Dig for dinosaurs, unlock the secrets of our DNA and discover the beauty of the Texas night sky, all in one place. The Museum of Nature & Science is a must-see for all families visiting Dallas.
This museum is really three museums in one, the result of a 2006 merger between the Dallas Museum of Natural History, the Science Place and the Dallas Children’s Museum. From the paleontology lab to the Little Urban Farm, the dynamic, interactive exhibits will fascinate children, and there’s plenty of fun for the adults, too.
Located in Fair Park, just east of downtown, the museum today is divided into three main buildings…
- The Nature building is home to more than 200,000 specimens covering 1.7 billion years of earth’s history.
- In the Science building, explore the 200 permanent, hand-on exhibits and learn principles behind physics, astronomy, health, robotics and nature.
- The complex is also home to the popular, interactive Children’s Museum, a 323-seat IMAX theatre and the only public planetarium in Dallas (don’t miss its fantastic tour of the Texas night sky). The museum also hosts top-rated traveling exhibits, including the recent Baseball As America, Dinosaurs Unearthed and Math Midway.
Whether you’re visiting Dallas with young children or hosting the grandkids from out of town, put the Museum of Nature & Science at the top of your must-visit list. The kids will love digging in the giant ‘excavation pit’ sandbox for dinosaur bones and milking a cow in the dairy barn of the ‘Little Urban Farm.’ Ever wonder why we sneeze, cough or sweat?
The brand-new, 2,000-square-foot permanent exhibit, ‘The Incredible Body’ has all the answers. Learn about how your body works through 24 interactive exhibits. Then step over to ‘Ice Age Dallas,’ and see fossils of the incredible animals, including the Trinity River Mammoth, that once called Dallas home. Learn the secrets behind gravity by dropping coins into the gravity funnel and comparing their speed. Visit the tooth exhibit and teach your kids the importance of oral hygiene – there’s nothing like a giant cavity exhibit to get your kids flossing!
If you have young children, spend the afternoon exploring the hands-on Children’s Museum, designed for children from infancy to age seven. Built like a miniature town, six play sets allow children to explore their community, from the ‘Building Supply and Utility Company’ (become an ‘engineer’ and create a building out of different materials) to the Performing Arts Theatre (become an ‘actress’, dress up in costumes and put on a spontaneous show).
The Children’s Museum also includes the popular play sets “Explore Your Backyard”, “Explore My House”, “Little Urban Farm, and “Water Room.” These non-linear exhibits encourage creativity and allow your child to discover them at her own pace.
If your time in Dallas overlaps with one of the popular Friday and Saturday night sleepovers, consider taking your kids on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the lights go out, their imaginations will really run wild during these special events. They’ll participate in a scavenger hunt, get behind-the-scenes access to the exhibits and create a special craft project. Themes range from Mummies & Ancient Worlds to Sea Monsters & Dinosaurs. As the sleepovers are popular and space is limited, call at least three weeks in advance to secure a space.
Rain or shine, you can spend a full day at the museum. You can purchase tickets individually for general admission, or enjoy one of several discounted combo packages that include the planetarium, an IMAX show, and the specialty exhibits.
Beat the weekend rush and arrive early (or visit during the week) and enjoy a personal, docent-led tour of the different exhibits. Refuel in between exhibits by grabbing a snack at the Museum Café in the lobby of the Science Building, or visiting the Old Mill Restaurant in Fair Park, just a few minutes from the museum, for delicious home-style cooking. Whether you are five or 75, the Museum of Nature & Science will delight the child in all of us.
Click here for museum hours, to purchase tickets and to plan your visit.
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