Ft. Worth, TX: Museum of Science and History

By A'Dell

The Ft Worth Museum of Science and History was remodeled a few years ago, and while the dinosaur bones I remember from my childhood visits are still there, the space is wonderfully updated and is a joy to visit for all ages. We're members and we visit the museum often, despite it being a 45-minute drive from our house.

I think of their signature attraction is the Omni theatre, which is a seamless, eight-story domed screen with 30-degree stadium seating. It's an IMAX, but the screen is literally curved around you, rather than flat in front of you, which makes the viewer feel RIGHT THERE OMG A SHARK. The extreme angles do bring a feeling of vertigo and dizzyness for some people, but that just makes it all the cooler to me. They also show first-run, non-nature movies, like Polar Express at the holidays. Right now they're showing the new Batman movie. 

The science exhibits are geared to the younger set, but as an adult I find them really fun and fascinating. All of the usual concepts are present in several different hands-on areas. Museum staff are always around to help parents and kids figure out some of the more complex experiments and exhibits and even on the most crowded days, there always seems to be plenty of room for everyone.

Look, they even have a giant Lite Brite! (I admit, I shoved her in the general direction of this one as soon as I saw it.) For a while they also had a paper airplane launcher which was probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

There's a Planetarium with a Sesame Street themed introduction to Astronomy (that Claire sat through happily as a two-year-old) and several rotating exhibits that seem to change about once a quarter. 

Admission is a bit spendy: $16 for an adult, $12 for a child. Taking a family will add up fast, which is why a membership is definitely the way to go if you'll visit more than a few times in a year. (An annual membership for 5 people is $95, though when we renewed they gave us a discount.) It's a VERY worthwhile spend for any family in the DFW area, and I think any visitors with kids would love it as well.

(Photos: Ft Worth Museum of Science and History, Me.)

Comments

[Sarah Lena]

True Story: I was born in Ft. Worth, and I still have extremely vivid memories of Sesame Street characters in a public setting and now I wonder if that's why.

[Carol]

Wow A'Dell - this post really brings back memories for me. I went to "museum school" at the old location when I was 3 & 4 years old, then took art classes there when I was 11 or 12. I haven't been able to bring myself to go to the new site yet, because I still have such stong memories of the old one - the big grizzly bear that seemed 20 feet tall, the weird cave man display, and even the sort of musty smell of the place.

Sara Lena - maybe you went to Sesame Place in Irving? It was opened in the early 80's and is where Walmart is now...

[Erica_H]

So many field trips here. I can't go there now without wishing I had a brown bag lunch and a soda wrapped in foil. I also second Carol's suggestion of Sesame Place, I have several pictures of myself there around age 4.