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The Rienzi Collection
and Gardens The Rienzi Collection and Gardens, the European decorative arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, was a gift from noted Houston philanthropists Carroll Sterling Masterson and her husband, Harris Masterson III, in 1991. Located on 4.4 acres of property on Buffalo Bayou, in the heart of River Oaks, Rienzi is close to downtown Houston and is just minutes from the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, the museum¹s collection of American art and antiques. Rienzi houses European works from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries including English furniture, European paintings, small objects of art, and an impressive collection of eighteenth-century Worcester porcelain. Rienzi opened as a house museum in March 1999. Evocative of an Italian villa, yet with overtones of Georgian England, Rienzi is bounded by formal gardens and surrounded by lush woodlands replete with azaleas and magnolias. When the Mastersons collaborated with architect John Fanz Staub in 1952 to build Rienzi, they created the perfect setting for their growing collection of art and antiques. In 1972, the Mastersons expanded Rienzi with the assistance of architect Hugo Neuhaus, adding a grand ballroom and gallery. Highlights of the collection include paintings by Guido Reni, George Romney, and Arthur Devis; an exceptional collection of eighteenth-century Worcester porcelain; fine English furniture attributed to Marsh & Tatham, William Hallett, Sr., and Mayhew and Ince; and small objects by artists such as Fabergé and David Webb. Katherine S. Howe, curator of decorative arts at the MFAH, is the director of Rienzi. Admission to Rienzi is by reservation only. Admission for docent-led tours is $6 for adults and $4 for MFAH members, senior adults, and students with ID. These one-hour tours are available Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday every 20 minutes, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour begins at 3 p.m. Infants in chest carriers are welcome; other children must be 12 or older and escorted by an adult. Docent-led tours for groups of up to 40 people are available. Following tours, guests are invited to stroll through Rienzi¹s gardens. Every Sunday afternoon, Rienzi is open for self-guided tours of the house and gardens from 1 to 5 p.m. Families are welcome. Children 12 and under must be escorted by an adult at all times. Strollers and backpacks are not permitted in the house. Admission to the Sunday Open House is $5 for individuals, $10 for families of 2-4 people, $15 for families of 5-6 people, and is by reservation only. Parking is free. Visitors must reserve parking spaces when making tour reservations. Reservations must be paid for in advance, either by credit card or check. Cancellations must be received at least 48 hours in advance. To reserve a tour, call 713-639-7800. |