Gaia – Earth by Luke Jerram
April 1 to May 1, 2023
Included with permanent exhibit hall admission and always free for members.
Marvel at the beauty of our planet the way only astronauts can. Created by guest favorite Luke Jerram, this 23-foot diameter sculpture floats above your head in our Glassell Hall.
Wortham Giant Screen Theatre & Burke Baker Planetarium featured films
Come watch “Great Barrier Reef” and learn about one of the seven wonders of the world. Travel back in time by watching “Death of the Dinosaurs” and see how these giant creatures survived on the earth millions of years ago.
Between a jagged cliff face and a roaring ocean lives a colony of Australian sea lions. In an environment equally as harsh as it is beautiful, be immersed in a classic coming-of-age tale guided by one of Australia’s most unique, intelligent and playful animals. Take an intimate journey inside the colony where a life of great intimacy, tenderness and clumsiness, must often give way to a life of great sacrifice and bravery. Dive into the world of a rare Australian sea lion pup—and meet the people that are trying to save her species.
Every year millions of visitors travel by way of fins, flippers and feet to see one of the seven wonders of the natural world: The Great Barrier Reef a living treasure trove of biodiversity..
Explore Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Tikal, and Palenque –great Maya cities reconstructed at the peak of their elegance and power. Watch Maya astronomers observing the heavens to predict the future. Then visit lagoons and sink holes to discover what destroyed this advanced civilization –a fate that still threatens great urban centers around the world. It’s a beautiful story for those who love to explore ancient civilizations and uncover the past, carved in silt and stone.
A once in a lifetime astronomical event is happening over Texas in 2024! Total solar eclipses are a rare and beautiful phenomena, and in this new planetarium show you will learn how eclipses happen, how to safely view one, and where these two eclipses take place. Texas is the nexus for the annular eclipse of 2023 and the total solar eclipse of 2024!
The Cockrell Butterfly Center Reopens!
Like a butterfly from its chrysalis, we have transformed the CBC. Visit the butterflies and insects to learn about why conserving them is so important! Learn more here.
Visit the Community Science Garden to view pollinators in action! Enjoy the fresh air outside of the Cockrell Butterfly Center, and upload your observations for free in the Cockrell Butterfly Center’s iNaturalist project. HMNS experts will then identify what you upload!
April 17 – Join us in the 9-Natives Garden at HMNS as Coastal Prairie Conservancy Volunteer Days resume on April 17th. Following volunteer dates will be held on the 2nd Monday of each month.