The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

"What's this museum all about?The Museum of Fine Arts is a grand museum that consists of two buildings and one sculpture garden. The Caroline Wiess Law Building was extended by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe; the main campus has the Audrey Jones Beck Building, designed by Rafael Moneo, which opened in 2000. The original Neoclassical building, designed in phases by William Ward Wadkin, was the museum's first, opening in 1924. The Sculpture Garden is a magical walk, with Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Column,” complete with the prototype for his more famous “Bean." A new Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, designed by Steven Holl Architects, opens on November 21, 2020, dedicated to presenting works from the museum’s rapidly growing global collections of modern and contemporary art and photography. What will we find in its collection?The museum contains more than 64,000 works from six continents, with paintings from the Italian Renaissance, plenty of French impressionists, photography, mixed media, sculptures, and mobiles. Most notable among the staggering collection are Picasso’s "Bacchanale" and Monet’s "Nympheas." Work in the sculpture garden range from Rodin to Anish Kapoor. Any special exhibits of note?The seasonal exhibits, from a Jasper Johns retrospective to an immersive video experience by Ragnar Kjartansson, are always big draws here. The volume and pacing are just right, and the space itself is airy, with high ceilings, white paint, and light-flooded atriums.  What's the crowd like?If you're looking to avoid too many people, this museum isn't terribly crowded mid-week. Many visitors come for the ever-changing seasonal exhibits, and you won't see all that many kids. On the practical tip, how easy is it to get around?The museum is easy to get around, with plenty of benches, elevators, ramps, and wide hallways. Do they have guided tours?Certain special exhibits have audio tours with commentary in English and Spanish. Is the gift shop worth a stop?The selections in the Beck Building gift shop, which range from posters to hoodies to reprints, is exceptionally well-curated. There are also cabinets of curiosities with inspirational quotes on the glass; oversize stuffed animals that act as comic relief; truffle oil and salts; and personal items like hand cream. How about the café?The café, on the basement level of the Audrey Jones Beck Building, is run by Paolo Fronza of Fellini Caffè who put together an Italian-inspired Texas menu. If you aren't hungry you can still get decent coffee and wine. If we're tight on time, is it still worth a stop?Yes, absolutely; the size of the main building is manageable. Hit the Impressionism collection on the second floor (don't miss the Monets and Picassos) and dip into the Italian Renaissance collection. Then, head straight to the sculpture garden; spend some time strolling past Rodin sculptures and snap a selfie in front of Anish Kapoor's "Cloud Column." - Charu Suri