It’s the day after Christmas and all through Houston, creatures are stirring – especially at the city’s top attractions.
For anyone ready to get out of the house on Dec. 26, also known as Boxing Day, the Houston Chronicle has compiled a list of what’s open, from family favorites to crowd-pleasing destinations.
Shoppers in the Galleria Mall on Black Friday, the official start of the holiday shopping season, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 in Houston. The Ice at The Galleria was renovated this summer.? (Michael Wyke/Contributor)
The Galleria
Located near the heart of Houston on Westheimer Road, The Galleria shopping center will open at 10 a.m. Friday. The center includes luxury brands such as Tiffany & Co. and Valentino, and more casual stores such as American Eagle Outfitters and Spencer’s. Grab a coffee or some food at one of the center’s many restaurants and stalls.
Science teachers take part in a full day workshop and have fun touring the museum to prepare for the field trip day. (Courtesy of Nick de la Torre/Aramco)
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Rated as one of Houston’s top museums, the Museum of Natural Science opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. The museum’s current special exhibit features the Terracotta Warriors from China.
Children watch fish swim Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. (Jon Shapley/Staff photographer)
The Aquarium
Catch some of the Gulf of Mexico’s best at either the Downtown Aquarium in Houston or the Galveston Aquarium Pyramid. Both will be open to the public on Boxing Day, starting at 10 a.m.
A jacket and skirt by John Galliano is seen near the painting, Mother and Child (The First Portait) c. 1888, in the Louvre Couture exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The Museum of Fine Arts – and its two house museums, located at different campuses – will open at 11 a.m. on Dec. 26. The Museum of Fine Arts is located in the Museum District. It features hundreds of paintings, sculptures and other works, as well as exhibits centered around the famous Louvre museum, the life and times of Roman emperor Trajan, and space.
Guests explore a Skylab trainer Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, at Space Center Houston in Houston. Items from the era were found by conservators in the training module. (Jon Shapley/Staff photographer)
Space Center Houston
There’s still time to catch some festive scenes in Space City, with the Space Center‘s Galaxy Lights display, open through Jan. 4. The Space Center closed for Christmas but reopens on Boxing Day as early as 9 a.m.
Judy Zhu holds Christina Chen as they take in the Houston Zoo’s new Birds of the World exhibit on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Houston. (Brett Coomer – Staff Photographer)
Houston Zoo
After experiencing near record-high temperatures on Christmas, Dec. 26 may be the perfect time to enjoy Houston’s zoo. The zoo and all its creatures will be open for a visit at 9 a.m. The zoo’s own festive display, called Zoo Lights, will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
Visitors enjoy the Confetti Party at Children’s Museum Houston’s Spring Break Blast. (Cody Duty )
Children’s Museum Houston
Rated one of the city’s most popular attractions, the children’s museum will open at 9 a.m. The museum is featuring a Kwanza celebration on Dec. 26, offering arts and crafts workshops, interactive performances and lessons on the holiday sporadically throughout the day.
Radiant Nature, presented by H-E-B, at the Botanical Gardens in Houston., Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. The interactive holiday light display opened with several new installations among the more than 50 along the trail. The display draws inspiration from animal and plant life and includes a soundtrack as you walk the almost mile-long path. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle)
Houston Botanic Garden
The Houston Botanic Garden opens at its normal hour of 9 a.m. Tickets are still available for the garden’s winter lantern display entitled Radiant Nature.
This article originally published at The day after Christmas in Houston: Where to shop, explore and take the kids.