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Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
6003 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007, United States
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Tr
Review №1

Pretty get away in the middle of the city. I wouldve given it 5 stars but it was the wrong time of year for things to be blooming. Id imagine its even more enjoyable during the spring or around Christmas. The suspension bridge was a lot of fun. Ill definitely be going back around Christmas.

LA
Review №2

One of the most beautiful places to visit in Houston, TX. Lovely visit, but pick a good weather day! It was really nice to see a very well maintained museum! ***These photos were taken in March of 2020.***

Ad
Review №3

These gardens are both beautiful and tranquil. Go on a weekday and enjoy walking the paths, with only the sound of rustling leaves and chirping birds in the air.but yeah, its great :)

My
Review №4

A very beautiful and peaceful place. The home is packed with history and very interesting historical items. The gardens are breathtaking and our tour guide, Carey Swan, was great! She answered all of our questions and was nice enough to give us an extra guide at the gardens. Worth every penny!

El
Review №5

Not wheelchair accessible, no signs about it. Paid the full price and was not able to go down to see the fountains ️ or the second floor.The collection and the garden should be accessible for all the people with different abilities. Please build the ramp so all the family can go down to the garden as well as the elevator for the second floor. Imagine the whole your family is coming to see the garden and the statues but the grandparents or kids can’t go down because there is no ramp? We was planning to come for the Christmas lights but will not be able to.

He
Review №6

Great place to visit. We visited there in Sunday evening, there were many activities for kids. The garden is beautiful. There is live music. Inside the house, there were guides every room to explain the history. It is a good place for recreation and education.

Su
Review №7

Beautiful way to spend a weekend afternoon. Gardens are lush and spacious and the house has a lot of historical art and artifacts. Highly recommend

Ci
Review №8

Every visitor to Houston needs to visit Bayou Bend to understand the people who were integral in creating this city. Ima Hogg left a beautiful legacy for history and nature lovers to enjoy. Even in the heat of summer, gorgeous gardens provide shade.

Ci
Review №9

What a surprise! Made a trip to Houston and had a few hours to visit Bayou Bend. The gardens are beautiful. We missed the peak of the azaleas but they were still stunning.It was spring break and Bayou Bend had special activities for children. Only the first floor was open for tours. Each room represents a time period and is filled with beautiful artifacts. Our docent was friendly and knowledgeable. I would not recommend taking small children on the home tour. They would enjoy the gardens though

Mi
Review №10

What an incredible place! It is an amazing collection of art and a great exhibition of what an old Texan aristocrat’s life used to be like. There are certainly some unusual and eccentric pieces, but there are also items that reveal that family’s lifestyle. I felt somewhat sad for Ms. Hogg. She seemed to have had such a rich, but lonely life. Anyways, great gardens, and well taken care of, considering I went there only a year after Harvey.

ib
Review №11

Beautiful gardens. You can take pictures and walk around and really feel the nature of the park. The house is amazing, we didnt get to tour the house but hopefully next time. We also walked around the Museum showing history, art and pictures.

Ti
Review №12

Fun little place to visit. We just went for the Christmas village and the kids liked it. Plenty to do. Weve visited before too and theres lots of interesting things to read and look at.

Hu
Review №13

Gardens are not, by any stretch of the imagination, worth the admission fee. House is neat, but awfully expensive to see. If you like antique furniture there is quite a bit of eye candy. Plan on 10-15 minutes for the house, maybe 30 minutes in the gardens. Free parking.

Jo
Review №14

It was okay. I guess if you are into Texas History, it would be more entertaining. A couple nice photo op places and the grounds are nice, but I wouldnt go again.

Hu
Review №15

So peaceful right in the middle of 4th largest city of the nation.

Da
Review №16

Superbly maintained museum and gardens. Just beautiful.

La
Review №17

Breathe in the beauty of the gardens any time of the year! I love visiting during the Christmas holidays to marvel at the light displays!

Wi
Review №18

Must see for out of town guests. Beautiful grounds.

