Menil Drawing Institute

Came to this building thinking it was the Menil Collection and left with so much dissapointment. As I am writing my review I see that this is not the correct location. Do not make my mistake. Open your map and go to the Menil Collection & Rothko chapel. That was my intention, unfortunately I entered this building which is nothing I would consider to be art. So bad that they did not let us take pictures. Not worth a visit what so ever! Steer-clear, waste of time! There should really be arrows pointing you in the right direction or even the person at the door should be telling people. Better luck next time.

Visiting the Menil Collections is an absolute Must See. The Drawing Institute was pretty much closed while installing a new exhibition, but the Cy Twombly Gallery made up for that disappointment. Remarkable art in a place built for its display — spacious and meditative. Thoroughly recommend—and it’s free admission!

Excelente place to visit with family and friends

No photos or videos are allowed inside the exhibition rooms. I enjoyed the architectural style of the buildings, but the collections weren’t very appealing to me.

A beautiful art campus! In addition to the main collection, make sure you also go to the Cy Twombly gallery, drawing institute, and Rothko Chapel. There is also a bookstore and cafe. I wish we were allowed to take photos because there was an extensive collection of masters of modern art. I suppose because it is free, they want you to buy the art books. The other side contains exhibitions from contemporary artists and African and indigenous art. In this day and age, there ought to be signage to address the colonialism since there is a movement to return this art to the original peoples.

Very nice place but they are super strict with phones if you want to take pictures or do anything of that nature do not go to that location because they are big sticklers on certain things that they don't let you know in the beginning but they seem to hound you about throughout the whole experience making you feel extremely uncomfortable and ready to leave I really enjoyed the art but did not enjoy being told by all different employees not to stand in a certain spot or get too close or just bizarre things that I've never encountered before other than that I had a great time

Came to see the •What Drawing Can Be: Four Responses • exhibit. Incredible and inspiring. The Scorched Earth room/exhibit also took my breath away. Simplicity at its most complex. This place nourishes and soothes your soul while stoking your mind’s fire with creativity.

I loved having an opportunity to explore this new art center. The Menil is, as always a wonderful place to spend a weekend afternoon and the new drawing institute just adds to the charm. They have rotating exhibits so it’s definitely a place to come multiple times throughout the year.

It doesn't matter how long you live in Houston, you'll still find hidden gems here. I've been to the Menil Museum many times and have spent many a Sunday afternoon at Menil park over the decades but had no idea the Menil Drawing Institute existed. The building itself is a work of art surrounded by gardens and even the outside in what looks to be an empty lot is itself an art installation. Definitely worth a visit.

While the museum itself boasted beautiful artwork and an inviting atmosphere, my experience was marred by a distressing interaction with a staff member. Despite simply pointing at a piece of art from a distance, I was met with rude and condescending remarks about touching the art, accompanied by unnecessary aggression. As an African-American woman, I couldn't help but feel targeted and unfairly treated. While the museum's aesthetic merits are undeniable, the behavior of its staff fell short of creating the inclusive and welcoming environment that should characterize such institutions. Moving forward, there's a clear need for staff training to ensure that all visitors are treated with sensitivity and respect!!

What a wild place! This museum, or institute, is a strangely beautiful building with a minimalism kind of look. Walking up to the place, there's a garden of stones which is inviting to play in, but still just stone. The inside was broken up into a few main areas- with Pop Artists in one big room- Andy Warhol's drawings were prominently featured in a temporary exhibition. In the other room, it was a much more varied take on drawing, with lots of different shapes, tones, textures, etc. In the main corridor was an exhibit featuring a whole lotta human hair! All of the works were thought-provoking, and let you see a huge variety of different drawing styles. It made me appreciate the depth of the medium. This museum is free, along with the other museums within a short walk from this exhibition. I highly encourage you to come down to check this, and the other Menil and Rothko stuff out!

This building is designed by by Johnston Marklee and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. Completed in November of 2018. Minimalist and cartesian framing couple or garden courtyards. It is a nice looking building inside and out if you like minimalism. The actual design of the building did not translate to its formal aspirations inside. Aside from the foyer and main area, the gallery spaces were conventional white boxes. The artwork is 'fantasy musings of a fantasy architect', of a Jean-Jacques Lequeu, a self fashioned architect of the 18c. Fascinating but unbuildable. I presume he would fit in Hollywood CGI really well today. Still breathtaking painstakingly drawn if he drew them and not by some minions. Well worth the visit if you are into architecture.

Beautiful outdoor space for pictures with the family or kids. Indoors not so much so. Might be a good place for adults to visit without younger kids/ those under the teenage years. The 8-11 year olds had to be reminded by staff to not lean on the walls near the bathrooms while waiting. Also there's strict rule on how to sit on the ottoman near the bathroom. Definitely don't bring toddlers here or you'll be having staff over your shoulders all the time.

Only 3 weeks old. Such a great collection. Architecture and outside of the building are amazing.