Culture and Education
The Houston Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1913, presents its regular season in Jesse H. Jones Hall in the Civic Center and a summer outdoor series in Hermann Park. The Wortham Theater Center, opened in 1987, is the home of the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet. The Alley Theatre is one of the oldest resident theater companies in the nation.
The Museum of Fine Arts houses varied collections in its main facility near Hermann Park. Sculptures done by various artists are on display next to the museum in the Cullen Sculpture Garden, designed by Isamu Noguchi. The Bayou Bend Museum houses an extensive collection of American decorative art. The Contemporary Art Museum and the Rothko Chapel offer exhibits of modern works. The Menil Collection displays a variety of exhibits ranging from Byzantine works to contemporary art.
Some 30 institutions of higher education are in the Houston area. Among them are the University of Houston, Rice University, and Texas Southern University.
The Texas Medical Center coordinates the work of some 40 hospitals, medical and nursing schools, clinics, and research and rehabilitation institutes. Universities with training facilities at the medical center include the University of Texas, the University of Houston, and Baylor University.
