The first free Family Day of 2008 on Sunday, January 20, at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens brings Texas history and lore to life with a theatrical performance, storytelling, and a demonstration of equipment and uniforms used by early Texas soldiers.
Family Day also features art-making activities for children and their families, and tours of the first floor of the historic home at 1 Westcott Street off of Memorial Drive. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4 p.m. Bayou Bend, the American decorative arts center of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, hosts a free Family Day the third Sunday of each month from September through May.
A highlight of the afternoon on January 20 is the presentation of The Story of the Lonestar State by Houston´s award-winning InterActive Theater Company. In this fast-moving performance, four actors play more than 50 roles, bringing to life such colorful characters as Sam Houston, Santa Anna, and James Bowie. Audience members are invited to volunteer on stage, answer questions, and offer suggestions to the actors. The performance, which covers about 600 years of Texas history in 45 minutes, begins at 1:30 p.m. on the Diana Terrace on the north side of the house.
Texas fiction is the theme in the Carla Garden where Houston Storyteller´s Guild member Scott Baumgardner tells Texas´ legendary tall tales and stories at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Musical entertainment for the afternoon is provided by the Sideshow Tramps, who play American traditional music with homemade and handmade instruments. They´ll focus on Texas traditional music for this performance, beginning at 3 p.m. on the Diana Terrace.
Throughout the afternoon, costume expert John Keahey compares and contrasts the clothing and equipment used by typical Texan settlers and Texan Army volunteers with the elaborate European-style uniform of a Mexican foot soldier. The demonstration is from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on the East Terrace.
Texas-inspired craft activities—making bluebonnets and space shuttles—are offered from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the Diana Garden.
In addition to the outdoor activities, first-floor rooms of the house are open to all ages for tours led by volunteers from the Houston Junior Woman´s Club. Guests also can register for prizes, which are given away during the afternoon.
About Bayou Bend and Family Day
Just minutes from downtown, Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens showcases the American decorative arts collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Housed in the former residence of the late Houston philanthropist and collector Miss Ima Hogg, the collection is displayed in over 20 room settings that trace the evolution of style in America from the colonial period to the mid-19th century. Visitors can stroll through the surrounding 14 acres of formal gardens and paths bordered by native bayou woodlands.
Bayou Bend´s Family Day programs are designed to encourage adults and children to explore American history. Each month features a different theme and a variety of related activities and performances geared toward educating and entertaining children. On Family Day, volunteers from the Houston Junior Woman´s Club show visitors the first floor of Bayou Bend. -- www.mfah.org
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