The Menil Collection Review

Excellent atmosphere for quiet and thoughtful contemplation of art.

Must visit. Interesting collection. Next to Menil park.

This museum is absolutely amazing. The collected art goes back to 2700 BC. Pieces and collections are from different parts of the world and different ages. Architecture of this museum is magnificent. This is a jewel if a museum and free

Always a good choice to get away from the city while still being in the city. Also, it's free!

I go here often mainly because I bring anyone and everyone I can to this museum. The idea that this place is free to view is crazy to me. Although not a lot of people enjoy or understand the art that s showcased here, I believe it s an exclusive experience that Houston has the pleasure of having. Glad that they finally swapped out the other artists for new ones, they should do it more often.

Great free art museum, they have great exibits that change and the permanent art is amazing too, they are very nice. I love to bring out of town guest here for a fun free afternoon of art

Was visiting family in the Houston area. A retrospective show of Jasper Johns Drawings, spanning from the early 50s to the present, was the inaugural exhibition in The Menil Collection's newly opened Drawing Institute Bldg. Incredible show! Had everything from extremely small drawings of festuring ideas to exploratory sketches of now 'Iconic' imagery. And the Monoprints & Etching, incredible too.

Spent some time in the CyTwombly Pavilion. Also fantastic. Some viewers are confounded by Twombly's work. Like to think of Twombly, comparatively, as the younger, louder, messier, & brattier sibling of Robert Ryman. Contemporaries, born couple of years apart, would call these two 2nd generation 'Abstract Expression' Artists, the Introspective 'Anti-Hero' Wave of said movement ie their paintings works aren't as "loud/brash" as the1st gen of Abstract Expressionist. Note: Think of Twombly & Ryman as an equal & valued parallel grouping to the burgeoning proto-Pop movement exemplified by Robert Raushchenberg & Johns.

The following text is a painted Poem/Script from one of Cy Twombly s pieces that form the lg scale Untitled (A Painting in Nine Parts) 1988

****

7 May 88
(PONDS)
to Rilke

and in
the Pond

broken off
from the sky

my feeling Sinks

as if
Standing

on

Fishes

****

Okay, so spent rest of afternoon walking the grounds, semi-meditating in the Rothko Chapel, looking at the Mark Rothko Paintings for an extended period.Takes a while for paintings to come into focus. Beautiful stuff. Also spent time with the Dan Flavor Installation, & the Religious works in the main bldg (The Byzantine Fresco Chapel was closed during my visit unfortunately). Admission price was voluntary. Donated $5.00. Left w/Jasper Johns Drawing Catalogue, reasonably priced, from the Gift Store across the street. Was both mentally & physically exhausted after 4-5 hrs of Art Viewing/Participation yet also very Uplifted. Would I visit again? Yes! Is Today too soon? :-)

Addendum: Today is Wednesday, 11 Dec. 2019. Still haven't opened the Jasper Johns' Drawing Catalogue from said show that my Mother gifted me, Xmas 2018. Will probably open later this week. Reason for delay? Really enjoy looking at the pkging etc :-)

Free museum - can't get any better than that! A small set of collections but tons of variety and in such a cute area. Appreciate the covid precautions taken.

The collection is small and personally I didn't find it as interesting as comparable museums. Entrance is free so I would still recommend visiting if you have time and its not too far out of your way.

If they are closed on any specific day. They don t put that information on google maps. Always better to call them before starting to that place.

I don t care if Beyonce comes here all the time, this pubes on a chair art is pathetic. I guess if you re appreciative of Rothko s soul changing solid colored canvas then you ll probably enjoy his chapel.
On the bright side it s technically free unless you choose to make a donation.

Fantastic private collection organized in a thoughtful manner with open spaces to segment the visit

The only place in Houston that's on 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. It is truly a gift that Houston has been given a museum collection of this caliber, this accessible and so well curated. Stroll along the gorgeous campus and take your time - be sure to come back often to catch the rotating exhibits. Visit this place before you die!

Wonderful and calm place to relax in the late afternoon or anytime during the day. Serene and just relaxing ambient.

Parking is available a block away on West Alabama specifically for the Menil only during a certain time. Bike rental post is also available there in case you are interested.

