You can make culture a regular thing this year — and next year and the next. Just scope out the variety of recurring events in the Museum District and plug them into your calendar to keep them on your radar. Here is a run down of regular happenings such as tours, talks and other cool and interactive ways to get in the habit.

Every other Wednesday (and sometimes more often), DiverseWorks hosts unique programs for DiverseWorks on Wednesdays (DWOW). The variety of events might include artist talks, slide jams, performances, spoken word, comedy stylings and curator’s talks. Peruse their past events here, and check for upcoming events on their calendar page. Asia Society Texas Center offers monthly art tours of exhibitions allowing visitors to experience the art on a personal level and hear stories associated with the works. Monthly architecture tours explore the materials and influence behind Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi’s first freestanding structure in the United States. Families of all ages are also invited to create crafts, learn about Asian games and holidays, hear traditional stories, sample fusion cuisine, and more at monthly Creation Stations or larger Family Days.

If you are a young professional looking to network, the Texas Center’s quarterly Leo Bar events gather the community for cultural evenings of cuisine, cocktails and creativity. The next two Leo Bar events happen on Feb. 5 and May 7.

Asia Society hosts frequent Creation Stations and monthly tours. Photos by Jeff Fantich.

Rice Gallery on the Rice University Campus offers multiple recurring programs. Their New Art/New Music series features musical compositions inspired by the current art installation written and performed by students of Rice’s Shepherd School of Music.

Words & Art is a frequent writing workshop with more than 150 participants and a reading with more than 75 attendees. Participants write poetry and prose in response to Rice Gallery installations and submit their work for reading events. The Professors’ Perspectives lunchtime lecture series features talks by Rice faculty members on topics relating to the unique art in the gallery. Check their calendar page for details.

A Recent New Art/New Music program at Rice Gallery: Brandon Bell’s Sonic Snapshots from Our Shores and Beyond. Photo by Tommy Laverne.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft hosts Hands-on Houston events for families on the first Saturday of every month (except for January and July in 2015). For each HOH event, a teaching artist demonstrates a craft related to the current exhibitions. Families and children of all ages are welcome to come any time from 11 am to 3 pm to participate. The activities give participants the opportunity for self-expression, as they learn a technique, material or form related to the current exhibitions. Visitors canmake paper pop-up cards on Feb. 7, the first HOH event for 2015. Each fall, HCCC hosts the Hands-on Houston Family Festival, which is a super-sized hands-on art event that includes multiple craft activities, as well as artist demonstrations, learning stations, food trucks and more.

Hands-on Houston events at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

From January 24 through mid-April, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston offers docent-led tours each Saturday of Mel Chin: Rematch. Docents are practicing art historians, artists, and curators who are actively involved in the world of contemporary art and encourage lively dialogue with visitors. Tours, available at 1 and 3 pm each Saturday, are casual and friendly and open to all ages. The Czech Center Museum Houston plans to begin hosting a monthly Czech movie night during 2015 on the third Friday of every month. Watch their calendar page for forthcoming details. Each year, the Czech Center hosts concerts and special exhibitions.  Opening January 26, Texas Czechs: Rooted in Tradition highlights how Czech culture has played an instrumental role in shaping the iconic Texas landscape.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston hosts numerous recurring programs for adults, such as Lunch + Look on Wednesdays, a Friday afternoon lecture series and Art + Wine programs. Check their adult programs calendar page for details and to sign up for the program newsletter.

More culture on hand: Holocaust Museum Houston offers regularly scheduled tours every Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30, while The Jung Center offers a steady line-up of classes, workshops and exhibits. Check their programs page or sign up for their e-newsletter to see what’s up your alley.

Remember, several museums are always free, while many offer free general admission hours on a weekly or monthly basis. Check the free admission page for details. Have fun getting in the habit!