
Rienzi Society
The Rienzi Society benefits the MFAH collections of European decorative arts, displayed in the former home of Carroll Sterling and Harris Masterson III. Members of the Rienzi Society receive special invitations to lectures and are invited each year to participate in selecting objects for the collection to be purchased with funds raised at the Rienzi Society Dinner.