Mission & History
Who We Are
The Houston Museum District is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization representing 21 member museums, arts, and cultural institutions, each with its unique focus, within a nine-square-mile footprint designated as a cultural district by the State of Texas.
The mission of HMD is to advocate for, partner with, and promote Museum District institutions in support of their efforts to enhance Houston’s creative and cultural life. In doing so, HMD and our members collectively serve as a catalyst that supports Houston’s economy and improves its quality of life.
Our History
Eleven institutions formed the Houston Museum District Association on January 27, 1997, and received the IRS 501 (c) (3) designation as of August 22, 1997 (HMDA Form 990 2016). In 2010, the Houston Museum District was designated as a Cultural District by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
The Houston Museum District Association is now comprised of the following 21 museums and organizations located within an approximate nine-square-mile area:
- Asia Society Texas
- Buffalo Soldiers National Museum
- Children’s Museum Houston
- Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
- Czech Center Museum Houston
- DiverseWorks
- The Health Museum
- Holocaust Museum Houston
- Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
- Houston Center for Photography
- Houston Museum of Natural Science
- Houston Zoo, Inc.
- Inprint
- The Jung Center
- Lawndale Art and Performance Center
- The Menil Collection
- Miller Outdoor Theatre
- Museum of African American Culture Center
- The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Moody Center for the Arts
- Rothko Chapel