Texas Living

Night at the Museums of Texas

By Haley Shapley 2.17.16

Being cooped up indoors doesn’t have to be a drag — help cure your kid’s wintertime cabin fever with a trip to one of these interactive museums across the Lone Star State.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas
With a mission to inspire the children of today to be the scientific leaders of tomorrow, the Perot Museum uses hands-on activities to facilitate learning. Kids can race professional athletes in the Sports Run exhibit (while learning how slight changes in technique can improve their time), use their brain waves to launch a Ping-Pong ball, or try building a model skyscraper that will withstand an earthquake.

Children’s Museum of Houston, Houston
Ranked the No. 1 children’s museum in the United States by Parents magazine, the Children’s Museum of Houston has no shortage of activities for kids up to age 12. Exhibits cover everything from the power of water and how to build a wind tower to exploring a mountain village in Mexico. Older kids can join SECRET (that’s the Special Elite Crime Resolution and Espionage Team), which turns them into spies working to keep crystals in the museum safe.

Thinkery, Austin
With 40,000 square feet of fun in Austin’s Mueller community, the Thinkery equips the next generation with the tools they need to become problem solvers. Those tools include a Light Lab, where kids can paint with light and play with frozen shadows; Let’s Grow, which encompasses a pretend farmers market, a place for tumbling and dancing, and a garden-themed space for the littlest ones; and a Kitchen Lab that hosts workshops on topics like baking with superfoods and pickling.