Museum of Fine Arts Houston History

The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston was founded in 1900. It is, by far, the oldest museum in the entire state of Texas. The museum did not actually have its present name. Its roots can be traced back to the Public School Art League which was formed during the nineteen hundreds. It was formed by five women spearheaded by Emma Richardson Cherry. In 1913, it became the Houston Art League reflecting its wide ranging goal.

In 1926, the original museum had two new wings but was not fully completed due to lack of funds. In 1929, its state charter was subsequently amended and its name was formally changed to the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston. The name was then shortened to its present name during the early 1960s. James Chillman Jr., its founding director, created a program that showcased local shows and this was then known as the Houston Artists Annual Exhibition.

In the United States, the MFAH is among the top visual arts organization and has the biggest and most brilliant art collections in the Southwest. When its very first funding was established during the 1960's, gifts helped in the development of different collections in a variety of scopes and sizes.

Its original neoclassical building, the Law Building, dates back to 1924. Between 1934 & 1942, the museum's gardens strongly evolved. The garden used to be avid gardener Ima Hogg's private estate when she donated it to the city in 1957. 1937 became a significant year for the museum when Ruth Pershing Uhler became an instructor and education curator for so many years until she passed away in 1967. By 1954, Lee Malone succeeded founding director Chillman. In 2000, Rafael Moneo, a famous Spanish architect designed the Audrey Jones Beck Building. Today, MFAH has become a complex filled with amazing history.

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