Social Program
The following social events are included in the cost of the registration fees, and tickets will be provided in the Registration Packets. Tickets are required for admission. A few extra tickets may be available for purchase, subject to availability, at the On-Site Registration Desk.
 “Welcome to Houston” Reception
Sunday, May 13 • 6 to 8 P.M.
Hilton Americas • Ballroom of the Americas • 2nd Level
All full participants, student registrants, and Companion registrants are invited to begin the conference week at this welcome event, which includes an assortment of food, a free ticket for wine or beer, and cash bars.
“Cool Science” – A Special Evening at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
Wednesday, May 16 • 7 to 10 P.M.
Times/location for bus service will be given in the final conference program.
A special evening adventure awaits SCES’07 participants and affords an opportunity to experience world-class exhibits and new collections. Your ticket includes transportation, dinner and dessert buffet stations located throughout the museum, two free wine or beer tickets (and cash bars), admittance to new Planetarium and IMAX shows, and out-of-this-world entertainment.
Please let us know if you have special dietary restrictions. Contact sces07@rice.edu.
Optional Afternoon Tours
Wednesday, May 16
The following Optional Tour tickets will be included in the Registration Packets of those who purchase them during the early registration process. Guarantee your seats by purchasing by April 1. A limited number of tickets may still be available at the On-Site Registration Desk, with a $5. surcharge.
OT1  Space Center Houston (12:30 – 6:00 P.M.) Limited tickets available.
 Space Center Houston is a must for visitors of all ages! As the official visitors’ center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, guests to Space Center Houston will experience the thrill and adventure of the manned space flight program first hand. Space Center Houston lets visitors share in the accomplishments of NASA while exploring the past, present and future of space flight. Your tour will include a Special SCES’07 Welcome from NASA/Johnson Space Center, followed by the film, “To be an Astronaut”, shown on the Northrop Grumman Theatre’s 80-foot wide, five-story tall screen. Other experiences include Mission Status Center, to see what is happening in Houston's Mission Control, at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center launch pad, and even aboard the actual space shuttle during missions. Starship Gallery provides a journey through the history of space and a view of what the future holds for this exciting field. You will peruse the world’s largest display of moon rocks. You will also take the NASA Tour… boarding a comfortable tram for a guided, behind the scenes tour at Johnson Space Center. View the Mission Control Center used to maintain contact with our astronauts on actual missions. The Space Shuttle Mock Up provides an exact duplicate of the mid-deck and flight deck of the space shuttle. Afterward, try the “Land the Shuttle” simulator. Wrap up your tour in the Gift Shop where unique items are on hand as souvenirs. Boxed lunches (gourmet sandwich, side salad, cookie and beverage) will be served on board for the trip down to Space Center Houston.
Price: $45.00 Your tour includes complete tour coordination with a knowledgeable tour guide, admission tickets, boxed lunch and assorted soft drinks, juices and bottled water, and transportation in deluxe motorcoaches. Please note that no large backpacks or bags are allowed in the facility for security reasons. (100 minimum participants). Destination Houston, Tour Operator
OT2 Houston City Tour (1:00 – 5:00 P.M.) Limited tickets available.
Sample the excitement of Houston - a truly international city. From the impressive downtown Theater District to the historic Rice University Campus, the tour highlights some of the green spaces and skyscrapers that coexist in downtown Houston. A stop at the Houston Visitor Center on the ground floor of the recently renovated City Hall offers more than just an opportunity to grab a map or some brochures. You can watch a short Houston overview film in the Center’s theatre or utilize touch-screen computers to locate restaurants, attractions and unique events. The tour passes the affluent River Oaks area, where stunning homes of the rich and famous abound. This neighborhood is often referred to as Houston’s "Satin Slipper Suburb." The tour passes one of River Oaks’ most famous residences, Bayou Bend. It currently serves as the decorative arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Anchored by The Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum District includes 16 different institutions. The tour passes the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Houston Children's Museum, the Museum of Health and Medical Science, and the Houston Holocaust Museum. The "Magic Circle" with the Galleria, a luxurious 3-story shopping extravaganza sporting a center ice-skating rink and the impressive Williams Tower, is another of the city’s highlights. But it is the dynamic 64-foot high "Water Wall" that is the focal point of Williams Park. On this tour you will see some of the diverse neighborhoods, parks, and commercial areas that meld Houston together, forming a fascinating city of contrasts and contradictions.
Price: $36.00 Your tour includes a professional guide, a Texas bandana, a box lunch and beverages, and transportation in a deluxe motorcoach. Note: This tour requires a minimum of 33 persons in order to avoid cancellation. Destination Houston, Tour Operator
OT3 Houston Museum Tour (12:30 – 5:30 P.M.) CANCELLED
 While enjoying your box lunch, a deluxe motorcoach will transport you to the tree-lined Museum District, where you will visit several of Houston’s many world-class museums. Your knowledgeable guide will also provide insight as you later drive through the Museum District, home to 16 museums, and historic Rice University.
