Whenever a manned space flight is launched in America, it is co-ordinated from Houston. However, this city also has much more to offer.
Houston is the biggest city in Texas, has the most important harbour in the United States and contains the headquarters of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. All American manned space flights are prepared and monitored from Houston. The city is situated on the Gulf of Mexico and enjoys a hot and humid climate. In the cultural sphere, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Contemporary Arts Museum and the Menil Collection are the most important attractions.
The Houston cityscape is dominated by modern skyscrapers. The Civic Center is the commercial centre of the city. It also contains the most important office buildings, including Pennzoil Place and the Tenneco Building. The Old Market Square is the historic town centre of Houston, where you can find a large number of restored buildings. A number of old buildings have actually been moved in their entirety to the Sam Houston Historical Park.