The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 5 All-Ages Venues

By Altamese Osborne Fri., Nov. 30 2012 at 7:00 AM

Categories: Best of Houston

5. CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON

The chasm dividing Houston music and Houston art is shrinking; more and more arts venues are teaming up with local musicians and/or DJs to add rhythm to their gallery opening nights. The CAMH, adjacent to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), is a perfect example. Besides showing contemporary alternatives to that of the mostly historical offerings of its elder sibling, the CAMH has been known to boogie down some nights; on special occasions, they invite DJs to spin inside its walls.

The CAMH even hosts music-themed exhibitions. Take, for example, Friday's anticipated performance by Jamal Cyrus in a series entitled TexasFried Tenor. His performance is part of a larger series entitled Learning to Work the Saxophone, proving that music and modernism can be bedfellows.

5216 Montrose Blvd., 713-284-8250, www.camh.org

4. DISCOVERY GREEN

The grass is the greenest at the family-friendly venue. Those aren't just cool, free, year-round concerts you'll get to see if you bring your lawn chair, children and pets to Discovery Green. It also hosts dance classes, fitness classes (Zumba!), writing workshops, movie screenings, recycling events and right now until January 27, ice skating!

1500 McKinney, 713-400-7336, discoverygreen.com

3. MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE

Its musical offerings are more Rachmaninoff than rock, but every now and again Miller Outdoor Theatre throws a curveball into the musical lineup: On Sunday, November 3, Miller had the honor of hosting guitar musician Benise's En Fuego concert and, just a week later, Israeli artist David Broza.

The current trend of mild, breezy weather (Houston winters are the best!) means that now is the perfect time to attend Miller's outdoor digs. Bring your kids, buy a batch of delightfully greasy (albeit a bit overpriced) concessions around the corner, then bury yourself in a chair or, if you arrive a little later, on the green grass

And like its commercial says, Miller Outdoor Theatre "is always free!"

6000 Hermann Park Dr., 832-487-7102, www.milleroutdoortheatre.com