Houston: The Cistern Experience in Spanish and English Bilingual

Discover the secrets of one of Houston's most iconic and historic landmarks on a self-guided walking tour. Ideal for both first-time and returning visitors, the Experiential tour includes an introduction followed by the opportunity to explore the Cistern at your own pace. Fact sheets, digital and printed, are provided to all visitors.

Check in at the Buffalo Bayou Park Visitor Center, an oasis of greenery in the heart of the city. Meet your tour guide at the entrance to the Cistern and discover this historic structure built in 1926 as the city's original drinking water reservoir.

Enter the cavernous Cistern, which has been transformed into a subway public space. Marvel at an interior the size of 1.5 soccer fields that, at one time, stored 15 million gallons of drinking water.

Release your inner child and play with the space. Try calling to hear the 17-second echo as the sound of your voice bounces off the walls and ceilings. Admire the architecture of the monolithic concrete columns.