Tours
The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern is a former drinking water reservoir built in 1926 for the City of Houston. BBP restored and repurposed the 87,500 square-foot Cistern into a magnificent public space for tours, performances, and art installations.
Reservations are required to visit the Cistern. Children ages 9+ only. Please see options below.
TOUR INFORMATION
- Reservations are required to visit the Cistern.
- No children under the age of 9 are allowed inside of the Cistern.
- Please allow approximately 30 minutes for parking/check-in. Latecomers may not be admitted, and tickets are non-refundable.
- Full participation in the tour requires walking a distance of one-quarter mile in 25 minutes. Accommodations can be made for those needing stationary or seated tours.
PARKING
Limited, free parking is available adjacent to the Cistern in The Water Works parking lot and along Sabine Street.
Additional parking options in the area include City of Houston Parking Lot H and along Allen Parkway.
PRICING AND DISCOUNTS
- $2 discount for military, youth (ages 9-17) college students, and seniors (65+). Must present I.D. upon checking in.
- Buffalo Bayou Partnership Members receive discounted tickets for select tours. Learn more about Membership here.
- All Cistern tours are free on the first Thursday of the month, reservations are required.
ON VIEW: DECEMBER 6, 2024 – JANUARY 26, 2025
Brighten up your winter with Cistern Illuminated, an immersive light and sound installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. This annual tradition transforms the underground decommissioned drinking water reservoir into a breathtaking spectacle, showcasing the Cistern’s repeating columns and their uncanny reflections on the surface of the water below. A unique and original soundscape follows the moving lights around the cavernous Cistern.
DURATION
30 minutes
SCHEDULE
December 6 – December 31
- Wednesday – Thursday, 10am – 5:30pm
- Fridays, 10am – 7:30pm
- Saturday – Sunday, 11am – 5:30pm
January 1 – January 26
- Wednesday – Thursday, 10am – 5:30pm
- Saturday – Sunday, 11am – 5:30pm
Tours held every hour on the hour, excepting 12pm and 4pm.
DECEMBER 14, 2024 – JANUARY 5, 2025
Experience live choral performances, Voices of Light, in the cavernous Cistern. The Schola Cantorum of downtown’s Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart offers a journey through centuries of music accompanied by the immersive lights of Cistern Illuminated.
DURATION
20 minutes
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Saturday & Sunday, 7pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm
Learn about the history and architecture of the Cistern on this fully guided tour.
DURATION
30 minutes
SCHEDULE
Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm and 4pm
Book a unique group outing with a private, docent-led Cistern History Tour for up to 30 people.
DURATION
30 minutes
SCHEDULE
- Wednesday – Sunday, 12pm – 4pm, pending availability.
- Private Tours are not available on the first Thursday of the month.
Practice meditation in the Cistern, led by Union is Creation. Singing bowls and wind chimes encourage mindfulness and connectivity in this unique acoustic space. Cushions or mats are welcome.
DURATION
45 minutes
SCHEDULE
Saturdays and Sundays at 10am and Wednesdays at 6pm
Available beginning January 29, 2025.
Great for first time and repeat visitors alike, the Experiential Tour includes an introduction followed by an opportunity to explore the Cistern independently.
DURATION
30 minutes
SCHEDULE
Wednesday – Friday and Sunday, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm
Saturday, 11am, 3pm, and 5pm
Available beginning February 1, 2025 / Disponible a partir del 1 de febrero 2025
Great for first time and repeat visitors alike, the Experiential Tour includes an introduction followed by an opportunity to explore the Cistern independently.
Excelente para los visitantes nuevos como para los que repiten, el recorrido experiencial incluye una introducción seguida de la oportunidad de explorar la Cisterna a su propio ritmo.
DURATION / DURACION
30 minutes / 30 minutos
SCHEDULE / DIAS Y HORARIOS
Saturdays, 1pm / Sábados a la 1pm
Hop aboard Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s pontoon boat to see Houston from a new angle! From nature-focused tours, guided history tours, or your own private celebration, there’s something for everyone. Children ages 4+ only.
Take a cruise through the heart of Houston with your friends and family on one of BBP’s public boat tours. Throughout the year, BBP offers a variety of ticketed pontoon boat experiences, including:
- 45-minute nature-focused cruises
- History Tours and Port-to-Port excursions to learn the behind-the-scenes of Houston’s past with a historian
- 90-minute rides to watch the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony emerge at dusk with a wildlife expert (available spring and summer)
Great for friends and family, team-building with co-workers, or hosting out-of-town visitors, BBP’s private pontoon boat tour cruises through the heart of downtown along historic Buffalo Bayou, past iconic sites and industrial relics. The boat can accommodate up to 21 guests ages 4+ only. Outside food and beverages are welcome. Add a historian for an additional $175. View the Private Boat Tour FAQ here.
DURATION
90 minutes
COST
$550
- For safety reasons, children under the age of 4 are not allowed on the pontoon boat.
- The pontoon boat can accommodate up to 21 guests at a time.
- Please note that ticket purchases are non-refundable and support the work of Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Guests will receive a full refund in case of cancellation due to weather.
DEPARTURE LOCATION
Allen’s Landing: 1019 Commerce Street (at Main Street). Proceed down to the wharf via the cascading stairs (adjacent to Sunset Coffee Building, the 3-story brown brick building). The boat will be docked at the wharf.
Enjoy expert-led tours along Buffalo Bayou on topics including wellness practices, the ecology of the bayou, the meanings and musings behind our public art, and more.
Join a Wellness Walk led by Laura Conely, founder of Urban Paths. All are invited to walk the trails and pathways of Buffalo Bayou Park while discussing topics including mental and physical health as well as the benefits of being exposed to nature.
DURATION
90 minutes
COST
Free
Learn about the native flora and fauna along Buffalo Bayou! Follow along this discovery tour of the bayou ecosystem with Nancy Greig, former director of the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Nancy loves the outdoors, especially beekeeping and tending birdhouses in her garden.
DURATION
90 minutes
COST
$5
Take one of our self-guided tours at your own pace and learn interesting facts about areas along Buffalo Bayou Park.
Buffalo Bayou Park is full of the wonders of nature. Use this guide to explore and experience everything Houston’s greatest natural resource has to offer on your next visit.
The Buffalo Bayou Revealed audio tour is presented by Houston Public Media. This audio experience provides you with interesting facts about areas along Buffalo Bayou Park. Listen below, or download the tour as a .zip file.