Meow Wolf Houston takes visitors to interstellar dimensions even NASA can’t reach.
Don’t let the sniffs and sneers of out-of-staters fool you—Texas is a haven for world-class art, with Houston as its crowning glory. Our international perspectives and access to long-running institutions like Rice University, the Menil Collection, the Museum of Fine Arts, and others give us plenty of inspiration to continue learning, growing, and experimenting with all the potential the arts has to offer.
So, of course, Houston had more than its fair share of notable happenings in 2024 that deserve our recognition.
Can you solve all of Meow Wolf Houston’s mysteries?
Meow Wolf Finally Opened
Houston plays host to the fifth Meow Wolf experience, themed around a sleepy West Texas radio station that unexpectedly gets shunted into a parallel universe. It gets weirder from there. Visitors can unravel the mysteries behind what exactly happened to the ETNL crew by exploring every nook and cranny of the family-friendly story. Open drawers, flip through books, and take notes as you dive headfirst into the works of more than 100 local, national, and international artists.
“We couldn’t be more energized to bring Meow Wolf to Houston, a city that thrives on creativity,” says Meow Wolf Houston general manager Gil Perez. “The city’s deep-rooted appreciation for the arts inspired us to collaborate with local artists to create an experience that feels distinctly Houston—vibrant, surprising, and full of possibility.”
We missed you, old friend.
Welcome Back, River Oaks Theatre
River Oaks Theatre’s new owners, Culinary Khancepts, finally completed its three-year renovation of the historic space, a real nail-biter of a time for Houston movie buffs. As of October 3, we now have an active art house movie theater again, rich with diverse programming of new releases, cult classics, regular classics, and even live entertainment like comedy, drag brunches, and magic shows. The brand-new menu and food service to your seat certainly don’t hurt, either.
“The River Oaks Theatre has been a part of Houston’s history for the last 85 years. It’s been a thrill to see audiences return to this majestic movie palace and celebrate the eclectic programming we’ve offered since reopening this October,” says Robert Saucedo, artistic director of the River Oaks Theatre. “As long as Houstonians crave big-screen magic, live events, and cinematic surprises, we will be honored to serve the community.”
Now you no longer have to debate between going to an art gallery or going clubbing over the weekend. Art Club lets you do both at the same time.
Art Club Arrived
Earlier this month, Post Houston finally opened Art Club after spending the summer tempting us with the shimmering otherworldliness of Solar Dust. True to its name, the new experience brings together the pulse-pounding dancing and drinks of a night on the town with the aesthetic pleasures found in exploring an art gallery. Season one, which runs until December 2025, showcases 13 different artists from around the world whose immersive works engage every sense. Make sure to stick around for the revived Tomo magazine and art shop, too. This former Montrose spot is one of the best places in the city to pick up reads on the hottest modern creative topics.
Orange Show’s beloved Art Car Parade (and the museum) is in great hands with Jack Massing at the helm.
An Art Guy Keeps Arting
Jack Massing, better known as one half of the internationally renowned anarchic collective The Art Guys, was named the new executive director of the Orange Show for Visionary Art in August. This means he’ll also be in charge of the organization’s relaunch of the Art Car Museum; many an art car–loving Houston heart broke at the news of its April closing. It’s an exciting new chapter for an exciting foundational pylon in the local arts scene. We can’t wait to see what an established and daring talent like Massing has in store for us in the years to come.
CAMH Celebrated 75 Years
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston is now 75 years young, and like all local museum buffs, we couldn’t be happier for its continued success. The museum’s Six Scenes From Our Future exhibition, which ran from October 2023 until March 2024, featured celebrated contemporary artists like JooYoung Choi, Lisa Lapinski, Leslie Martinez, and others. Each created a piece directly addressing and responding to a work from CAMH’s very first show in 1948, This Is Contemporary Art. Their aim was to question prevailing norms about how art should be displayed, as well as the ways in which design and fine art overlap. It’s an attitude that has persisted as a throughline as the museum’s influence only grew from there.
Wrestling, comedy, and comedy wrestling fans alike mourned the loss of hilarious and all-around great guy Greg “Tex Lonestar” Vallot.