Me
Review №19

Excellent self-guided tour. Very informative short videos at the welcome center. Beautiful grounds.

Yi
Review №20

The garden is very very beautiful. The decorations inside is even more pretty. It’s the place which I like the most in Houston for now.

El
Review №21

Beautiful house and gardens and the staff were very helpful

Ed
Review №22

It was glorious. My two sons really enjoyed the gardens. It cost $2.50 more than I thought (Azalea Trail event was going on) but to be in nature with my boys enjoying themselves and to see Ms. Hoggs (and her brothers house with the deal) was all worth it!

Be
Review №23

Shade with pleasing aromas from the garden. Ideal place to take a stroll. Would recommend for engagement photos.

Ti
Review №24

Nice Place.. It’s free every 3rd Sunday of the month.. get to see the first floor of the cullon house and the garden..

Kf
Review №25

Wonderful experience, great art and history. Go when the azaleas are blooming or when they do Christmas. Google maps sends you to West Cove but turn directly across from Westcott off Memorial.

An
Review №26

Great place to visit. Beautiful gardens and gorgeous historic house.

Gr
Review №27

Houston is a large metropolitan area loaded with attractions of many types. I have lived here more than a decade, but I still find new places to visit and I’ve decided to make it a point to cross more places off of my local bucket list before the end of the year. One of them is Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens.This attraction is located in the River Oaks area and is part of the Houston Museum of Art. You purchase your tickets at a building on the main road, then walk or drive down to another section where you will find a pedestrian bridge that takes you to the garden and mansion. I recommend buying your tickets and then driving down to the overflow parking lot. This will place you right next to the bridge, ready to walk across and begin your visit.Some people who visit here stick solely with the gardens and they are a sight to behold. There are several of them connected by a walkway, complete with manicured shrubs, colorful flowers, statues, fountains, and more. There are many photograph- worthy areas and those who visit will likely find many excellent opportunities to snap and share pics to social media.Touring the mansion is a great idea too, particularly if you like art, antique furniture, and various historic knick- knacks. They have guided tours who will walk you from room to room, explaining the significance of each and how the Hogg family- the former occupants of the mansion- used the different rooms for entertainment and other purposes. Paintings and portraits can be found in most of the rooms, but the most impressive to me was the antique furniture. They just don’t design furniture like this anymore and as I walked room to room, I couldn’t help but imagine having some of these items in my own house and think about the conversations they would spark. They are works of art all by themselves.Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is a nice place to get away from the city and enjoy the natural beauty of the gardens while learning more about this era of Houston history. I recommend the 60 minute tour option and about an hour of walking around and enjoying the sights, sounds, and fragrances of the different gardens. It’s a cool place to soak up nature and history here in the Houston River Oaks neighborhood.

Ra
Review №28

Really peaceful place to visit. Gardens and grounds are very well kept. Lots of trees and shade. Fountains and garden are really nice. My kids had a good time exploring. Highly recommended. There is an entry fee, but worth it just for the peacefulness.

LC
Review №29

Hidden gem, this building is very well preserved, the staff it is interested in sharing their knowledge. Beautiful gardens, architecture and landscapes.

Ak
Review №30

PRETTIEST OF ALL TIMEELEVEN OUTTA TEN

Su
Review №31

We visited this garden as part of the Azalea Trail. We missed the azalea peak by a week or two so that was not as spectacular. However the garden is beautiful and so peaceful. One never knew such a fantastic garden existed in the middle of Houston. We plan to come back when the gigantic magnolia trees are in bloom.

St
Review №32

Breath of fresh air coming here, pictures only offer a portion of the beauty encapsulated in this landscape. Well worth the visit

To
Review №33

A bit pricey but if you want to enjoy a nice walk alone or with others a nice place to visit.

Ly
Review №34

I absolutely love this place. Ima Hogg was a Houston institution, and you cant live here without knowing who she was and appreciate all that she contributed to our great City. It is because of her that Houston is so culturally rich and admired by so many other cities. Her art collection founded the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. She created the Houston Symphony, she helped to create HISD, she was one of the founding members of River Oaks. Read up about her! The museum at Bayou Bend is super helpful, and has lots of activities. You can find out about them by going to be mfah website.

