The Dallas Zoo Education Department took a field trip to the new Perot Museum of Nature and Science in downtown Dallas for a little inspiration. The museum was previously at Fair Park which is maybe six miles down the road from downtown. The new building itself is an exhibit with lots of unique features and the highly anticipated escalator up the side of the building.
I was excited for all of us to take a peak and build some enthusiasm. We explored for only about two hours but I left with some good feelings. Overall i felt the museum inspires people to be curious and excited about science. They have multiple different exhibit halls from rocks and minerals, dinosaurs and bones, a sound lab, the natural world, the universe, sports hall, birds, water and on and on. The exhibit halls are magnificent, unique, intricate and have many hands on manipulatives. One of the things I really liked was in each exhibit hall they had videos from scientists in the field discussing their careers. Not many people watched the videos with all of the other things to explore but I could havd watched all of them and been happy! I wonder if they have the videos online?
Another one of my favorites was the fly like a bird. Located on the very top floor you can digitally become a bird. Put on some 3D glasses and start flapping and gliding as you fly through trees, landscapes and the sky displayed on a huge screen in front you. Kids were waiting in line for this because it was so “fly”! Of course I waited my turn with those kiddos to get a piece of the action. Well worth the wait.
The one exhibit I was perplexed by was the oil exploration exhibit. The spin they put on fracking is disheartening. Watch the documentary Gashole and you will understand fracking is not the answer to all our problems, instead it causes more problems. Ok but I’ll stay positive…
The museum has a lot to offer and their classroom spaces are to die for and I know students will be inspired just entering those spaces.
On this quick trip to the museum I learned things I didn’t know and gained some resources I know I will pull on. As I’ve mentioned before my mind works the same for my job as it does for cooking recipes. If I want to make a particular meal I will research the many recipes and different ways to prepare the dish and then knowing the general idea I will create my own version with some added creativity. I find the more I know the more I can pull on when I need it. And of course the more I write down and take notes the more I remember. So you usually always see me with a notebook or my phone taking notes and pictures. Love it.
I highly encourage you to make it to the museum. Take your kids because there is lots for kids of all ages and plenty to feed your adult brain too. Oh and I forgot to mention the children’s museum on the bottom floor. Lots of fun! Plan on spending at least 2 hours and realize you could go through for days and still not see and do everything.
Also what’s fabulous… You can take the train to get there! Get off at Akard station downtown and you are a short walk away!
Learn more and find out prices on their website: www.perotmuseum.org
Check out some pics from the short trip including some of my education peeps and me being a weatherlady leading us through the week’s weather!
