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Houston Inner Loop Living SPOTLIGHT: Houston Museum of Natural Science - More Than a World-Class Educational Institution

 

Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TXLooking for some adventure in your own 'back yard'? The Houston Museum of Natural Science affords an extraordinarily diverse range of world-class exhibits, activities and events, making it a centerpiece of the renowned Houston Museum District and one of the most popular science museums in the United States.

Attracting over two million visitors each year, HMNS attendance ranks second only to New York City's American Museum of Natural History among non-Smithsonian museums.

With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, the Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory, in addition to hosting ever-changing, internationally-acclaimed touring exhibitions and other exciting events, HMNS provides a continuous stream of offerings to delight every age group and interest.


History

The museum was established in 1909 by the Houston Museum and Scientific Society, an organization whose goals were to provide a free institution focusing on education and science for Houstonians. In celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2009, HMNS offered a multitude of special family programs, lectures, free events and kids' classes as part of its "Fun Hundred Celebration," as well as opening a satellite museum in Sugar Land, Texas.

Originally located in the City Auditorium building Downtown, the museum moved to a building within the Houston Zoo grounds in 1929. HMNS's primary collection was acquired between 1914 and 1930 and its now extensive education programs began in 1947. By its second year, the museum was already hosting 12,000 children per year.

The current Hermann Park facility was constructed in 1969. In 1988, the Challenger Center was opened in memory of the space mission, the aim of the exhibit and its simulator being to teach visitors about space flight. The Wortham IMAX® Theater and George Observatory (offsite) were opened in 1989.

The museum's high attendance levels have enabled funding for expansion with plans to double floor space within the next few years already in the works. New facilities and exhibits will revolve around astronomy and paleontology.

Construction of the new Paleontology Hall is well underway with a planned opening in the summer of 2012. The massive structure is two stories high and the size of a football field and will be used to house, among other things, 26 huge dinosaur models.


State-of-the-Art Facilities
 
Burke Baker Planetarium Theater Houston, TXOpening in 1964, the Burke Baker Planetarium presents not only a wide range of science and astronomy shows, but also music and other non-scientific 'experiential' productions.

The planetarium is equipped with the SkySkan Digitial Sky starfield projector able to simulate stars, planets, comets, nebulous objects and other incredible special effects. In 1998, the projector was upgraded to fullview, making it the first in the U.S. and only the third in the world to have multiple-projector digital image capability, allowing full dome movie viewing.

Many of the planetarium's productions about space, earth and life science, as well as multiple other topics are created by HMNS staff, featuring music by Shai Fishman, recorded and produced at Fish-i Studios. A digital stereo sound system further enhances the planetarium's spectacular special effects.

The HMNS outreach program "Discovery Dome" takes the planetarium experience on the road, reaching over 40,000 students per year in classrooms, presenting special events in portable digital domes.

The Cockrell Butterfly Center, opened in 1994, is housed within a three-story glass building filled with tropical plants and butterflies. The center exhibits a large range of live butterflies, including migratory monarchs and their tropical cousins.

CBC reopened in May 2007 after being overhauled to create a more-interactive exhibit. The center now offers games for children and a live insect zoo in the Brown Hall of Entomology.
 
Wortham IMAX® Theatre, a 396-seat auditorium presenting various films photographed in the IMAX® format, has been recently upgraded to play 3D films on its 60x80 foot screen.

The George Observatory, located south of Sugar Land at Brazos Bend State park, is an astronomy observation facility that's also home to the Challenger Learning Center for Space Science Education.


World-Class Exhibits

Special Exhibits

 

HMNS hosts many of the world's finest touring exhibits. The Genghis Khan exhibit afforded an interactive view and experience of this expansive 13th century Mongolian empire and its artifacts. The Nature of Diamonds exhibit showcased rare, breathtaking examples of this gemstone, explained how diamonds are created and gave an enlightening overview of their use in technology.

The Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit was named one of Time Magazine's 10 Best Museum Exhibits of 2008 and included 20 figures of different military rank from the Terra Cotta Army...

A collection of terra cotta warrior and horse sculptures dating from 210 BC which depict the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.

HMNS Ancient Ukraine Exhibit Houston, TXHMNS' newest special exhibit is Ancient Ukraine - Golden Treasures and Lost Civilizations - on tour for the first time in the United States. The exhibit spans 6,000 years of the history and prehistory of various cultures that once inhabited the territory of modern Ukraine.

 

 

Permanent Exhibits

 

In addition to its outstanding special exhibit bookings, HMNS is home to internationally-renowned permanent exhibits, including...

The Foucault Pendulum with a 60-foot long cable demonstrating the Earth's rotation. The Cullen Hall of Gems & Minerals displays more than 750 rare gemstones and crystallized mineral specimens. The Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault showcases some of the most exquisite finely cut gems in the world.

Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife exhibits animals and wildlife native to the state of Texas, complete with a video wall displaying the plants, animals and topography of the seven biotic regions of the state.

The Evelyn and Herbert Frensley Hall of African Wildlife offers a collection of taxidermied animals, including one of only two forest giraffes exhibited in North America. Opening in 1969, the hall allows visitors to explore the seven biomes of the continent of Africa, displaying more than 120 wildlife specimens that include 42 species of birds and 28 species of mammals. Strake Hall of Malacology displays a multitude of mollusk specimens.

Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Hall of Paleontology exhibits more than 450 fossils and fossil replicas, including an 85-foot long Diplodocus skeleton... the only mounted Diplodocus Hayi skeletal specimen in the world.

John P. McGovern Hall of the Americas is home to pre-Columbian archaeological artifacts from more than 50 different cultures. Welch Chemistry Hall offers interactive chemistry-related displays along with a periodic table of elements that includes a sample of each element.

Weiss Energy Hall displays revolve around energetics, petroleum geology and oil exploration. There are 12 separate sections which include the Energy Explorations Theater, The Geovator (which takes visitors on a simulated trip to the bottom of a 7,285-foot well), the Energy Excursions Theater and the Alternative Energy Sources exhibit.

Isaac Arnold Hall of Space Science contains exhibits and artifacts from the manned and unmanned space programs. The Challenger Learning Center, containing a realistic mock-up of Mission Control, is adjacent to the hall.

Fondren Discovery Place is an exhibit designed to allow children to investigate science in action. Children are encouraged to touch all exhibits which include a working replica of the Corliss Steam Engine and a simulated broadcast weather studio. This area also contains a replica of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.

Cockrell Sundial is one of the world's largest. It includes lenses on a special chrome ball so that at solar noon on the equinoxes and solstices, sunlight casts an image of the Sun. Large sunspots can be seen by holding a white card in the beam.

Earth Forum, which opened in 2002, is a computer-aided hands-on exhibit teaching about Earth and its processes. The "Earth Update" software was developed by Houston's own Rice University with NASA funding.


Not Just for Families and Science Lovers

HMNS Mixers & Elixirs Event, Houston, TXNot into science or the family scene? HMNS plays host to some of Houston's hottest summertime parties for young singles with their classy Mixers & Elixirs bashes on Friday nights, fraught with savory noshes, sassy drinks and saucy dancing to a live band (or dj). Heads up: Summer 2011 is your last chance to party prehistoric under the dinosaurs!

As exciting as cosmology is, Burke Baker Planetarium offers a whole lot more than stunning outer space and stellar vistas. You can experience the apocalypse of the Maya and discover how our fate in 2012 may be foretold in the ancient Mayan Prophecies...

Or opt for more-contemporary 'out-of-this-world' experiences served up in the Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd music / movie productions presented with the planetarium's bleeding-edge high-def, full-dome sound and video system.

With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science provides non-stop fun and adventure for 'kids' of all ages and interests.