Closed Mondays:
Open 7 days a week Memorial Day - Labor Day

 

Tuesday through Saturday:
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

 

Thursday: 5 - 8 p.m.
Free Family Nights are offered every Thursday!

 

Sunday: noon - 6 p.m.

 

 
Event Rental
Admission

$9: Adults and children 1+
$8: Seniors (65+)
Free: Children under 1 and Museum Members

View more about the Children's Museum Admission

 
FAQs Gift Shop

The Young Inventors’ Showcase of Houston encourages the budding inventor in every child by providing a platform for children to share and celebrate their invention ideas.  Throughout the year, children are invited to participate by developing a completely original invention or making improvements to an existing invention. During the city-wide 24th Annual Young Inventors' Showcase on May 19, 2012, the very best of these inventions will be showcased and judged for their ingenuity and merit. This Showcase takes place at the Children’s Museum of Houston highlighting the efforts of Houston-area children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Winners are awarded by grade level and the grand prize winner receives the services of a patent attorney to research and request a patent for the invention. Find out how to enter. 



                        
                        
Showcase Participation: Past and Future
 
The annual Young Inventors' Showcase of Houston began in 1987 and thrived for years under the volunteer leadership of Greg Micek, a current CMH trustee.  With the advent of comprehensive standards-based testing in Texas schools, participation began to wane. The Children's Museum of Houston adopted the Showcase and has been host to the Young Inventors’ Showcase for five years with participation building each year. For the May 2010 event, one-hundred seventeen inventions were shown by children in kindergarten through seventh grade with an approximation of 2,000 students participating in the year round Showcases at school and district levels. 
 

>> Click on picture for 2009 Young Inventors' Showcase Competition Video
 
 
  2011 Grand Prize Winner
The Grand Prize winner receives a free consultation with our law firm co-sponsor Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri L.L.P. Each year, the Wong Cabello intellectual property law firm agrees to donate their time and expertise to guide the winner through the process of attempting to patent their invention. 
 
During the consultation, the Wong Cabello attorneys will provide information and an explanation of the patent process as well as provide their initial impressions about the patentability of your winning design.  The intellectual property law firm will write a patent application if (a) the firm has no conflicts with respect to the specific invention, and (b) the firm believes that the winning entry meets the criteria for a patentable invention.  If a patent application is filed, the initial patent filing fees will be paid for by the Children's Museum of Houston, an approximate cost of $2,500.  A patent application is a possible result for the winning invention, but not a guaranteed result.  If the winning invention does appear to be patentable and to not present a conflict for the firm, then the Wong Cabello attorneys will draft and file a patent application so long as it is understood that any further work (office action responses and potential appeal) would need to be negotiated.                                         

                                                                                                                                                                         
Since the 2010 Showcase, Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri L.L.P. has been to be the intellectual property law firm co-sponsor of the Young Inventors' Showcase to assist our grand prize winners with patent process regarding their inventions.  Thank you, Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri L.L.P., for your help in making this possible. 
       
 
 
    
          
                     2008 Grand Prize Winner                                              2007 Grand Prize Winner
                 Tre' Shunda James for Toothpaste Ready                       Caitlin Ehlinger for Sweep It Up