Forbidden Gardens facts for kids
Forbidden Gardens was a special outdoor museum in Katy, Texas. It showed off amazing parts of Chinese culture and history. The museum was located near Texas Highway 99 and Franz Road. A businessman named Ira Poon created and opened it in 1996. Forbidden Gardens welcomed visitors for many years before it closed in 2011.
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What Made Forbidden Gardens Special?
Forbidden Gardens got its name from two of its most important displays. One was a tiny version of the famous Forbidden City. This model was 20 times smaller than the real one. It had hundreds of palace buildings and small figures, all under a huge roof that covered about 40,000 square feet. The other part of its name came from the beautiful gardens where people could walk and see more exhibits.
Amazing Exhibits to Explore
The museum had many other cool things to see. There was a detailed scene of a peaceful scholarly place called the Lodge of the Calming of the Heart. Outside, you could find 6,000 smaller copies of soldiers and chariots from the famous Terracotta Army. These were from the tomb of China's first Emperor, Qin. Inside, there was also a scene of a city called Suzhou, which is sometimes called the "Venice of China." Other rooms showed off old Chinese buildings and weapons.
A Unique Museum Experience
Forbidden Gardens was special because a private person, Ira Poon, paid for it all. The museum displayed many detailed models that were made in China and shipped over. It cost about $40 million to build. Only 40 of the 80 acres of land Mr. Poon bought were used for the museum. The Terracotta Army display was also unique because the statues were out in the sunlight. This was different from the real Terracotta Army, which is kept safe indoors. Being outside made them great for taking pictures!
Why Forbidden Gardens Closed
It was announced that Forbidden Gardens would close its doors on February 21, 2011. The land was needed for a big road project, the Grand Parkway expansion. Before it closed, the museum offered some of its Terracotta soldiers for sale online. They were listed on Craigslist for $100 each. This news got a lot of attention! However, the soldiers were quickly taken off Craigslist on February 9. The museum explained that too many people wanted them.
