Moody Gardens, Galveston

Started in the 1980s as a therapy program for patients with head injuries, Moody Gardens has expanded into one of the coastal region's largest attractions.

The facility's first major attraction was the Rainforest Pyramid and IMAX 3D Theater Complex. Here over 1,700 exotic plants, fish, birds, and insects from the world's rainforests live within a glass pyramid.

The complex is also home to the nation's first 3D IMAX theater. The Discovery Pyramid showcases the work of NASA through space habitats, exhibits, and interactive displays. The Discovery Pyramid was, to be honest, somewhat of a disappointment (have seen the Space Center just the day before); its exhibits are limited and far less extensive than those of the Space Center. The Discovery Pyramid also is home to the IMAX Ridefilm Theater with a 180-degree wraparound screen.

The newest pyramid is the Aquarium Pyramid, with two million gallons of water containing wildlife from the world's waters. The exhibits were well-done and large, giving the marine animals a simulated habitat to represent the North Pacific, South Pacific, South Atlantic, and Caribbean waters.

Other attractions at Moody Gardens include Palm Beach, constructed using sand shipped in from Florida, and The Colonel, a recreation of a 19th century paddlewheeler.

Location:

1 Hope Blvd. off 81st Street to Jones Road.

For More Information: visit www.moodygardens.com

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