Definitely go out and spend sometime with your family and just bask in all the beauty and peace the area has to offer on a nice afternoon. It's really calming. The trees are peculiar as well which create a nice view/scenery during sunset.

A must see for art lovers. Pretty amazing collection (except modern art)

Cool art but I got in trouble because I accidentally went over the beeper.

Love it but will not open until 2019 due to renovations

I love The Menil Collection. It's probably my favorite gallery in Houston, even better than MFAH. It's always free and open to the public, although donations are appreciated. They have a nice collection that is substantial but not overwhelmingly huge. The focus is primarily on contemporary, modern, and surrealist art. You'll find works by Ernst, Miro, Picasso, Pollock, Rothko, etc. Best of all is an entire room of Magritte paintings, and a surrealist room full of wondrous and sometimes creepy artifacts. Also, when you go to The Menil, you might as well visit Rothko Chapel just down the street.

Lovely time! Nice staff!
The art exhibition was fantastic.
Highly recommend to any amateur or professional art viewer alike.

My favorite museum in Houston. My wife found it while visiting our son. Home to a rotating collections ranging from primitive to modern. Also home to the Rothko Chapel.

Beautiful collection; plenty of big-name artists like Picasso, Pollock, Magritte

Mom is closed now, please come back at the end of September.

Gorgeous gallery filled with surrealism, modern, and contemporary art from around the world along with some really nice icons. The building is beautiful and laid out really well. Great spot for visitors to Houston to stop as it is free, open 5 days a week, and will make for a more manageable visit than going to the Fine Arts Museum.

I came to Houston just to see the Rene Magritte collection and was ao pleased

Had been here in the past. This time was exceptionally terrible. The security staff was overbearing and unwelcoming, really turned the entire experience sour. Also before they had an impressive Dali collection which is nowhere to be found. Before would have highly recommended to friends. Now wouldn't waste the time, though it is free, would rather go to MFAH and be treated like a welcome guest.

Great collection of unique artwork and always free!! Some of the best that Houston has to offer!

I have been coming here for more than 6 years now. Definitely one of Houston's gems.

The Menil is such a wonderful place. They have rotating exhibits which are always interesting to go visit. The lawn is also really great to just go bring a blanket and hang out. They also host special events like music nights and book fairs. You should really check this place out.

I adore this little collection! Since it's free there's no reason not to go!

It's a free art collection, you owe it to yourself to go see it Al least once.

Website advertised as open but it is under construction. Allow 5 minutes.

As soon as I got inside these exhibits I felt the same sensation as if I had been in Auschwitz. Constantly being watched like a hawk. I left before I could even see everything because of the terrible mood they set for you. They blatantly ask for a 10$ donation and then do not let you enjoy it. If I m ever in Houston again I do not plan on wasting my time here.

Good Collection, but Museum of Fine Arts is far better

The Menill is a beautiful place, with one big building with permanent and visiting collections. Two chapels, book store, restaurant, drawing school and other small galleries.

Great place to spend an afternoon. Awesome museum in a great location.

Great little art museum with current contemporary art. If you can catch a concert here it is even better.

I really enjoyed this place. Loved the artifacts. If you've ever cracked a textbook in art class I'm sure you'll recognize a piece or two. Some exhibits were over my head, but some of the rooms were great. I had heard they don't like photos - that's fine, it's a free private collection. Gives you more time to focus on the exhibit anyway. Wish I had cash on me to drop them a few bucks. The guards always hovering took a bit of getting used to, but when you think about the fact that there's millions at stake and they let anyone in, it's understandable.

Amazing collection put together by John and Dominique de Menil, including a particular focus on Surrealist and Modernist art. Impressive collection of Max Ernst, Rene Magritte, Yves Tanguy, Barnett Newman, and others. In the contemporary area, you can find Yves Klein, Richard Serra, Cy Twombly, and others.

Another, perhaps overlooked gem of the collection, is their wide variety of pieces from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Natives of the Americas - some more ancient than others. In particular, the detail they provide in terms of tribal groups of origin and the clear respect these pieces get in the collection were unexpected joys to see.

The collection provides no context or commentary on the pieces except the occasional pamphlet of introduction, and the Witnesses room, which connects Surrealism to ancient art and artifacts. Beyond that, it is up to you to determine why a particular piece of art is interesting or notable. I would prefer a little more assistance with some of the works, but I understand their choice.

