The Blaffer is the art museum of the University of Houston, and has one of the city’s premier contemporary art collections. It has exhibited the work of Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock, Julian Schnabel and architect Richard Neutra. Since it opened in 1973, it has been an important part of the city’s art scene, showing works by the Texas artist Michael Tracy, French royal jewels from the Smithsonian, and the work of Ansel Adams in the exhibition “American Icons”.

Although it collects work from all countries, it has recently reinvigorated its focus on Texas artists. In the 2000s, the gallery showed works by Tierney Malone, Margo Sawyer and James Surls. In the same decade, it established a permanent partnership with the university’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, helping to boost studies across the disciplines of art, music, theatre and creative writing.

The gallery features a variety of regular programs, including the art-making workshop Studio Saturday, lunchtime gallery tours, and talks and discussions with visiting artists. The popular Contemporary Salons are modeled after 19th century European salons where participants and scholars in different creative fields gathered to discuss their crafts.