Your first stop is the The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) which ranks as one of the largest and most outstanding museums of its kind in the Southwest. With 37,000 works including masterpieces of international significance, the Museum’s permanent collection celebrates 6,000 years of creativity. The new Audrey Jones Beck Building is a work of art in its own right. Across the street is the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden of some of the 19th and 20th century’s prominent artists. After re-boarding, a Driving Tour through the District will showcase the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Holocaust Museum, the Houston Museum of Medicine and Health, the Children’s Museum, Hermann Park, and the historic Rice University campus en route to the next stop, the Menil Collection. The Menil Collection is one of the most important privately assembled art collections of the 20th Century. Amassed by John and Dominique de Menil, both deceased, the world-class collection consists of more than 15,000 eclectic objects. Paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs and rare books from Byzantine and Medieval worlds, tribal cultures of Africa, Oceania and the Pacific Northwest are all represented. The collection continues to grow and change by means of gifts and acquisitions. The collection is housed in a simple two-story building designed by Italian architect, Renzo Piano. His design artfully fulfills the desire for a space that appears small from the outside, yet large on the inside. The Menil Collection includes: The Cy Twombly Gallery; The Rothko Chapel; The Menil Collection Bookstore; and The Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum.**
Price: $43.00 Your tour includes complete coordination by knowledgeable guide, admission fees, transportation in a deluxe motorcoach, and boxed lunches (sandwich, chips, cookie and beverage) to be served on board. Note: This tour requires a minimum of 33 persons in order to avoid cancellation. Destination Houston, Tour Operator
OT4 Galveston Island Historical Tour (12:30 – 6:00 P.M.) CANCELLED
Take a comfortable journey through historic Galveston Island where the glories of the 19th century are interwoven with 20th century pleasures. You will tour a landmark historical home in Galveston, highlighting the glamour and wealth of Galveston in the 1800’s, with a drive along the beaches to the “Strand”. First stop is a tour of Galveston’s most recognizable architectural attraction, the Bishop’s Palace. Ranked among the top 100 homes in the U.S.A. in architectural significance, this magnificent 1887 structure stands as a symbol of Galveston's glorious past. Its stone exterior walls surround an interior of exotic woods, award-winning fireplaces, and beautiful period furniture. You will then be let off to roam around the “Strand” to browse and shop. The Strand National Historic Landmark is the finest concentration of 19th century iron-front commercial buildings in the nation. It was once called the "Wall Street" of the Southwest, and is now home to Texas’ Mardi Gras. In this lively area you can have lunch on your own, and find antiques, galleries, curios, gifts and boutiques and an authentic candy factory. There are discount stores and seafood and other restaurants galore throughout the Strand. The Strand waterfront, home of major cruise lines, is also home to the Texas Seaport Museum and the restored 1877 Tall Ship Elissa, a museum and film of the great 1900 Storm (separate admission required). The old-styled Galveston Trolleys ($1.00), at 3115 Market Street, leave from the Waterfront and loop to the Seawall beach area. This is a fun tour!
Price: $45.00 Your tour includes a professional guide, admission to Bishop’s Palace, assistance and information while in the Strand, soft drinks, juices and bottled water for the trip down, and transpor-tation in a deluxe motorcoach. Note: This tour requires a minimum of 33 persons in order to avoid cancellation. Destination Houston, Tour Operator
General Information for ALL Optional Afternoon Tours: Please note that each tour has minimum participation requirements. In the event that capacity is not reached and the tour is cancelled, you will be notified by email and given a chance to select another tour or receive a refund.
Optional Evening Event
Thursday, May 17 7:05 P.M.
OE1 Houston Astros vs. San Francisco Giants Limited tickets available.
Major League Baseball at Minute Maid Park
 Stroll two blocks with your SCES’07 escorts from the Hilton Americas to Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros, 2005 National League Champions. The Astros compete in the tough National League Central, which includes the Chicago Cubs, St Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers. The retractable roof stadium is a remarkable facility, with restaurants, food courts, shops, and a museum! Join us for the excitement!
Get as close as you can to the action at Minute Maid Park by joining your SCES’07 colleagues in the Field Boxes along the first base line. This level offers spectators some of the most spectacular panoramic views of the ballpark. Enjoy all the amenities of the main concourse, including the Minute Maid Squeeze Play and Conoco Home Run Alley.
Price: SPECIAL 1/2 PRICE FIELD BOX SEATS FOR SCES’07 PARTICIPANTS – $19.00 EACH
Tickets must be purchased with your conference registration.
Get as close as you can to the action by reserving the Field Boxes! This level offers spectators some of the most spectacular panoramic views of the ballpark. Enjoy all the amenities of the main concourse, including the Minute Maid Squeeze Play and Conoco Home Run Alley. Download the tour information.
**ADDITIONAL MUSEUMS TOUR INFO: The Cy Twombly Gallery is a permanent collection of more than 30 paintings, sculptures and works on paper dating from 1954-1994 by American artist Cy Twombly. Twombly, who is still working today, was born in Lexington, Virginia in 1928. His paintings combine elements of gestural abstraction, drawing and writing into very personal artistic expressions. Also included are large-scale masterworks and important sets of paintings and drawings.The Rothko Chapel, founded by the de Menils, was dedicated in 1971 as a modern meditative environment inspired by the paintings of American abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. The Chapel hosts religious ceremonies of all faiths. The Chapel has become a rallying place for all people concerned with peace, freedom and social justice throughout the world. Barnett Newman's "Broken Obelisk” sculpture stands in the reflection pool outside the Chapel as a tribute to Martin Luther King. The Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum provides an intimate setting (4,000 square feet), for the only intact Byzantine frescoes in the entire Western Hemisphere. These masterworks from the 13th century -- a dome and an apse -- were stolen from a chapel near Lysi in the Turkish occupied section of Cyprus in the 1980's. They were cut up, and smuggled off the island by thieves who intended to sell them piece by piece. The fragments were rescued by The Menil Foundation with the knowledge and approval of the Church of Cyprus, the rightful owner of the frescoes. The Foundation then funded a painstaking two-year restoration of the paintings. In gratitude, the Church of Cyprus has granted the Menil Foundation a long-term loan on the frescoes.
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