Architecture Center Houston walking tours take place Saturday mornings 10am–noon. Descriptions, locations and scheduled dates are listed below. You can visit the AIA Houston Events Calendar for a listing of all upcoming ArCH events.

Tours are $10 for AIA Houston and ArCH members. $20 for non-members.

We also offer special group tours for corporations, community groups, students, and conferences. If you are interested in a special group tour, would like to be added to our mailing list, or have any other questions, please contact Mat Wolff, arch@aiahouston.org or 713-520-0155.






BUFFALO BAYOU WALKING TOUR



2011: Oct 1, Nov 19
2012: Feb 18, Mar 24, Dec 3

Explore the city from a vantage point most people don't see: the waterway that gave Houston life and has been its backbone for 175 years. Architecture Center Houston (ArCH), with the cooperation of Buffalo Bayou Partnership, invite you to a stroll along Buffalo Bayou Parkway for an overview of downtown Houston's history and architecture from its beginnings in 1836 to the efforts to revitalize the central city today. The tour showcases the innovative bayou reclamation efforts of the City of Houston, Harris County, and Buffalo Bayou Partnership, while topically discussing history and preservation, contemporary architecture, the bayou, and adjacent parkland.

Meets at Market Square Park, 301 Milam.
Market Square parking garage recommended due to 2 hour limited street parking.
$10 for Bayou Buddies members too!

Buffalo Bayou Partnership is the non-profit organization revitalizing and transforming Buffalo Bayou, Houston's most significant natural resource. The Partnership coordinates the integration of major amenities into the bayou greenbelt and seeks ways to increase community involvement through pedestrian, boating and biking activities, permanent and temporary art installations, and other natural and built attractions. For general inquiries, please call 713.752.0314, or visit the Partnership online at www.buffalobayou.org.









TOWERS AND TREES DOWNTOWN WALKING TOUR



2011: Oct 29, Dec 10, Dec 31
2012: Jan 28, Mar 3, May 12

Towers and Trees, our newest downtown tour, will explore the magnificent architecture between Hermann Square and Discovery Green as well as the changing dynamics of our downtown. We'll look at the partially realized civic center plan surrounding Hermann Square, the historic backbone of Main Street, the ambitious 1970 proposal that would become Houston Center, the internationally recognized icons from the skyscraper boom of the 70's and 80's, and Discovery Green, the newest catalyst for downtown development in Houston.

Meets at City Hall, at the base of the reflecting pool in Hermann Square. 900 Bagby Street.
Hobby Center Parking Garage is recommended due to 2 hour limited street parking. Parking fees not included with registration.









MONTROSE WALKING TOUR



2011: Sep 17, Oct 15, Dec 3
2012: Jan 7, Feb 4, Mar 10, Apr 21

Montrose is one of the most diverse and interesting neighborhoods in Houston with some of the city's best architecture including spectacular mansions, charming bungalows, the campus of the University of St. Thomas, Rothko Chapel, and the Menil Collection. ArCH tour guides will present an overview of the architectural and social history of the area and offer guests a look inside of the Fondren Mansion (now La Colombe d'Or), Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Chapel of St. Basil, Rothko Chapel, Cy Twombly Gallery, and the Menil Collection. On this 2-hour walking tour you will get a flavor of this special district and be encouraged to widen your path after the tour is over.

Meets outside the Menil Bookstore, 1520 Sul Ross, 77006.
Street and lot parking available.









MUSEUM DISTRICT WALKING TOUR



2011: Sep 24, Nov 5, Dec 17
2012: Jan 14, Feb 11, Mar 17, Apr 28

The Houston Museum District is one of the few areas in the country with such a dense population of museums, public art, contemporary architecture, and landscape design. On this 2-hour walking tour you will experience the quintessential Modernism of Mies van der Rohe, the structuralist view point of Gunnar Birkert, and the simplicity and craft of Isamu Noguchi. Come explore these and other world class examples of design with ArCH tour guides and trace the chronology of significant cultural shifts from the early twentieth century through today.

Meet at the Miro sculpture inside the MFAH Sculpture Garden, 5101 Montrose Blvd, 77006.
Street and lot parking available.









TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER WALKING TOUR



2011: Oct 8, Nov 12
2012: Jan 21, Feb 25, Mar 31, May 5

The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world. Equivalent to the 12th largest business district in the United States, TMC has 33.8 million square feet of patient care, education, and research space. 160,000 individuals visit the Texas Medical Center each day with 6 million patients treated annually. The 1000+ acres is approximately the size of Chicago inside the "Loop" with 162 buildings on the main campus alone. Join our ArCH docents on this introductory architectural tour of Houston's own modern marvel of medicine. Sites on our tour will include Baylor College of Medicine, the new Texas Children's Hospital Maternity Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Methodist Research Center, and a short ride on Houston's Metro Rail.

Meet in the ground floor lobby of the John P McGovern Commons Building, 6550 Bertner Ave, 77030. Texas Medical Center Entrance 4.
$10 parking available in the TMC Commons parking garage.









ArCH TOUR DETAILS

10am–noon. Limited attendees per tour. Reservations recommended but not required. Tours depart promptly at 10am. Please arrive early to allow time for check-in and parking. Weather permitting. Tours will take place in moderate rain. Pets are strongly discouraged and are not allowed inside buildings on tours.

$20 for non-members
$10 for ArCH and AIA Houston members
Cash and check only at the tour.
Credit card payments accepted online with advance registration.

arch@aiahouston.org