Celebration: Earth

On display from April 18 – April 28.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science will be participating in the 2025 City Nature Challenge! The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an international event aimed to catalogue the native species of each city’s unique biome. Students, Parents, Teachers and biology-lovers alike are welcome to participate via the iNaturalist app! Explore the outdoors and record your evidence of a wild plant, animal, or fungi to share with your community and help Houston win the City Nature Challenge this year! Observations must be made in the greater Houston area and submitted between April 24th – April 27th, 2026. Stay tuned for more information! 

Need a place to get started? Visit the Community Science Garden at HMNS! 

Next to the Cockrell Butterfly Center is our pollinator-friendly Community Science Garden, an excellent place to begin your observations. Packed with native host plants, this garden draws all sorts of wildlife, such as butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and many small mammals. Located on the museum grounds alongside the Hermann Park Dr. entrance, the Community Science Garden provides the perfect opportunity to document essential flora and fauna.   

The City Nature Challenge is organized by Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences.

What better way to celebrate our planet than with a fun game and a chance to take home some greenery? Join us on the dates and times above for Plant Bingo, where you can play to win plants from the Cockrell Butterfly Center. 

Come test your luck, learn about plants, and maybe leave with a new addition to your home or garden. 

Must be 18+ to participate. 

Turn recycled materials into something beautiful for your garden. Bring a plastic bottle and our docents will help you transform it into your very own hummingbird feeder. Learn simple ways to reuse everyday items while creating a welcoming space for these amazing pollinators. 

Watch the process of creating your own plantable bookmark! Learn how bookmarks made with native Texas seeds can be planted in your garden after you finish reading your book, giving new life to something you’ve enjoyed.

Come spend a few hours with our Advisory Council and explore Celebration Earth through their eyes at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. They will be hosting hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and encourage questions about our planet and the world around us. 

Get up close with fascinating insects alongside our knowledgeable volunteers inside the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Located within the Butterfly Center, the Entomology Hall is home to a variety of incredible species, and volunteers are available to introduce you to these animals while answering your questions about the world of insects.

The Insect Zoo is not available during holidays.
Participation requires a ticket to the Cockrell Butterfly Center.

Join Cockrell Butterfly Center staff in the Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. Hall to explore the journey of your favorite foods from flower to plate! Learn how chocolate, coffee, and other crops are grown and processed, and discover why we owe so much to tiny pollinator heroes like bees and midges. You’ll leave with a greater appreciation for the bugs that build our daily menus! 

Meet one of our ecology presenters in Glassell Hall and explore fascinating specimens from our education collection. Guests will have the opportunity to observe and touch a variety of natural artifacts while learning more about the environment and the organisms that inhabit it.

Join Youth Education Department in the Lower Level near the Animal Alcove for a 10–15 minute interactive talk featuring the Animal Touch Tank. Learn about the fascinating wildlife cared for here at the museum and discover what makes these animals unique. Guests will have the opportunity to engage with the exhibit while gaining insight into animal habitats, adaptations, and conservation.

Because animals have individual needs and behaviors, touch opportunities depend on each animal’s comfort level that day.

Three times a year, HMNS offers Sensory Friendly events where exhibits and venues are modified for those with sensory sensitivities. Exhibits and venues are modified to create a sensory neutral environment. The Burke Baker Planetarium and Wortham Giant Screen Theatre also offer modified 2D shows with house lights on and the volume reduced. Sensory Backpacks, which include ear defenders, sunglasses, and fidgets, are available to check out with an ID at the Museum Services Desk, and Touch Carts with tactile specimens to explore will be available throughout the museum’s permanent exhibit halls. To pre-register for free permanent exhibit hall entry, please click the link below.

Generously supported by the Joan and Stanford Alexander Family Fund.

Join our EcoTeen volunteers for a day of discovery at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Stop by their activity station to learn from their knowledge and passion as they share insights about the planet we all call home.

Join HMNS astronomers for a guided tour of the night sky highlights. Meet on the 7th floor of the HMNS parking garage.

This event is weather dependent and may be cancelled without notice due to inclement weather or poor visibility. 

Free admission. No ticket required. Open to the public.

Stop by and say hello to our neighbors and learn about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and the important work they do to help conserve the green spaces around Houston. Discover simple ways you can make a difference, whether in your own backyard or by getting involved in the community. 

