Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas

In 2006, the Dallas Museum of Natural History and The Science Place merged into one institution. The Natural History Museum, founded in 1936, is collections-based and research-driven. It has a vast collection of rare and extinct wildlife; rocks and minerals; and the first mounted dinosaur in Texas. Archaeologists and paleontologists ensure the continued growth of each intricate exhibit as well as a deeper understanding of what it represents. Permanent exhibits include a paleontology lab, a wildlife diorama, Lagoon Nature Walk, and Prehistoric Texas. The Science Place, founded in 1946 as the Dallas Health Museum, takes a hands-on approach to learning. Exhibits include a dental gallery, dinosaur dig, physics gallery, medical gallery, electric theater and laser lab. The planetarium produces programs exploring the far reaches of space. The IMAX theater features true adventures in a larger-than-life format.