City of Houston

Mission

Home to a respected and energetic cultural arts scene, celebrated restaurants featuring flavors from 35 countries, world-renowned theater groups and the brains behind U.S. space exploration, Houston is a diverse metropolis brimming with personality. With nearly 21,000 concerts, plays, exhibitions and other arts programs presented in Houston annually, residents and visitors have access to a wide variety of cultural programs. On any given night, it's a safe bet that there's a show somewhere in Houston's Theater District. More than 2 million people visit the Downtown area each year to attend one of the city's world-class performances. Within the Museum District you will find eighteen world-class institutions, including the Menil Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Houston Museum of Natural Science are clustered in this area, drawing a reported seven million visitors to the district each year. Houston’s restaurant scene is as ethnically diverse as its 4 million residents. ForbesTraveler.com ranked Houston as one of the best restaurant cities in America. The city is jam-packed with more than 8,000 tempting eateries that feature culinary flavors from more than 35 countries. With 56,405 acres of total park space, Houston rates first among the nation's 10 most populous cities in total acreage of park land. The 165 public and private golf courses around the city and teams in nearly every major professional sport keep sports fever high year-round.