Ft. Worth's Modern Art Museum Raising Rates
Starting June 24, the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth will be raising the adult admission price. At this date, the admission rates will be:
$4: Students with ID and Seniors (60+)
$10: General (13 to Adult)
Free: Children under 13
Free: Modern Members
Your admission includes the permanent collection exhibits, special and traveling exhibits, and scheduled tours and gallery programs. And don't forget, admission is still free on Wednesdays and on the first Sunday of every month. There's also free access to the Grand Lobby, cafeteria, and gift shop.
Labels: Fort Worth
posted by Paris and John @ 11:54 AM
Minor Planet Named for Texas State Park
If you're a nature lover, you might think that Brazos Bend State Park is "out of this world"...and now it really is.
"Brazos Bend" is the official name recently accepted by the International Astronomical Union to designate a minor planet discovered through telescopes located inside Brazos Bend State Park at The George Observatory, a satellite facility of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Joseph Dellinger, Max Eastman and Bill Dillon are a team of volunteer researchers at the George Observatory who spent four years observing the minor-planet Brazos Bend before it was eligible to receive its name.
Brazos Bend State Park Superintendent Steve Killian said, "The [park] staff and I thought it was a great way to showcase our great park, home of the George Observatory. We really have a hand-in-glove relationship with the observatory. We're partners, and it is really a wonderful opportunity to have the observatory inside the park. It allows our neighbors from the Houston metropolitan area to really see a night sky. The stars are big and bright in Texas, and here especially, you can see that."
The night sky over Brazos Bend's 5,000 acres offers an unobstructed view of the stars unlike any other in the Houston area. On Saturday evenings, the George Observatory is open to the public for a small fee. An available 36-inch Gueymard Research Telescope is one of the largest telescopes in the nation open to public use.
In addition to stargazing at the observatory, Brazos Bend State Park offers wildlife viewing, fishing, picnicking and camping opportunities and more than 34 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails.
Brazos Bend State Park is located approximately an hour's drive southwest of Houston. The park is open all week, year-round, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
For more information:• visit
Brazos Bend State Park• visit
George ObservatoryLabels: State Parks
posted by Paris and John @ 11:49 AM
Watch for Sea Turtles on the Texas Beaches
If you're headed to the Texas coast this summer, keep an eye out for Kemp's ridley sea turtles. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is asking tourists to report any sea turtle sightings on Texas beaches by phoning toll free (866) TURTLE5.
You can also witness sea turtle hatchling releases at the national seashore on certain dates mid-June through August. The releases usually take place around 6:45 a.m. and are free to attend—see the national seashore sea turtle Web pages for details. General information about ridley turtles is also on the
TPWD Web site.
Labels: Gulf Coast
posted by Paris and John @ 11:45 AM
Austin Boasts State's Highest Hotel Occupancy Rates
Planning an overnight visit to Austin? Plan early. Thanks to large conventions, the city's occupancy rates are the state's highest; this year so far, Austin hotels are 72.3% full. On top of that, average room rate has risen by nearly 14%. According to Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO Bob Lander, the numbers reflect Austin’s increasingly favorable reputation among convention, business and leisure travel markets.
Labels: Austin
posted by Paris and John @ 11:36 AM
