Our Rio Grande Valley museums supply arts, history and culture to their visitors throughout the year. But during the Christmas season, they also share creativity and bright lights.

Several museums have Christmas tree exhibits. They get the community to bring and decorate a tree, usually to a certain theme. You can be sure to see lots of colors and lights as organizations pick a theme that represents them, the city, or their heritage.

Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum have their Christmas Tree Extravaganza on display through December 31. Their official opening ceremony is on Thursday, December 11. They will also have the Lon C. Hill Home, Paso Real Stagecoach Inn, and the old Harlingen Hospital decked out in Christmas décor.

Their regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is located at 2425 Boxwood Street. You can find out more information about their exhibits online at https://www.facebook.com/harlingenmuseum or by calling (956) 216-4901.

The IMAS Guild invites community members to visit this year’s Christmas Tree Forest. This year’s theme is “Christmas in a Science Lab,” asking participants to put a creative spin on the season, to combine the magic of the holidays with the wonder of science. It is a long-standing tradition for all ornaments to be hand-made. The exhibit shows the creativity and ingenuity of the community from preschoolers through adult groups.

The Christmas Tree Forest will be on display through January 4. The hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. IMAS is located at 1900 W. Nolana Ave. in McAllen. For more information on admission, events, and programs, visit theimasonline.org or call (956) 681-2800.

Weslaco Museum presents their Christmas Tree Forest Exhibit through December 27. Step into a festive Christmas exhibit with this year’s theme “A Country Christmas.”

The museum’s hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The Weslaco Museum is located at 500 S. Texas Blvd. For more information, visit their website at weslacomuseum.org, find them on Facebook, or call (956) 968-9142.

Brownville Historical Association will present its Department 56 Miniature Holiday Village collection at the Historic Brownsville Museum. Founded in 1976, the Department 56 Company captures the spirit of Christmas through various themed collections that can be seen through the display. The display will be up through January 17.

Donated by the Gloor family in memory of collector, June Gloor, the exhibit contains over 500 ceramic pieces including figurines, animals and lit structures.

The Historic Brownsville Museum is located at 641 E. Madison St. They are open from Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (956) 541-5560 for more information. A $6 fee, $4 for seniors, gets you into both of their museums.

The Laureles Ranch House Museum, 1501 E. 7th St., in Brownsville, will host a Historical Happy Hour: Country Christmas on Friday, December 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. Gather your friends and join the Brownsville Historical Association for a chance to sample a signature Christmas cocktail, and more. Attendees must be 21 years or older. For more information, call (956) 548-13313. For non-members, tickets are $15 for RSVP and $20 at the door.

The Maria del Pilar Garza Museum, previously the Alamo Museum, has a couple of exhibits on display and are great to take in during this time of year. They have 220 Madonna and Child figurines from around the world on exhibit.

The Angel Galleria is one of the big attractions during the holiday season featuring angels that were collected by Shirl Pfeiffer. Shirl and her husband are from Wisconsin and were Winter Texans for some time before moving permanently to Alamo.

A display of nativity sets is on loan from Audrey Stewart, a Winter Texan from Oklahoma, who stays in Alamo during the winter season.

The Museum will be open during its regular hours through December 20 and reopen January 2. The museum is located at 840 W. Austin Ave. Call (956) 961-4398 or visit alamotexas.org/government/departments/alamo-museum/ for more information.