Sistine Chapel exhibit's mysterious closure confusing Houston visitors
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- People excited to see a new Sistine Chapel exhibit in downtown Houston were disappointed this week to find the doors locked.
The website for the exhibit indicates it will remain open until the end of July 31, but a voice message for the host company has contradictory information. That's leaving people hoping to gaze at the large photo recreations confused.
Lucinda Ramirez Gandara visited the real thing a few years back, and wanted to take her mother to the Houston version.
"I remember it was majestic. My poor mom is never going to make it to Italy," she said.
Once-in-a-lifetime Houston exhibit offers rare glimpse inside the Sistine Chapel
She went online to buy tickets and tried to call Brilliant Lectures, the host of the event, when she had a question but she couldn't get through to anyone.
"So I thought, well that's odd. I think it ran through July because I heard it on Channel 13," Lucinda said.
The website indicates the exhibit continues through July 31, but has a message apologizing for delays.
We reached out to Brilliant Lectures by phone and email, but we didn't get a response.
We did hear from the Corinthian, the venue for the exhibit. They too said it's been a struggle to reach Brilliant.
They say people upset about the confusion are contacting them, but they are simply renting out space to Brilliant.
"People are up here, they're lining up, they have their tickets, but the door is locked," Lucinda said.
The Corinthian says they expect the exhibit to reopen possibly on Monday.
There was a blackout period for the event scheduled for June 18-25, but a third-party public relations representative told ABC13 late this evening "a glitch" caused a closure this week as well. It could reopen as soon as Friday, the representative said.