Also, don't the beautifully understated Rothko Chapel, the fascinating Cy Twombly building, or the rotating exhibit at the Drawing Institute - we saw a fascinating Jasper Johns exhibit there, and were very glad we went over. The gift shop also has a fascinating collection of curious items and interesting books.

No pictures allowed, but it's free and a cool place to go in the summer to escape the heat while soaking up some culture.

One of my favorite places to visit in Houston, but most of the time I don't even go inside. At the entrance off of Sul Ross St., right before you get to the doors, there is a "sound sculpture" that is built into the walls that functions off the vibrations from sound waves. Go at night when nobody is around and it can be a very serene place to relax at.

Stopped in to see 'The Secret of the Hanging Egg Salvador Dali at the Menil' and ended up staying to tour their entire collection. Lots of detail provided for each piece of art work which is wonderful! The visit was free so we made a donation and also signed up for their e-mail list. All around excellent collections of artwork. The staff were very forceful around: not getting close to the artwork (mentioning your breath causing longterm harm) and making sure your children are not unaccompanied and that they are holding the hand of an adult (depending on age). Will certainly visit again for another show.

Amazing pieces in a great environment with helpful staff.

The Menil Collection has a variety of collections to satisfy a curious mind - from ancient to modern contemporary. The visuals and ambience is conducive and the staff are very professional too.
I would go back again and again.

Unique and fascinating. I could spend hours in there.

Excellent collection, quite varied and surprisingly large interior. I won't spoil the details of the museum but you definitely have to check it out yourself. Admission is free, LOTS of security everywhere so don't break anything ;).

I loved the exhibition, very organized and beautiful

I went with my fiance on a friday afternoon, it was a great and very interesting collection and a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. The variety of art and artifacts was vast. My only disappointment was the Rothko chapel being closed, but it gives me a reason to go back once it reopens!

Elegant building with interesting collection. For architecture addicts the building is worth the visit

Strange place and not much that interested me outside the Rothko Chapel. The chapel was a quiet place one could meditate even though there are many people inside; loved the silence. YMMV

One of the best places to visit in the city. Admission is free, but of course donations are accepted. A hidden gem.

This museum was given to the city by Mrs DeMenil and the architecture and museum plus the Rothco chapel are one of Houston's understated gems!

Nice little collection. Free entrance and pretty area outside to walk around

Great place to view all kinds of art. No admission fee.

Gorgeous museum with a lot of unique collections. They have a free day so look online for when that is, otherwise worth the money.

Large campus with beautiful buildings and beautiful pieces of art.

Beautiful space. Interesting installations. I'm not claiming to know a lot about how art is qualified to be put in a museum.

Security in every room, so be sure to not breathe too hard or wave hands around or point directly at the art. Would be helpful if there were more docents in lieu of security.

So peaceful around this museum. Not a big collection but very beautiful inside, it's worth a visit if you're looking for something to do. A nice way to spend a Sunday morning. The Rothko Chapel was closed for renovation (which is a shame) but there are a couple of eateries in the vicinity, you can finish your visit with a light lunch.

Beautiful building and collection. Make sure to visit the outer buildings, not just the main one.

The only museum in town with a fuller extent of art and natural lighting.

A lot of variety and interesting pieces from Picasso to Rothko.

An always fantastic experience, The Menil is a work of love and will to leave something positive for our lovely city. It's a great and interesting collection of art and installations from known and renowned artists. I'm ever thankful that this is available for us all, and free!

Great variety of art. They even have some very famous pieces and artists featured. Best part? It s free! The area around the museum is beautiful for a Punic after

An Exquisite display of art treasures very available earlier this month. It's a great treasure of Houston.

Excellent collection of all the significant art movements.

Beautiful free art museum. People come from around the world to see this exhibit.

The collection is small but the staff/volunteers are quite friendly and helpful. Great way to spend a couple of hours.

One of the most beautiful areas in Houston, highly recommended. The museum is free and they have some great modern art.

Very interesting and extensive collection. The Rothko paintings are the stars of course.

It was a great place. I loved the sculptures and paintings.