Goodbye to a Local Legend
Greg “Tex Lonestar” Vallot earned his reputation as both a local comedy powerhouse and a heckuva nice guy through his frenetic, funny Doomsday Wrestling shows. When he passed from cancer at the age of 48 in November, tributes poured in from his castmates and fans alike.
“All I can really say is he made my in-ring dream come true, if only for a little while,” says Travis Ray, who pulled double duty refereeing matches and wrestling under the name Achilles the Heel. “He was a rare kind of person, a good person that genuinely cared about people and lived up to every bit of the legend Houston knew him as.”
Astrid Lang, a local comedian, started out as a big fan of Vallot and DW before deciding to enter the squared circle herself as the wrestler Roachella.
“After the height of the pandemic, in August 2021, I was in the audience for the return of DW,” she says. “And for this show, I remember Tex came out to ‘Deep in the Heart of Texas.’ I was not the only member of the audience wiping away tears while clapping, shouting, laughing at the absurdity and community and joy of it all.”
The Tower Theatre will no longer sit empty and lonely along Westheimer, thanks to the incoming Jazz, TX.
Jazz Is Coming to Montrose
Speculation abounded about what would fill the space when Acme Oyster House, located in Montrose’s old Tower Theatre, abruptly closed in December 2023. The building originally opened in 1936 as a movie theater, and has had past lives as a Hollywood Video store and Tex-Mex restaurant. While the developers didn’t take any of our ideas, we were excited to hear that it will be returning to its artistic roots as the Houston outpost for pianist Doc Watkins’s San Antonio–based club Jazz, TX. Watkins plans to showcase a wide range of jazz subgenres, including Latin, New Orleans, R&B, and more. Reconstruction has been underway since May, but no word yet on when it will officially open.
The Fire Museum Reopened
Another major milestone in the Houston museum scene: The Fire Museum is finally ready to receive visitors again after four years of renovations. It makes its home in the Old 7’s, an historic Midtown firefighter building built in 1899. Exhibits include a rundown of what the preservation efforts entailed, fire safety and prevention, and the history of local firefighters. Old 7’s also holds the sad distinction of being the only extant Victorian firehouse left in Houston out of the original 10, which made the $5.7 million restoration all the more important. We’re excited to have this stalwart institution back.
Once nestled on the second story of an old house in Montrose, Flats will now be able to offer its services inside the whole building.
Flats Got Bigger
Flats, the only public darkroom for analog film in Houston, recently expanded its operations to take over the whole building located at 2402 Montrose. Now covering both stories, the organization can provide a wider range of services, including free classes for teens and upgraded software and equipment. Plans are also in the works to open a second darkroom in the space.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to expand into the entire building. This growth allows us to add extra darkroom space, a computer lab, and even an exhibition space to showcase more artists,” says owner Jessi Bowman. “It’s a huge milestone for Flats, and we’re deeply grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way.”
Houston Airports personnel present the 2024 Skytrax Awards to Mayor Whitmire and his staff.
Houston Airports Defended Their Title
Skytrax gave its inaugural award for best airport art to Houston in 2023. Refusing to be outshone, IAH and Hobby took it home again this year as well. It’s easy to see why. Whether departing or arriving, visitors are treated to live painting, live music, partnerships with local arts institutions like the Orange Show, and plenty of galleries to help pass the time.
“[The award] is not only a compliment to the committed effort of Houston Airports to provide a 5-star passenger experience, but is also a notable win for the local artists, galleries, and museums whose talent, creativity and perspectives are featured throughout Bush and Hobby airports,” says Alton DuLaney, director of cultural arts and curator of public art for Houston Airports. “In 2024, we collectively celebrated the artistic spirit of Houston, strategically on display for more than 60 million passengers to enjoy.”
MD Anderson Expanded Its Art Program
In October, MD Anderson Cancer Center announced that it would expand the amount of art on display in its facilities, with the intention of creating more visually appealing spaces for patients and their families to relax among beautiful works.
“As we expand our reach, we do so with the understanding that art can have a profound impact on the healing process,” MD Anderson president Peter WT Pisters, MD, said in a press release. “Our new and revitalized spaces will foster an environment that is inspirational and conducive to many different forms of physical and emotional healing.”
The initiative will be overseen by Jennifer Finkel, PhD, who begins her role of associate vice president for art experience in January. She’s previously curated collections for Wake Forest University and Cleveland Clinic Foundation.