'Ka ni Kim

We love a good “field trip”, and in our 30s, it’s no less exciting than it was as a kid. That’s why we spent our first full day in the States at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Established in 1909, the museum went from simple displays to an area within the Houston Zoo to its current multi-story building at Hermann Park. When we got to the grounds, we found out that there was a private event going on inside. While waiting for the museum to open to the public, we looked around the park.

Hermann Park takes up over 445 acres of land. We got around via the railroad, which took us through the gardens and past the Mary Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones Reflection Pool. We got our tickets (and some postcards!) at the gift shop for $3.75 each.

After the train ride, we took a breather by McGovern Lake, where you can rent out a pedal boat and hang out with the ducks, fish, and other wildlife.

Aside from the permanent exhibitions at the museum, they also show short educational movies at the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre. We saw Dinosaur Discoveries: A Holographic Adventure. No need for 3D glasses! The magic happens right there on screen. We grabbed a quick lunch after the movie at the museum cafe, then headed over to the Burke Baker Planetarium for another show: Starry Night Express.

For the rest of our trip, we explored the exhibits. The Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals was mesmerizing. It features over 450 minerals, all beautifully lit and displayed along the walls of the darkened room. I took photos of some of my favorite pieces, including a huge rose quartz geode!

We ended the day at the Morian Hall of Paleontology. They have no less than three tyrannosaurus rex skeletons. One of them is named Stan. One of Stan’s neighbors is the most complete triceratops skeleton ever discovered. The “most complete” part isn’t a problem – some of the bones are replicas, so guests still get to see what the full skeletons would normally look like.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is located at 5555 Hermann Park Drive. They are open every day from 9am to 6pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $16 for children aged 3-11. Tickets for shows at the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre are sold separately. Check out their website for more information.

Hermann Park is open from 6am to 11pm every day. The railroad runs from 10am to 5pm. Learn more about Hermann Park on their website.