MONTROSE. Part of the Menil Collection, this contemporary structure fashioned of glass and stone houses the western hemisphere's only intact Byzantine frescoes. The two 13th-century works were stolen from a chapel in Cyprus and cut apart to be sold. Acquired by the museum with the blessing of the Church of Cyprus, the dome and apse were restored and are now housed in this custom building, which approximates the size and shape of the original chapel.

KATY. Intrigued by Chinese history and culture? Want to check out a scale model of Beijing's Forbidden City ­ in Houston? Head to this three-acre site in Katy, which presents what was the royal stronghold for 500-some years. The complex showcases a recreated Forbidden City in 1/20th scale and features miniature palaces, a terra-cotta army (6000 strong, in 1/3rd scale) dating from the third century BC, weapons and architecture rooms, the First Emperor's Tomb (Emperor Qin Shihuang), and the Lodge of the Calming of the Heart (a vacation home). Guided tours only.

RICHMOND. Visitors to this 23,000-acre working ranch can not only get a feel for present-day Texas but trace the state's history through the homes and lives of the Jones family, who first settled here in 1824. The living history part of the complex comprises 480 acres, and guides in period dress instruct visitors about life on a farm, in a mansion, on a ranch, and on a chuckwagon. Hands-on activities, demonstrations, and house tours are available. Thirty miles southwest of Houston. Group tours throughout the year.

DOWNTOWN. Sam Houston Park was carved from family-owned land and transformed in 1900 into a pastoral haven for city residents. In the 1950s, the Heritage Society was created to preserve the property's Kellum-Noble House; the group later began relocating other historic homes to the park and restoring them. Currently, eight structures exist, dressed in period-appropriate furnishings. They include a cabin, a home built by a freed slave, a church, and grander, oil-financed structures. The Museum of Texas History also sits in the park. The grounds and museum are free of charge, but the homes are accessible only by guided tour.

MUSEUM DISTRICT. An intentionally somber exterior gives indication of the physical and mental anguish this museum portrays. As it traces the persecution of Jews and other minorities in 20th-century Europe through photographs, films and texts, the museum offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of hatred, marginalization, and fear. An exhibition elucidates the creation and operation of ghettos; the functions of concentration, death and deportation camps; and the execution of war-crimes trials. Oral histories of Holocaust survivors, including a number of Houston residents, are shown in the theater.