The Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) is a world-renowned museum located in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1909, the museum is dedicated to promoting science education and appreciation through its various exhibits, collections, and programs.
The museum’s permanent exhibits cover a range of topics, including astronomy, geology, paleontology, and biology. The Wiess Energy Hall, for example, explores the science behind energy and its impact on society and the environment. The Morian Hall of Paleontology features one of the largest dinosaur displays in the world, with over 60 dinosaur skeletons and fossils on display. The Burke Baker Planetarium offers visitors the opportunity to explore the universe in immersive, high-definition shows.
In addition to its permanent exhibits, the museum also hosts a variety of temporary exhibits throughout the year. Recent examples include “The Art of the Brick,” featuring large-scale sculptures made entirely of LEGO bricks, and “Death by Natural Causes,” exploring the ways in which nature can be deadly to humans.
The HMNS also has an extensive collection of specimens and artifacts, with over 2 million items in its collection. The collection includes minerals, fossils, and other geological specimens, as well as anthropological artifacts from cultures around the world. The museum’s Cockrell Butterfly Center is home to over 1,500 live butterflies from around the world, as well as a variety of other insects and arachnids.
The museum offers a variety of educational programs for visitors of all ages. The Discovery Guides program allows visitors to explore the exhibits with the help of trained volunteers, who provide information and answer questions. The museum also hosts a variety of lectures, workshops, and classes on a range of scientific topics.
For school groups and other organized groups, the museum offers field trips and group tours. The museum also has a variety of outreach programs, bringing science education to schools and other community organizations.
Overall, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is a world-class institution dedicated to promoting science education and appreciation. With its extensive exhibits, collections, and programs, the museum offers visitors of all ages the opportunity to explore the wonders of the natural world and the science behind them.