The Houston Museum of Natural Science is a science museum located on the northern border of Hermann Park in Houston, Texas The museum was established in 1909 by the Houston Museum and Scientific Society, an organization whose goals were to provide a free institution for the people of Houston focusing on education and science. Museum attendance totals over two million visitors each year. The museum complex consists of a central facility with four floors of natural science halls and exhibits, Burke Baker Planetarium, Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Wortham IMAX Theater.

History

Originally located in the City Auditorium building in downtown, the museum moved to a building within Houston Zoo in 1929. The museum's primary collection was acquired between 1914 and 1930. The current facility in Hermann Park was constructed in 1969. In 1988, the museum became the first affiliate site for the Challenger Center organization. The Wortham IMAX theater and the George Observatory were opened in 1989.

Exhibits

• The Foucault pendulum, demonstrating the Earth rotation. The length of the pendulum's cable is over 60 feet long.
• Cullen Hall of Gems & Minerals and Eby Hall of Mineral Science, featuring a large exhibit of over 750 crystallized mineral specimens and rare gemstones.
• Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife exhibits animals and wildlife native to Texas. The hall contains a video wall that displays the displays the plants, animals and topography of the seven biotic regions of the state.
• Evelyn and Herbert Frensley Hall of African Wildlife, a display of taxidermied animals, including one of the 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. Over 120 specimens, including 42 species of birds and 28 species of mammals are on display.
• Strake Hall of Malacology, with many specimens of mollusks.
• Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Hall of Paleontology, showing many fossils, including an 85 feet long Diplodocus skeleton, the only mounted Diplodocus hayi in the world. The hall contains over 450 fossils and fossil replicas.
• John P. McGovern Hall of the Americas, showing exhibits of pre-Columbian archaeological artefacts.
• Welch Chemistry Hall, with chemistry related displays and a periodic table of elements with a sample of each element.
• Wiess Energy Hall, with displays themed around energetics, petroleum geology, and oil exploration. The hall consists of 12 sections which include the Energy Explorations Theater, the Geovator (which takes visitors on a simulated trip to the bottom of a 7,285 ft. well), the Energy Excursions Theater and the Alternative Energy Sources exhibit.
• Isaac Arnold Hall of Space Science contains exhibits and artifacts of the manned and unmanned space programs. The Challenger Learning Center, offering 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 includes a working replica of the Corliss Steam Engine and a simulated broadcast weather studio.

Facilities

Opening in 1964, the Burke Baker Planetarium presents a range of science and astronomy shows. The planetarium is equipped with the SkySkan DigitalSky starfield projector that can simulate stars, planets, comets, nebulous objects and other special effects. A digital stereo sound system also enhances planetarium's special effects.

Cockrell Butterfly Center, a butterfly zoo located in museum complex. Opening in 1994, the center is housed in a three-story glass building filled with tropical plants and butterflies. The center exhibits a large range of live butterflies, including the migratory monarchs and their tropical cousins, display cases of some other live insects, and a male iguana called Gandalph. The center also features the Entomology hall, exhibiting a wide range of mounted insects.

Wortham IMAX Theatre, a 396 seat theater presenting various films photographed in the IMAX format.

George Observatory, an astronomy observatory equipped with three domed telescopes, including a 36-inch Gueymard Research Telescope and a solar telescope. The facility is located south of Sugar Land, Texas at Brazos Bend State Park. The observatory also houses the Challenger Learning Center for Space Science Education.

External links

• Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Challenger Center Organization

Museums in Texas | Houston, Texas | Natural history museums | Science museums