• Tickets include general admission

“You have to retain a sense of wonder; that’s what it’s all about.” —M.C. Escher

The MFAH hosts the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of works by M.C. Escher ever presented. Virtual Realities features more than 400 prints, drawings, watercolors, printed fabrics, constructed objects, wood and linoleum blocks, lithographic stones, sketchbooks, and the artist’s working tools.

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898–1972), popularly referred to as M.C. Escher, was born in the Netherlands and is known internationally for his self-described “mental images,” which connect to mathematics and various branches of science. Considered a “one-man art movement,” he remained outside of the art establishment. Escher was heralded in the psychedelic era of the 1960s and 1970s and is treasured today for his mind-bending works.

Spanning Escher’s entire career, Virtual Realities is drawn from the most extensive Escher collection in the world, held by Michael S. Sachs, who acquired 90 percent of the Escher estate in 1980. The artist’s singular, sometimes unsettling works, with their orchestration of multi-dimensional alternate realities, have become icons of the 20th century. Escher’s imagery evolved from realistic observations of the world to inventions from his imagination that explore the relationships between art and science, order and disorder, and logic and irrationality. Interactive auxiliary rooms, where visitors may play with optical illusions, accompany the exhibition.

► Audio Guide

The exhibition audio guide delves into selected works of art with commentary from the curator, printmaking artists, scientists, mathematicians, and others. Available free of charge, online and in the galleries. Disponible en español. To listen in the galleries, please bring your mobile device and headphones.

Best experienced on mobile devices with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

► Shop the Show

See exhibition-related items at the MFA Shop online.

► Forthcoming Publication

An illustrated catalogue is scheduled for release following the exhibition.

► Group Visits

Visiting with a group of 10 or more? For information, see Group Visits and Tours. Group reservations not available for closing week.

Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection / March 13–September 5, 2022

#MCEscherMFAH

This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Generous support provided by:

Luther King Capital Management

Vivian L. Smith Foundation

Marty and Kathy Goossen

Martha and Richard Finger

Marc Grossberg

The Francis L. Lederer Foundation, courtesy of Sharon Lederer and Ellis Mills IV

Elizabeth and George Passela

Grace Phillips and Eugene Nosal

The Scurlock Foundation

This program is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.

For tickets and more info, visit https://www.mfah.org/