Heinous killers or misjudged miscreants? You be the judge as the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s most lethal exhibit – Death By Natural Causes – is now open! 

Meet the malefactors who do the Grim Reaper’s deadly work while disguised in delightful colors, sweet scents, unassuming identities, and more. Death by Natural Causes will introduce you to the range of “animal, vegetable and mineral” dangers that lurk in their everyday lives. Through a collection of specimens, text and interactives, visitors can see what can cause a death, either directly or indirectly, from the natural world. Poisonous, venomous and toxic are just a few of the terms that will be clarified, and things you interact with almost daily will be used as examples — mushrooms, snakes, spiders, and even common foods! Old wives’ tales and urban myths will be debunked, as visitors travel through five general areas of rich graphics, compelling visuals and surprising specimens.

Step inside and explore your fears, be they animal, vegetable or mineral, but tread lightly… You never know what treacherous creatures crawl just below your feet. 

Explore the unique adaptations that make Earth’s creatures fearless and fascinating, beautiful and bold. 

Step into a graphic novel aiming to reveal the strange and wonderful specializations animals exhibit to give them a leg up on the competition or evade predators. Extreme Animals Alive! invites you to get up close with a variety of critters, both familiar and unknown. Consider the unique characteristics that give animals the advantage from super speed to super stealth. Discover animals with “superpowers” that allow them to shape-shift, glow, or control the minds of other animals. Investigate the physical, behavioral and structural adaptations that allow animals to survive in unique environments. Opportunities to interact with live animals will occur daily! 

ATACAMA, a seminal exhibition by photographer Jamey Stillings, explores the evolving nexus between renewable energy and mining in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Through his distinctive aerial perspectives, Stillings captures dramatic large-scale energy projects, vast mining operations, and the stark natural beauty of a desert often scarred by human activity.

Why are Chile and the Atacama Desert significant? The copper and lithium in our computers, cars, and smartphones likely come from Chile. As the global leader in copper production and the second-largest producer of lithium, Chile’s environmental practices are directly tied to our daily lives.

Stillings’ interest in the human-altered landscape and his environmental concerns are principal pillars of his work. His imagery elicits a critical dialogue about meeting society’s needs and desires while seeking an equilibrium between nature and human activity. ATACAMA shows how photography can serve as a source of inspiration, motivation, and information, while reminding us that a carbon-constrained future is crucial to a responsible, sustainable approach to life on Earth.

On this exclusive tour led by Butterfly Center staff, you will visit the containment room and rooftop greenhouses—areas not open to the public—where staff cares for the Museum’s caterpillars, butterflies, other insects, and food plants for the butterflies. 

Includes a tour of the Cockrell Butterfly Center rainforest and Brown Hall of Entomology. 

Ages 15+ NO EXCEPTIONS. All minors must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. No refunds. 

Eligible for CPE credit. 

In 2023, adventurers Chrissy and Jay Kleberg walked every inch of Texas’ seven barrier islands—a distance of more than 370 miles—in just 21 days. 

Joined by a team of cinematographers, Chrissy and Jay documented every inch of this unprecedented expedition, from the Louisiana border to the Rio Grande, and produced a six-part documentary series that showcases the beauty and complexity of the Texas coast—one of the last remaining wild and accessible places in the Lone Star State. 

Join us on Wednesday, April 15 as the Klebergs tell the story of their extraordinary journey and of the wildlife and people that inhabit this vibrant and resilient coast. 

The Klebergs and their production team published a companion book to the documentary that provides an in-depth look at their coastal trek, natural and human history, and the making of the series. Copies of Chasing the Tide will be available for purchase at the Box Office on Wednesday, April 15, before and after the lecture while supplies last. 

Eligible for CPE credit. 

What happens when a comedian walks into a volcano? 

In 2023, Ben Miller was the artist in residence at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, the first ever stand-up comedian ever selected. This was probably a terrible idea on their part. 

Come watch this show where scientist turned stand-up comedian Ben Miller explores volcanology, entomology, Hawaiian history, space volcanoes, cats, cookies, and more. 

