8 Unique Museums In Dallas To Check Out
Known for its stunning features and eco-friendly designs by world-renowned architect, Thom Mayne, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a jewel in the heart of Downtown Dallas. Once you're inside, you'll discover hands-on-activities, interactive kiosks, eleven permanent exhibits and a state-of-the-art 3D theater.
Hours: The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesday - Saturday. The museum is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The museum is closed on Tuesdays.
Location: The museum is located at 2201 N Field St in Downtown Dallas.
Tickets: General admission tickets are $15-$25 for non-members. Tickets must be pre-purchased for specific dates and times for entry.
Even though the Victory Park museum was founded in 2012, its history dates back to 1936 when the Dallas Museum of Natural History opened in Fair Park. That institution, along with The Science Place and The Dallas Children’s Museum merged to create what is now The Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The four-story building features an eye-catching T. Rexcalator (an escalator on the outside of the building with clear views of downtown on the ride up). The best way to see the museum is by taking the ride to Level 4 then exploring each floor until you reach the main level again.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science boasts eleven permanent, exhibits designed to engage visitors of all ages, featuring family-friendly, interactive exhibits that invite hands-on exploration and immersive learning experiences. Visitors can also embark on captivating scavenger hunts throughout the museum, adding an element of adventure to their educational journey.
The Rose Hall of Birds at the Perot Museum allows visitors to pilot a red-tailed hawk, craft your own bird at supply stations, explore bird mating behaviors, and trace the evolutionary journey of birds from the age of dinosaurs to present day.
Enter the T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall and gaze up at towering fossil skeletons, uncover the Perot dinosaur, admire ancient fossils from when Dallas was submerged beneath an ocean, and observe museum paleontologists and preparators at work in the Paleo Lab.
Embark on an unforgettable cosmic exploration at the Expanding Universe Hall. Compare our Sun to other stars and learn how scientists use physics to better understand objects in space.
Follow the history of energy at Tom Hunt Energy Hall and discover how modern-day roasters are built, manipulate magnets to feel their pull, and how we use natural resources.
Find the first exhibit installed at the Perot Museum in the Lyda Hill Gems and Minerals Hall and marvel at the dazzling natural beauty of gems and minerals of every color.
Experience the movements and storms of the Earth with the interactive exhibits at Dynamic Earth Hall including standing on a platform to feel the Earth shake, touch a tornado in a simulator, and report on the weather to become a meteorologist.
Learn all about what makes you you at the Being Human Hall! Enter the Bio Lab for plenty of hands-on experiments and enjoy the intersection of science and creativity by singing into a microphone and creating a self-portrait.
Put your engineering skills to the test at the Texas Instruments Engineering and Innovation Hall. Experiment with building structures, coding, designing and controlling a robot, and more.
Explore the three ecoregions of Texas in the Discovering Life Hall by looking at fossils and taxidermy specimens. Enjoy 3D animations and interactive games that demonstrate how many factors shape the next generation of all living organisms.
Get active and learn the science behind your favorite sports and what it takes to become a professional athlete at the Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall.
Designed for children ages 5 and under, the Moody Family Children's Museum invites little ones to dig for dinosaurs, explore a farmers market and mini Dallas skyline, admire terrarium animals, and create their own works of art.
A 3D theater also shows a variety of science and nature films on a rotating basis, with some screenings bringing to life dinosaurs and going deep beneath the sea to explore that unique world.
In addition to the museum’s often-interactive exhibits, special events provide the chance to experience the Perot in totally new ways.
For children, a Discovery Camp brings science to life for kids in the hopes of creating the STEM leaders of tomorrow. Please note: Discovery Camp is paused during museum maintenance but will resume in summer 2024.
For adults, the Thursdays on Tap series provides a 21-and-over party atmosphere with food trucks, live music, and alcoholic beverages without the daytime crowds or children running around.
Held on select evenings throughout the year, the National Geographic Live Speaker Series is another popular program with grownups. National Geographic explorers discuss their incredible adventures, discoveries, and more.