Ch
Review №35

The fantastic 1.5 hour study tour really allows you to get up close with the history, significance and importance of bygone cultures. During the tour you will be encouraged to ask about the furniture, home architecture, art and garden details that most interest you. You get a glimpse of life in Houston during its early years and a taste for American industrialization, Southern formality and Texas frontier lifestyle.

St
Review №36

On of our favorite places in Houston. We visit Bayou Bend a couple of times a year.

Vi
Review №37

Good place

ch
Review №38

Nice to see all the very old beautiful wood furniture, and paintings.

Ab
Review №39

This place is beautiful! We really enjoyed our visit. There is a house-museum, garden trails, water fountains and you can use your cellphone to call the number in each monument (for free) to listen its history.

An
Review №40

I would suggest if you come to get the ticket for the gardens and the inside of the house . My husband and I went only for the gardens. Their gardens are well taken care of and if you pay attention full of amazing wildlife, especially birds! Very relaxing and looks like a great venue for a wedding

Ki
Review №41

Excellent one hour tour of each room with a docent who was extremely knowledgeable. Great experience!

Na
Review №42

Wonderful site to experience Houstons past!

Br
Review №43

Went here with my brother and his husband. We didnt read the map and took the wrong way from the gardens. The right way would have been to climb three steps and then walk up a long inclined driveway to the front of the house. Instead we went straight to the garden which unfortunately had lots of steps to climb.IMO it was still worth the trip and admission though.

So
Review №44

Beautiful grounds. Great place to learn about some local Houston history.

Ro
Review №45

Christmas Village lights, even after Christmas, is worth viewing after the holidays when Its a cold night to experience the holiday mood. The grounds are well decorated, musical (sometimes live) plus a tent with a model train. Additional fee for home tour.

Jo
Review №46

Beautifull garden. Very well maintained.

Ja
Review №47

Nice place to do a quick visit and explore some of Houston history.

Sa
Review №48

Thesegardens are absolutely breathtaking. Such a serene place to relax, have a picnic, and enjoy beauty. I enjoyed walking through the gardens, and plan to make it my monthly Sunday ritual.

Cy
Review №49

This place was amazing! It was my daughters first time ever going and it has been over a decade since Ive visited. It was a wonderful experience for me and her dad! We will be coming more often

Rh
Review №50

We visited there in Sunday evening, there were many activities for kids. The garden is beautiful. There is live music. Inside the house, there were guides every room to explain the history. It is a good place for recreation and education.

T
Review №51

Bayou Bend is a great place to take family and friends when theyre in Houston. The tour of the house is worth the nominal donation/fee. The best time to visit Bayou Bend is March, when the azaleas are in bloom.

Ka
Review №52

Absolutely beautiful place. It was well worth the cost ($7). #Zen

Da
Review №53

What a beautiful Houston gem. My first time visiting this past weekend and I am a Houston native. So interesting learning about one of Houstons legendary women, Ima Hogg. It was very hot so Ill be going back in March/April to see everything in full bloom.

Al
Review №54

Must see attraction donated by the daughter of a former Governor. It has around 2,500 artifacts, paintings and furnishings dated from 1600s to early 1900s.

Sa
Review №55

Just visited the gardens. They were cute but needed some more upkeep in the back ones. More flowers would have been nice.

Er
Review №56

A beautiful garden you can take pictures and walk around and feel the nature of the park. The house is amazing, we didnt get to tour the house, but hopefully next time. We also walked around the Museum showing history, art, and pictures.

Ma
Review №57

It was okay, when we visited there was no flowers at all, no water in the creek, felt like any other public garden, but with admission fees and ITS NOT STROLLER FRIENDLY, SERIOUSLY.

Je
Review №58

Such a lovely family event. I was disappointed though at how difficult it is to get around with a stroller. It would definitely be inaccessible for anyone in a wheelchair.

Ne
Review №59

Kevin, was a Karen. Other than that all the staff was friendly and super helpful.

