Last year, the pandemic sketched a daunting and discomforting future for the Houston entertainment industry.
Once lively and reputable venues dimmed their lights, packed districts transformed into silent ghost towns and Houston’s admirable hustle and bustle atmosphere tainted.
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A myriad of mandates and three popular vaccines later, the industry has begun reopening its doors with new rules.
From FOMO Gallery’s dazzling kaleidoscope of colors to White Oak Music Hall’s clever take on social distancing outdoors, Houstonians are slowly trading in live streams for in-person celebrations.
Here’s a guide to entertainment-oriented venues that have reopened their doors for in-person activities.
Traditional Museums
Children’s Museum of Houston
1500 Binz St. Houston, TX 77004
$7-$12, free for children 1 and under
Reopened in June 2021
Parents, this is for you. Visualize a universe embroidered in vibrant technicolor, where every turn allows your children to engage in scientific proof of how the human eye and animals see the world. Even better, you get to witness this ultraviolet abyss at a comfortable temperature instead of tiring yourself out in Texas’ blistering heat. Sold? Then get to the Children’s Museum of Houston’s new exhibit Sights Unseen.
Safety restrictions: Ticket reservations strongly recommended. Maintaining mask policy, social distancing and reduced occupancy.
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
A view of the Main Gallery at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.
Courtesy of / Courtesy of
4848 Main St., Houston, TX 77002
Free to all visitors
Reopened in February 2021
Serving as a nod to meticulous artistry composed of craft materials, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft isn’t your regular museum. Though visitors receive the chance to admire invigorating exhibitions, the HCCC’s core lies in thought-provoking Craft Chats, The Craft Garden, and educational seminars highlighting the creative process.
Since reopening from its brief closure in January 2021, it has continued to follow this recipe with events and installations slated to display through the fall.
Safety restrictions: Maintaining strict mask policy and social distancing.
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
5216 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006
Free to all visitors
Reopened on February 18, 2021
For decades, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston has garnered a reputation for spotlighting emblematic artwork and, impressively, maintaining free admission due to hearty donors. As with many exhibitions in the tree-lined district, the pandemic’s unprecedented aura stalled the opportunity for CAMH to heighten its rep last year. By mid-March, the museum temporarily shuttered its doors and furloughed a small percent of staffers. However, when it reopened in February, CAMH rehired those staffers, unveiled a new roster of art and retrofitted the space with new intricate designs and safety restrictions.
Safety restrictions: Maintaining mask policy, social distancing, temperature checks and limited capacity.
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston
The exhibition Ernesto Neto: SunForceOceanLife at the The Museum of Fine Arts Houston on June 24, 2021.
Gary Fountain, Houston Chronicle / Contributor
1001 Bissonnet St., Houston, TX 77005
$12-$19, free for children 12 and under
Reopened in May 2020
Nestled in the bustling sector of the Museum District, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s knack for featuring thematic exhibitions has made it a go-to tourist attraction for visitors to the Bayou City. The museum’s vast architecture has grown to hold nearly 70,000 works situated in different collections and galleries — not to mention, its recent expansion into the culinary arts with Cafe Leonelli and Le Jardinier’s vegetable-rich cuisines.
After closing its doors for nearly two months, the MFAH became the first major American museum to reopen during the pandemic in May.
Safety restrictions: Ticket reservations and indoor masks strongly recommended. Maintaining social distancing, temperature checks and reduced entry.
Entertainment Venues
Houston Symphony
Houston Symphony performs Mozart and Piazzolla’s Four Seasons during Sunday’s matinee conducted by David Robertson in Houston on Sunday, May 9, 2021.
Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
615 Louisiana St., Ste 102. Houston, TX 77002
Many current and upcoming in-person and virtual shows require a subscription, which varies in price.
Resumed in-person performances in July 2020
As with many performing arts organizations, the Houston Symphony replaced its in-person performances with online concerts. However, by June of last year, the iconic orchestra electrified the once empty Jones Hall with several small in-person performances and will continue for its 2020-2021 season. Last month, the Houston Symphony also returned to the Miller Outdoor Theatre for two rousing performances, both offered in person and live streamed.
