Tours
- Docent-led tours of the house and collection, included with general admission, are offered:
- Wednesday, 11 am & 2 pm
- Thursday & Friday, 10 am, 11 am & 1 pm
- Saturday, 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm & 2 pm
- Sunday, 1 pm & 2 pm
- Visits are self-guided at all other times.
- Maps and cell phone audio tours are available.
- Guided group tours are available Wednesday-Friday for groups of 10 or more (maximum of 40) by advance reservation. Call 713-353-1565 or email [email protected] to check availability and schedule your tour.
- Rienzi closes every year during August.
Specialty Tours
The Masterson Legacy: A Behind-the-Scenes Tour at Rienzi
Discover rooms and objects not usually on view on this guided tour. Learn about the private world and collection of Rienzi’s original owners, Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III, and the legacy they left in Houston. Typically held once a month. Check the calendar of events for upcoming tours.
Spanish Tours
Rienzi offers docent-led tours in Spanish on the second Saturday of the month at noon. The tour showcases highlights of the Rienzi's collection while providing insight into the history and architecture of the home and gardens.
Docent-led tours are also available in the following languages: French, Russian, Polish, and Czech. Contact [email protected] to arrange a guided tour.
Email for Questions [email protected]
Call for Questions 713-353-1565
School Tours
To inquire about custom school tours, call Rienzi’s education office at 713-353-1565 during business hours.
Tours of Rienzi encourage students to develop a lifelong love of learning through art. Thematic tours connect with established curricula, inspiring students to engage in topics such as European history, world cultures, geography, and language arts. Tours are available for K–12 students and for college and university students.
Specially trained gallery educators lead interactive tours, which emphasize close observation of objects and facilitate the development of essential visual and critical-analysis skills.
Before Your Tour
As you prepare to visit Rienzi, you can do a few things as a classroom to get ready:
- Browse and search art objects in Rienzi’s collection online, and visit mfah.org/rienzi to learn about the house and gardens.
- Practice looking at art with these handy tips designed by MFAH staff members.
Related Reading
Further your experience at Rienzi through the world of books. Learn more about the time period and themes highlighted in Rienzi’s collection.
Storybooks for Young Children (ages 3–7)
- Bill in a China Shop by Katie McAllaster
- A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
- The Empty Pot by Demi
- King Midas and the Golden Touch by Charlotte Craft
- Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
- Madame La Grande and Her So High to the Sky, Uproarioius Pompadour by Candace Fleming
- Madeline in London by Ludwig Bemelman
- Katie Meets a Spanish Princess by James Mayhew
- The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Chapter Books for Youth and Teens (ages 8–14)
- Meet Caroline: An American Girl by Kathleen Ernst
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Koingsburg
- Fever 1796 by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Sea Cutter / Book 1: The Chronicles of Nathaniel Childe by Timothy C. Davis
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Trial by Jen Bryant
- Victoria: May Blossom of Britannia, England, 1829 by Anna Kirwan (Royal Diaries Series)
Books for Adult Readers
- The Age of Comfort by Joan DeJean
- At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson
- Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
- Tea: The Drink that Changed the World by Laura C. Martin
- Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber
- Our Tempestuous Day: A History of Regency England by Carrolly Erikson
- Up and Down Stairs: The History of the Country House Servant by Jeremy Musson