The Menil Collection

Listings

Parties: The Menil Collection

There is nothing better than hosting a group of friends for your next party at our studio. Inquire about times and dates for your next party by clicking the "Send Inquiry" button.

Camps: The Menil Collection

Camps are a great way for kids to get introduced to the basics of art and drawing. Inquire about times and dates by clicking the "Send Inquiry" button.

We offer a wide variety of classes for all different age groups. Classes are another excellent way to perfect your artistic skills. Inquire about times and dates for classes by clicking the "Send Inquiry" button.

Details

1533 Sul Ross St Houston, TX 77006
(713) 525-9400
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Business Overview

John and Dominique de Menil Calling the Menil a gift to her adopted city as she cut the ceremonial ribbon on June 4, 1987, Dominique de Menil acknowledged all those who had journeyed with her to the auspicious opening day: The generous people of Houston; her French ancestors; the family members who surrounded her, including children and grandchildren; curators, conservators, and other staff; architect Renzo Piano. She credited her late husband, John, with opening her eyes and her heart to art. Above all, she thanked artists�all artists, from prehistoric times to the present day. Believing in the spiritual powers of art, John and Dominique de Menil built what has been called one of the finest collections of the modern era. Still growing and housed in a landmark of modern architecture, the Menil is a local treasure and a global destination: An urban oasis open free of charge to all. Make Art Accessible To the de Menils art was to be experienced in an intensely personal way. Art, said Dominique, is "primary," as essential as the air we breathe�a necessity for all, in John's view. These simple yet sophisticated concepts lie at the heart of the Menil Collection. Given their passion for collecting and also sharing art, it is perhaps not surprising that, despite their different circumstances, John and Dominique found one another at a crowded ball at Versailles. The year was 1930. She was an heiress with degrees in physics and mathematics from the Sorbonne; he was a young noble of less formal education and modest means. Her father Conrad Schlumberger, with his brother Marcel, had patented a device that forever changed petroleum exploration. Born Jean but Anglicizing his name when he arrived in Houston, John was a Catholic and hailed from a military family with a title bestowed by Napoleon in 1813. Married in 1931, the Paris newlyweds fell under the spell of Father Marie-Alain Couturier, a visionary Dominican priest who was a strong advocate of modern art, seeing a place for abstract canvases in the most sacred of settings. As for museums, he said, they are places "where you should lose your head"�an idea that resonated with the young couple. Had it not been for World War II, the de Menils�with two daughters and a son on the way�surely would have stayed in Paris. By 1941, the family had relocated to Houston, home of Schlumberger's world headquarters.The de Menils were determined to fit in and make a difference. To accommodate their expanding art collection and their growing family�a second son was born in 1945, a third daughter in 1947�the de Menils built a house that broke the mold, architect Philip Johnson's first residential commission. Filled with art and frequented by artists. Read more