Sh
Review №60

Such a beautiful location

Az
Review №61

Good curators collection of historical furniture with a decent guide app and pleasant grounds. Shows you what people who are ridiculously rich do with their time and money.

Mi
Review №62

Amazing gardens. A great way to spend a spring afternoon.

Am
Review №63

Place is great to stroll thru for a couple hours, really enjoyed our time there

Sa
Review №64

The new entryway off of a large parking lot across a swinging wooden bridge is a real hit. You can see the traps or pens down below where they sample the turtles on the weekend to tag them for a greater chance of survival. The grounds and house are meticulously kept up despite the storms that occasionally go through the area. The docent gave us a real sense of history. In some ways you get the feeling you are hearing about a feminist leader. Each room in the house represents a particular era from European or American history in terms of furniture and decor. All in all it was a delightful couple hours. And we enjoyed the grounds as well.

Ca
Review №65

I had the wonderful opportunity to take the 90 minute tour of Miss Imas home. By the way, she was never called Ima Hogg, but always Miss Ima out of deep respect. At the Welome center, Historical associate Cyrus the Great got me the tickets I needed for the upcoming Azalea tour.Well worth a visit, especially right now that the Azaleas are in bloom.

M
Review №66

You will love it

Cr
Review №67

Must Go! Family free on some Sundays. Great history field trip. Wonderful to learn of such giving families. We need more like them. They share their passion and wealth with beauty and education.

Cl
Review №68

This place is amazing. I love walking through gardens.

KP
Review №69

Great location for some relaxation driving back in time or Just enjoy nature

Ce
Review №70

Beautiful place.

Je
Review №71

This is a beautiful place. It’s not a place where you would spend all day, but it’s a nice little family outing. I love the bridge at the entrance. The grounds are truly just gorgeous. At Christmas it is breath taking. It’s reasonably priced.

Ma
Review №72

Shum bukar.. very beautiful place.

Ph
Review №73

Very beautiful house and gardens. We really enjoyed the self-paced tour of the house, and the chance to see some really interesting furniture, art, and history.

Ko
Review №74

Im sure I would have enjoyed it if I could have gotten past the gate. They are very strict about the 4:29 cutoff for entry. The glimpse I could see was very nice. The suspension bridge walkway was fun.

Li
Review №75

Met miss Hogg in 1971. What a gracious lady. Her home is very interesting. Great tour.

Ga
Review №76

Great gardens and history

Vi
Review №77

Nice little museum with a great garden. The monthly event for kids is also very nice

Az
Review №78

Beautiful place to visit,if you like gardens,art,antiques,and history.Very nice collections of paintings,silver,ceramics and furniture.Tour of the house throughout each room.There are beautiful gardens,with different types of flowers, camellias, magnolias and other trees.Helpful brochures give details about certain furniture and rooms in the house.There is helpful personnel throughout the house,in case you have some questions.The suspension bridge was fun to walk to get to the place.

Nu
Review №79

Beautiful garden. To enter you have to cross the suspension bridge. Bayou Bend is the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg. You can tour the house and see how they lived. (You cant carry strollers, water, and food inside. You can take photos without flash)Park is clean and well-maintained. There is a port-a-potties near the parking lot and there is a restroom inside the facility too.Have a fairly small parking lot. Not wheelchair accessible.

Ne
Review №80

Beautiful historic house and grounds. Its a great experience, join a docent tour for the full story.

An
Review №81

Great Place, we have been here many times, but today we had a guide who was super strict. She didn’t let us take our time and enjoy our experience. She kept repeating that we HAD to stand next to the group and I didn’t have a chance to translate any parts of the tour to my foreign friend. Because of this lady, we didn’t even have time to take pictures. I completely agree with other reviews that say that the staff are too strict.

ke
Review №82

Well tended gardens. I thought it was not big enough to satisfy my hunger for the serene beauty.

