The Beer Can House: Houston's Folk Art Landmark

At a glance

• Where: 222 Malone Street, Houston, TX 77007 (Rice Military)
• Hours: Typically Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–4pm; closed major holidays — check orangeshow.org before you go
• Cost: Free (admission supported by Saint Arnold Brewing Company); guided tours available — check orangeshow.org for current fees
• Parking: Free street parking on Malone Street and nearby blocks; limited on busy weekends
• Time needed: 20–30 minutes self-guided; add extra time for photos

The Beer Can House at 222 Malone Street in Houston's Rice Military neighborhood is one of the most photographed folk art landmarks in Texas. A retired Southern Pacific Railroad upholsterer named John Milkovisch spent 18 years covering his family home in roughly 50,000 beer cans and garlands of beer can lids that still chime in the breeze. Admission is free, sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Houston's oldest craft brewery.

Why it exists: John Milkovisch's story

John Milkovisch bought the house on Malone Street and started his project in 1968 for the most practical reason imaginable: he was tired of mowing the grass. His first move was to pour concrete over the entire front and back yard, pressing thousands of marbles, colored glass, rocks, and metal pieces into the surface while the concrete was still wet. The yard became a permanent mosaic of found objects — no more lawn, ever.

He then turned to the house itself. One by one, he flattened aluminum beer cans and nailed them to the exterior walls in quilt-like patterns, creating a full layer of metallic siding. He also strung garlands of beer can ends and pull tabs from every eave, creating curtains that shade the walls and chime softly in the wind. His son confirmed that Milkovisch never had fewer than eight to ten cases stacked in the garage. He reportedly favored Falstaff, though he told visitors he drank whatever was on special.

He never called it art. He described it as an enjoyable pastime, and his great pleasure was watching drivers screech to a halt and circle back for a second look.

The project ran from 1968 until about 1986 — 18 years of steady work. Milkovisch suffered a stroke in 1987 and died in 1988. The house stayed with his family until 2001, when the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art acquired it as the Rice Military real estate market was transforming: surrounding bungalows were being replaced by condos, and the blocked airflow was accelerating the cans' decay. The Orange Show restored the house and opened it to visitors in 2008.

The detail that surprises most visitors: those garlands were not purely decorative. The hanging curtains of beer can ends along the eaves shaded the walls and actually reduced the Milkovisch family's electricity bills.

What you see on a visit

A self-guided visit covers the exterior and the yard. Here is what to look for:

• The siding: flattened beer cans nailed in tile-like patterns over every exterior wall. From across the street it reads as metallic shimmer; up close, every can still shows its brand.
• The garlands: chains of beer can lids and flip tops hanging from the roof eaves along the full width of each eave line. They chime with any breeze and catch the light at sharp angles.
• The yard: concrete entirely replaces the grass, patterned with embedded marbles, colored glass, and metal. Walk the full perimeter — the detail work is remarkable.
• The signs: small hand-lettered elements worked into the decoration, including a panel that reads 'Live By Golden Rule.'

Guided tours include the interior, where Milkovisch extended the same theme: beer can garland curtains, pull-tab lampshades, and decorative wall elements throughout.

The approximately 50,000 figure comes from Ripley's Believe It or Not, which featured the house. It is an estimate; no one counted every can.

Tours and admission

Self-guided exterior visits are free with no booking required. Admission is sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing Company — the brewery whose first keg shipped in 1994 now helps sustain a house whose construction started in 1968.

Guided tours include the interior and run about 30 minutes. Book ahead and check current fees at orangeshow.org/visit.

Hours are typically Wednesday through Sunday, 10am–4pm, with closures on major holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Check orangeshow.org/visit before you go.

The site is wheelchair accessible. Service animals are permitted; no pets.

Photo tips and best time to visit

The Beer Can House is a genuine photo destination. A few practical notes:

Best timing: arrive at opening (typically 10am, Wednesday through Sunday) on a weekday for the fewest other visitors. Sunny mornings and late afternoons create dramatic light bouncing off the metallic siding. Overcast days work surprisingly well too — even light across the surface without blown-out highlights from the aluminum.