Ben Miller is an NYC based scientist turned comedian who has been working for the past 9 years. In that time, he has performed at all the top clubs in the city such as Broadway Comedy Club, Carolines, and The Stand. Ben was once ranked as the top roast battler in NYC. He has a degree in Materials Science and Engineering, worked on a science bus, 3D printed cookies and has defused a few bar fights while on stage. In 2022, Ben Miller’s debut hour, Stand-Up Science, had a completely sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and he now tours internationally. 

Ages 15+ NO EXCEPTIONS. All minors must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. No refunds. 

Learn the delicate art of preserving and displaying butterflies. Under expert guidance, learn about the anatomy, species identification, and ecological significance of butterflies, and discover the proper techniques for handling, spreading, and pinning specimens to create a beautiful, lasting display. 

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned entomology enthusiast, this class offers a unique opportunity to work with real specimens and take home your very own pinned butterfly. 

All supplies provided. 

Ages 15+ NO EXCEPTIONS. All minors must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. No refunds. Eligible for CPE credit. 

Join us this Second Saturday to create your own flightless seabird at our craft station. We’ll be making adorable penguins together! After your craft, head over to the Texas Wildlife Hall on the second floor and chat with one of our docents. They’ll help you discover animals that live right here in Texas, you might be surprised how many of them could be in your own backyard.

Event is subject to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances

Skip the daytime crowds and join us for a special Members Night inside the Cockrell Butterfly Center, featuring hands-on activity stations. Create and take home a butterfly Riker mount, learn how to propagate a plant to grow at home, explore the Insect Zoo while chatting with our entomologists, and discover the fascinating process of how chocolate is made. 

Looking to make your night extra special? 

Have you dreamed of releasing a butterfly and watching it take its first flight? Purchase Flight School tickets at 50% off — for this night only! 

Flight School tickets are available for in-person purchase only on the night of the event. Quantities are limited. 

Cockrell Butterfly Center will be the only exhibit open for this event 
Free parking is available for all event attendees 
General admission tickets will be available on February 23rd 

Kick off the first Senior Social of the year with a guided journey through the rainforest inside the Cockrell Butterfly Center. Join one of our knowledgeable docents for a timed tour among free-flying butterflies and lush surroundings, plus enjoy a delicious breakfast and a hot cup of coffee served in the Moran Lecture Hall as part of the experience. It’s the perfect way to spend a morning learning something new while enjoying great food and even better company.

Breakfast doors open at 8:30 am, with tour times beginning at 9:00 am.

• This event is for guests aged 50+

• Timed tours are first-come, first-served and have limited capacity per time slot. If your preferred tour time is full, you will be offered the next available option.

• General admission tickets will be available on Wednesday, April 15.

9 Natives Showcase Garden 

This garden can be found on the museum grounds behind the Cockrell Butterfly Center along San Jacinto St. Sponsored by the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, the 9 Natives program helps to promote the value of native plants to pollinators, and how these native plants are part of the important prairie landscape. There are so many great reasons to incorporate native plants into your yard or garden. They are hardy and can survive local extremes of heat or cold, drought, and wind. Once established, native plants usually require little or no irrigation or fertilization. They are resistant to many pests and diseases so you will not need pesticides or herbicides. Native plants when mixed together can provide year-round color and beauty, and provide food and homes for the birds, bees, and butterflies.

Join us as HMNS hosts the Coastal Prairie Conservancy Volunteer Days in the 9-Natives Garden on April 13th and May 11th. 

Flight School

Soar into first class with the Cockrell Butterfly Center’s Flight School! Led by a team of expert butterfly flight attendants, you’ll learn what it takes to become an ace butterfly pilot, and release a butterfly of your very own into the Center’s rainforest. Releases are first come, first served and may be purchased inside the rainforest exhibit.

All Flight School funds support our farmers’ butterfly and rainforest conservation efforts.

The Building Buddies exhibition portrays a small community where everyone is busy working on their homes. Different characters, “buddies”, invite young children to play, explore, collaborate, create, and learn while improving the “neighborhood.” Take a helmet and a safety vest to wear throughout the exhibition. Organize and plan a house with Peter the Architect. Help Eva to brighten up her bungalow. Build a dog house for Winston. Help Pipa Longpipe finish renovating her home. Climb up and build with Billy the Brick Layer. “Paint” with light, lay a garden path, climb a scaffolding, inspect a large drain pipe, build sturdy walls, and more!