Ke
Review №83

Houston has many great features, but natural beauty and lovely parks are not among them. Thankfully, Bayou Bend is filling the gap. A well tended collection of statuary, water features and gardens located off Buffalo Bayou. Theres also a house dating from the 1920s which cost extra to attend and which may be of interest to those who like staring at old furniture (cant say it fascinated me). The gardens tend to be quiet and, perhaps due to a significant admission price, not overly crowded. Probably best enjoyed in spring or fall when the climate is milder, the flowers are out and the mosquitos are not.

k
Review №84

Good place for a small family visit when the weather is nice.

Ca
Review №85

Really enjoyed touring this beautiful home and staff was very informative and kind, especially lady in gift shop!

na
Review №86

Enjoyed walking around seeing the beautiful outdoors.

Tr
Review №87

A wonderful insight into the history of Houston. Beautiful gardens, which you can explore freely. A two level house with friendly & knowledgable staff, definitely worth having a Guided Tour, as they make the house come to life. A lovely 2-3 hours (if you take your time)ADVICE: make sure you go when the whole house is open, maybe ring to confirm.

Vu
Review №88

September is not a good time to go. Even though the garden is decent, there were no flowers anywhere except where you park (next to the green house). The place was under renovation, so there are places are blocked off, scaffolding, and giant dirt patch where the steps in the back use to be. I normally wouldnt be so disappointed, but my friend and I have been turned back several times in the past two years, because it was almost 4 oclock or due to weather. After paying full price for admission we were told the bridge is under construction, and to drive around to the back. Still excited, we made our way to green bushes next to green grass, and dirt. Nothing really nice, like from the reviews or pictures seen online. I guess the only good time to go is in spring/or events.

Sh
Review №89

Nice Christmas lighting. Worth to spend 1.5-2 hrs

Mi
Review №90

One of the best places for you to take a walk or take your family on a blast to the past. Super cheap and lots of awesome things to look at.

St
Review №91

We love these gardens. They did a great job with the winter lights and it was magical for our girls. If you are traveling and want to do something unique and special, plus get some fresh air, I highly recommend.

Al
Review №92

Quite a beautiful place to walk through. You almost forget that you are in the center of Houston.

Mi
Review №93

Small nice little grammable location

Je
Review №94

A beautiful and tranquil gem in the center of Houston. Friendly staff are very eager to interpret exhibits and answer questions about the home, furnishings, or the property. Not all areas are wheelchair/stroller accessible.

Ju
Review №95

Beautiful house and gardens

Sh
Review №96

AMAZING TRANQUILITY IN THE CITY .Enjoy the shady gardens . Look for tours to learn about the Historic Hogg Residence showing American treasures of a privileged real TX owner & collector. The property now belongs to the amazing MFAH collection. Occasional days special events.

Ro
Review №97

The grounds are amazing. The educational programming is great. The docents are awkward. It could be more professional.

Ci
Review №98

Beautiful day to tour the home and gardens. Very well-curated historical museum set amidst fabulous gardens. A must-see in Houston

X_
Review №99

Really beautiful but wish this was more stroller and wheelchair accesible. The lady in the giftshop was very nice to my friend and my baby and I.

Ma
Review №100

Very nice place to relax your eyes and mind from the city of Houston crowd and you will enjoy the green gardens and for antique lovers I would like to saythis is your favorite placeRecommend for couples due to a lot of romantic views.

Information
99 Photos
100 Comments
4.6 Rating
  • Address:6003 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007, United States
  • Site:http://www.mfah.org/visit/bayou-bend-collection-and-gardens/
  • Phone:+1 713-639-7750
Categories
  • Art museum
  • Garden
  • History museum
  • Tourist attraction
Working hours
  • Monday:10am–5pm
  • Tuesday:10am–5pm
  • Wednesday:10am–5pm
  • Thursday:10am–5pm
  • Friday:10am–5pm
  • Saturday:1–5pm
  • Sunday:Closed
Highlights
  • Live performances:Yes
  • Women-led:Yes
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
  • Toilets:Yes
  • Wi-Fi:Yes
  • Restaurant:No
Crowd
  • Family friendly:Yes
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