What to shoot: crouch low and photograph the garlands from below, looking up toward the eave line. Get close to the siding to capture individual cans with their still-legible brand markings. Then back across Malone Street to frame the whole house with the roofline. Do not skip the concrete yard — the embedded marble and glass inlays are as detailed as the walls and most visitors walk right past them.

Photography is welcomed and encouraged everywhere on the property. Wear comfortable shoes; the concrete yard surface is uneven in spots.

Getting there and parking

The Beer Can House is at 222 Malone Street, Houston, TX 77007, in Rice Military — a neighborhood just west of Memorial Park and a few blocks north of Buffalo Bayou.

By car: free street parking is available on Malone Street and surrounding blocks. It fills quickly on busy weekend afternoons; arriving at opening helps. If you plan to walk south to Buffalo Bayou Park afterward — about a 10-minute walk — that loop makes a good pairing.

By bus: the nearest METRO stop is Memorial Drive at Terrace Drive, approximately a nine-minute walk. Check the METRO guide for current schedules.

Nearby food

Rice Military and the Washington Avenue corridor have a range of restaurants within a short drive. Our Memorial-area restaurant guide covers the neighborhood. If you are spending the afternoon on the folk art circuit described below, plan lunch before or after your drive to Smither Park; the East End and Third Ward have good dining options near the Orange Show sites.

The Orange Show Center and Smither Park

The Beer Can House is owned and operated by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, a Houston non-profit founded in 1980. The org was created to preserve Houston's folk art heritage — its founding supporters included Houston arts patrons, civic leaders, and members of ZZ Top. It also produces the Houston Art Car Parade.

The same org maintains two other sites in the East End, about 4 miles east of the Beer Can House. One is currently open; one is not.

Smither Park (2441 Munger Street, East End) is open, free, and one of the most rewarding 30-minute stops in the city. It is a half-acre park of permanent mosaic installations built from recycled and found materials by more than 300 artists. Features include a fish-shaped amphitheater, a 400-foot memory wall, mosaic-covered swings, a meditation garden, and a marble tower with a kinetic sculpture. On Saturdays, artists continue building new pieces on-site. The park hosts a free monthly event on the first Sunday of each month with live music, crafts, and vendors. Open dawn to dusk daily, always free.

The Orange Show Monument (2401 Munger Street, adjacent to Smither Park) is the maze-like structure that Houston postman Jeff McKissack spent decades building as a monument to the orange. It is currently closed to visitors for preservation and restoration work. Check orangeshow.org for reopening updates.

Our combined guide covers the full folk art circuit: Smither Park, the Orange Show and Beer Can House: Houston Folk Art.

Save this: folk art afternoon checklist

• Beer Can House: arrive at opening (10am Wed–Sun), free, allow 30 minutes with photos
• Street parking on Malone is free but limited on weekends — arrive early
• Guided tour: book ahead on orangeshow.org; check site for current fees
• Drive or rideshare about 4 miles east to Smither Park (2441 Munger Street, free, dawn to dusk)
• Check orangeshow.org before you go to see whether the Orange Show Monument has reopened
• Combine with Hermann Park or Buffalo Bayou Park for a full day outdoors
• For free art nearby, the Menil Collection in Montrose is about 20 minutes by car

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Beer Can House free to visit?

Yes. Self-guided exterior visits are free with no booking required. Admission is sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Guided tours that include the interior are also available — check orangeshow.org for current fees.

Who built the Beer Can House in Houston?

John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, built it starting in 1968. He spent 18 years covering his bungalow at 222 Malone Street in roughly 50,000 beer cans. He started because he wanted to stop mowing the grass.

What are the Beer Can House hours?

Typically Wednesday through Sunday, 10am–4pm. The house is closed on major holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Check orangeshow.org/visit before going, as hours can change.

How many beer cans are on the Beer Can House?

Approximately 50,000, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not, which featured the house. That number is an estimate; no one has counted every can.

How far is Smither Park from the Beer Can House?

About 4 miles east, in the East End at 2441 Munger Street. Plan to drive or rideshare between the two. Smither Park is open dawn to dusk daily and always free.

Can you go inside the Beer Can House?

On guided tours only. Guided tours last about 30 minutes and include the interior where beer can garlands, pull-tab lampshades, and decorative can work continue the theme. Book and check current fees at orangeshow.org. Self-guided exterior visits are free.