KIDS + FAMILIES

Bayou Bend, the American decorative arts center of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, presents Detective Days at Bayou Bend. Solve Mysteries at Bayou Bend Collection & Gardens’ Detective Days Inside the Home Until August 26.

There’s mystery afoot at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens this summer. Located a few blocks away from Memorial Park, Bayou Bend has 14 acres of woodlands and gardens for summer sleuths age six and older to explore. Through August 26, enjoy outdoor and indoor scavenger hunts. Educational themes range from plants and trees to sculpture and architecture.

Scavenger Hunt Titles:

By the Numbers – Search Bayou Bend’s two-story house for numbers-based clues to solve a riddle discovered in the gardens. You’ll need a sharp eye for detail to get all the clues right! Along the way, you’ll discover a house filled with American history treasures! Recommended for children ages 10+

The Case of the Missing Trees – Searching for ten special trees hiding amidst a thousand is kind of like trying to find a needle in a haystack! Locate and identify the trees using special clues we will provide the detective--images of their leaves and rhyming clues. Recommended for children ages 6+

On the Trail of the Evolving Plant – Take a trip through time as you track woodland and garden vegetation back to the age of the dinosaurs! One problem – those pesky plants are masters of disguise and adaptability, so you’ll have to use your top-notch detective skills to keep up with them. Recommended for children ages 10+

The Architect’s Evidence – The 1920s era mansion at Bayou Bend was carefully planned and thought out – clearly, this was no accident. Explore all of the details of the house’s exterior and sort out the rhyme and reason behind its design and construction. Recommended for children ages 10+

Mysterious Messages – The statues located throughout the gardens have messages for you – but what are they trying to say? Using informational clues, our summer sleuths will learn how to interpret art through history. Recommended for children ages 7+

Every Bayou Bend detective gets an “Investigator’s Kit” to help them with their sleuthing, and a bottle of water to keep cool during the hunt.*