Everyone enjoys cultural experiences, no matter what their age is. Learning about different cultures, people, and places can be fascinating. Not only that, it can be good for our health. Studies have shown that the learning process is most important in our childhood and in our advanced age. The more we learn, the more we grow as a person. The more we grow as a person, the more we are able to adapt to our surroundings and circumstances. This can be especially helpful when the common maladies of old age begin to set in.
For care providers and their elderly clients in the Katy, TX area, one location to find a learning cultural experience is in the Forbidden Gardens. Forbidden Gardens is a Chinese themed outdoor museum that features tiny replicas of important parts of Chinese infrastructure in the third century BC. One of the most fascinating displays is the 6,000 piece terra cotta army. The soldiers were crafted on a 1/3 scale and are in their original block formations.
Forbidden City is another exhibit at the museum. It depicts life as it was in Imperial China, complete with thousands of figurines and 1/20 scale replicas of palaces, homes, and other common buildings of the time. The Forbidden City exhibit is housed in a 40,000 sq ft pavilion. The other exhibits at Forbidden Gardens are the Calming of The Heart Lodge, Weapons Room, and Architecture Room.
Although Forbidden Gardens is an outdoor venue, the entire complex is wheel chair accessible. This is an important factor when planning an outing with an elderly client who may have mobility issues. Also because Forbidden Gardens is an outdoor venue, the complex does close during hazardous or inclement weather. While the schedule varies greatly because the museum administrators sometimes close the complex without warning, the normal hours of operation are 10am until 5pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The museum has stringent rules on which areas are accessible with a guide and which areas are not. Just like the schedule, these areas often change without warning.
Care providers who may be considering planning a trip to Forbidden Gardens should visit the website for more information regarding hours and tours. However, given the iffy nature of the posted information, it is prudent to call for confirmation of tours, times, and hours before making the trip out there.
Forbidden Gardens
23500 Franz. Road
Katy, TX 77493
281-347-8000 (general information, voice mail)
281-347-8096 (office). Office hours are 10am-3pm on weekdays.
Hearts at Home Senior Care is a care provider covering the town of Katy. We offer senior care, respite care and elderly care with caregivers of the highest standard.