Safety restrictions at Jones Hall: Maintaining temperature checks, social distancing by sitting concert goers 6 feet apart and a strict mask policy.
White Oak Music Hall
The GRID seating system on the White Oak Music Hall lawn.
Courtesy White Oak Music Hall
2915 N. Main St., Houston, TX 77009
Starting at $10
Reopened in June 2020
In March 2020, White Oak Music Hall dimmed the lights on its musical palace. Nearly two months later, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s reopening executive order revitalized the concert venue, and it returned with protocols ensuring the safety of both performers and fans. Since then, the whimsical space has housed rhythmic sounds from several artists across various genres. WOHM also unveiled its GRID Concerts series, an inventive platform where concert-goers are situated in compartmentalized sections for outdoor performances.
Safety restrictions: Maintaining mask policy and social distancing guidelines.
Stages Houston
Candice D’Meza in ‘Fatherland’ as part of the Sin Muros: A Latinx Theater Festival at Stages Houston.
Courtesy Stages Houston
800 Rosine St., Houston, TX 77019
Starting at $25
Reopened The Gordy in June 2021
For five years, Stages produced a comprehensive outline of its three-theater venue, The Gordy, to debut in 2020. This strategic investment came to fruition, and it opened the year with its $35 million art stratosphere only feet away from Buffalo Bayou Park. However, the pandemic shuttered the spacious hub’s doors, diminishing any opportunity to showcase the city’s theater scene. More than a year later, Stages reopened The Gordy for its summer showing of “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill” (airing through July 18) and its upcoming 2021-2022 season, which starts Oct. 1.
Safety restrictions: Encourages visitors to perform a self-assessment COVID test before attending a show. Maintaining temperature checks and mask policy regardless of vaccination status.
Modern Galleries
Color Factory Houston
Kristin Zaccaria walks in the Black Hole Ball Pit at the Color Factory Houston Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Houston.
Steve Gonzales/Staff photographer
3303 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77098
From $28-$35, free for children 2 and under
Reopened in August 2020
In recent years, we’ve seen a boom of experimental galleries amplify the city’s museum scene. From embodying eccentric themes in interactive boxes to sporting multichromatic palettes perfect for Instagram, these spontaneous creations serve as an escape from Zoom calls and lockdown loungewear. The Color Factory’s atmosphere fits the mold, especially for the summertime. After it temporarily closed in March 2020, the space made sure to reopen with safety protocols that allowed viewers to engage in immersive fun, such as bathing in vibrant confetti or cooling off with a scoop of anti-gravity ice cream.
Safety restrictions: Recommends face masks for those who are unvaccinated. Maintaining social distancing by reducing capacity and separating entrances and exits.
Moody Gallery
A view of “Predators and Prey,” Melissa W. Miller’s exhibition at Moody Gallery.
Courtesy of the artist / Moody Gallery
2815 Colquitt St., Houston, TX 77098
Free for all visitors
Reopened in June 2020
Since 1975, the Moody Gallery has recognized Texas artists and their intricate ideas through sleek furnishing. The gallery’s exterior mimics a luxury contemporary home, an expert fit among the other nicely crafted properties in the neighborhood. When it closed in March last year, the gallery seamlessly transformed its social media platforms into clean timelines of contemporary art, even adopting virtual tours to let art curators envision the work in their homes. Now that it has reopened, visitors can finally ogle and purchase their dream pieces in a personalized appointment.
Safety restrictions: Only open by appointment (Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to limit capacity. Maintaining strict mask policy.
FOMO Factory
FOMO Factory at the Houston Galleria.
FOMO Factory
5085 Westheimer Road, Ste 4710. Houston, TX 77056
From $18-$125
Reopened in September 2020
Who says The Galleria is only meant for fine dining and retail therapy? In 2019, the FOMO Factory brought a vivid spunk to the Galleria’s third floor, producing dreamy installations sure to tap into your inner child. We’re talking about charming rainbow backdrops, an Instagrammable beach room sure to transport you to Galveston, a bubble-gum pink classroom and more. The cozy 17-room paradise closed its doors in June 2020 after owner Rachel Youens passed away, but reopened in the fall with updated guidelines.
Safety restrictions: Time-sensitive entry. Maintaining temperature checks and strict mask policy.