Forbidden Gardens

wish we could have seen this when it first opened, it may have been a passably infotaining experience. amazing how the originals stood up better after being buried in China for 2000+ years, while these are on their way to the landfill after 20 years in the Texas sun. can't see how they went to this much expense, but didn't build a building to protect the exhibits?? Except for the ""weapons"" display, which had signs warning us not to touch the ""sharp blades"", even though they were all carved out of wood. Pros: laughably dilapidated at this point Cons: laughably dilapidated at this point more

awful experience....i don't even know what to say but i'll try. it was FILTHY, the tour guide was rude, and seriously the exhibits were pathetic. a terrible waste of my time and energy. if you can avoid it, please do so. Pros: a pond Cons: everything else more

Honestly, this experience could not have been more miserable. It was an overcast day, so it wasn't too hot, so I thought why not check out Forbidden Gardens? Worst. Mistake. Of. My. Life. Okay, my hopes were high...from looking at the website, I was expecting some nice replicas and an informative tour. By the end of it, I just wished the exhibits were clean. There was dust everywhere, and trash!....like I didn't want to get too close to anything. It might be OUTSIDE, but if you're inviting people to PAY to see ""exhibits"" it shouldn't be too out of your way to dust every once in a while. As for the tour guide, I understand you have to go through the motions 10 times a day, but did a little enthusiasm ever hurt anyone? I would have rather had a pre-recorded tour (like they have at some museums) so I wouldn't have to look at their pathetic faces. If you're in Katy and need something to do, DO NOT GO HERE...spend the money at this place called Skeeter's at the Mason and Highland Knolls intersection. Good Burgers. Pros: anyone wanna go to Skeeter's? Cons: lazy staff, dirty exhibits, just generally unkempt more

I went back to the Forbidden Gardens this past weekend (I have been there many times with various family and friends) and was so glad to see that they sustained minimal damage from the hurricane. I had been worried because the largest of their exhibits are outdoor and thought that they would get blown away but I was pleasantly surprised when I got there. The very tall tour guide was friendly and made the experience all the more enjoyable. There were many distractions that day with crying kids but she never broke in her tour and didnt seem annoyed at all even though some of us were. She informed us that they are working hard during the week to repair the minor damage that they got during the storm so be prepaired to see a few pieces of wooden siding missing from the sides of some of the buildings. All in all it was still a great activity for the day. Pros: over 2000 years of history in just one hour Cons: you may have a crying child on your tour more

Unfortunately, I'll have to agree with the negative reviews. I wish I read some before deciding to take my family there. There really isn't anything spectacular about this place...the ""replicas"" can probably be found at any Chinese restaurant (Kim Son etc.). The staff was rather uninformed...I think I knew more than they did. I would have appreciated some more enthusiasm for the kids...it seemed like they were just going through the motions, not caring much if we enjoyed our experience or not. I would not recommend this place if you have other things to do with your time. Take the kids out for some authentic Chinese food instead. Pros: convenient location Cons: poor experience due to ineptidude of staff more

First of all, I don't understand the negative reviews regarding Forbidden Gardens. I have been there several times (I take anyone who visits me to Forbidden Gardens) and I have NEVER encountered any discourteous staff or unprofessional behavior from anyone. I have been there when it started raining and we had to leave, but we were not ""kicked out"" or threatened with the police. In fact, they offered to escort us out with umbrellas. Pros: no other place like it in the US Cons: pay attention to the weather more

It was a cloudy day, and the family and I wanted to spend some quality time together...we knew the chances of a cancellation of the tour was possible, but decided to step into Forbidden Gardens and at least take in the beautiful scenery. Too bad there was none. The ""exhibits"" were Toys R Us renderings of pseudo-authentic weapons, tables, etc. To say the least we were unimpressed. When time for the tour came around, the kind-of-stoned-looking tour guide told us ""for our safety"" the tour was cancelled due to rain. About 15 minutes later, the guests (including a baby) were told that the gates were going to be closed and we had to leave immediately. How safe is that? Forcing your guests into the pouring rain just so the employees can go home early? They even said they would call the police if we didn't leave! The staff was unaccommodating, unfriendly and pretty uninformed. The Forbidden Gardens should be just that--FORBIDDEN--because it is unsafe (why else would they kick us out so abruptly?). In addition, for claiming to have our safety in mind, they don't invest in much, such as a lightning rod and other safety measures. In short, this place is a danger to everyone in it and should be shut down promptly. AND THE STAFF FIRED. Pros: close to home Cons: too close to home...who wants to live near an accident waiting to happen like that? more

The entrance is nice with a beautiful bridge and a pond. The terra-cota army is awesome and all the miniatures of the Forbidden City are amazing, but need maintenance.The tourguide, didn't seem very professional, she was vague with dates and historical events, couldn't answer questions that you would think a tour guide should know. It would be better if there were vending machines, especially sodas for the hot weather. I would definitly avoid visiting during hot summer days. more