City: Houston, TX

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (713) 639-4629

Address: 1 Hermann Circle Dr., between Caroline a

Insider Pick:

Description: You could tour the Houston Museum of Natural Science for a day or two and still not see everything. But you’re sure to be intrigued by what you do see. Here you’ll find permanent exhibits spanning astronomy and space, oil and energy, chemistry, paleontology, shells, Texas wildlife, dinosaurs, and rare gems and minerals. Recent special exhibits have explored the Lucy fossil, the work of Dr. Seuss, and Jewish soldiers’ roles in US wars. Among the biggest draws here are the Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Brown Hall of Entomology, where butterflies flutter around, sip nectar, and rest inside a simulated tropical rain forest. Brown Hall is filled with even more live insects and spiders, including walking sticks, cockroaches, and tarantulas. If you feel inspired after watching these creatures, visit the “Insects and Us” section, where you can learn how to build your own butterfly garden, ward off mosquitoes (an essential skill in Houston), and keep bees. Other highlights here include the Burke Baker Planetarium and nature-­themed IMAX films. Most IMAX movies are screened just once or twice a day, so check the schedule online or by calling (713) 639-4629. Purchase tickets in advance and line up early to get a good seat because IMAX movies often sell out. General admission is $15 for adults and $10 for college students, seniors 62 and up, and children ages 3 to 11. The museum is also included on the Houston CityPass. Admission to the Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium, and Wortham Theater IMAX movies requires additional tickets, which cost $8 for the butterfly center for adults, $8 for the planetarium for adults, and $11 for an IMAX movie for adults. Seniors, students, and children under 11 pay $7 to see the butterflies, $7 to visit the planetarium, and $9 to see an IMAX movie. Paid parking is available in the museum garage on Caroline Street; museum members pay $5 and nonmembers who show their museum ticket stub pay $10. Limited parking is available on the streets around the museum. The METRORail stops at the “Museum District” stop, just 3 blocks from the museum.