Texas Science Museums with Kids

The wonders of science are the focus of many excellent museums across the state.

Houston Area

One of the most visited science museums in the country is the Houston Museum of Natural Science. With four floors of exhibits, this museum has something for every child's interest. Rock hounds love the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals, considered one of the world's best collections; nearby some of the world's rarest seashells are on display. Children love the hands-on exhibits at the Fondren Discovery Place, the Challenger Learning Center and the Do The Weather Center. An IMAX® theater offers a variety of shows, and the Burke Baker Planetarium presents shows that give kids a peek at the night skies as well as laser shows. The museum is also home to the Cockrell Butterfly Center, with home to over 2,000 free-flying butterflies.

Not far from Houston, Space Center Houston is a must for any children with an interest in space. Located adjacent to the Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston was designed as a visitors’ center with 17 interactive areas where kids can ride a lunar rover or command a space shuttle. A full-scale replica of the space shuttle allows visitors to tour the flight deck; real space travel is explored in the IMAX® theater. After a look through the visitors’ center, families can sign up for guided tram tours which take visitors for a behind -the -scenes look at the Johnson Space Center.

Galveston

In Galveston, Moody Gardens contains is almost a full day of science fun. The Rainforest Pyramid and IMAX® 3-D Theater Complex is home to over 1,700 exotic plants, fish, birds, and insects from the world's rainforests as well as a 3D IMAX theater. The Discovery Pyramid showcases the work of NASA and is also home to the IMAX® Ridefilm Theater with a 180-degree wraparound screen. The Aquarium Pyramid showcases is home to marine life from the North Pacific, South Pacific, South Atlantic, and Caribbean waters.

DFW Metroplex

The Dallas Museum of Natural History is well known for its research; in fact, it is has several archaeologists and paleontologists on staff . The museum has many exhibits about Texas dinosaurs, including some hands-on displays about ecology.

Hands-on science fun is the name of the game at Dallas's The Science Place, located in Fair Park, includes over 300 interactive displays that invite kids to lift a 1,000 pound steel ball, or to use microscopes to see bacteria and viruses. This museum is also home to the TI Founders IMAX® Theater.

In Arlington, the River Legacy Living Science Center focuses on the science of North Texas, especially its through flora and fauna. One of the most unique exhibits is a simulated raft ride down the Trinity River.

Also in the Metroplex, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is known for its dinosaur exhibits as well as nine other exhibition galleries. Kids love DinoDig®, an outdoor area that is the first of its kind in the world. Here kids grab their tools and dig in a sand pit for dinosaur "bones." Another top spot is KIDSPACE®, an interactive hands-on learning environment designed for children age six and under. Exhibits here demonstrate the laws of motion by allowing kids to drop balls into a large funnel. Families also enjoy the shows of the Omni Theater and the Noble Planetarium.

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