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Houston Museum of Natural Science

Delight in the natural world at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, with four floors of dynamic permanent exhibits that will entertain and educate every age group. Explore the vast timeline of fossils, gems and minerals, African wildlife, Texan wildlife, and more. See prehistoric beasts "in action" at one of the largest dinosaur halls in the U.S. Learn about the indigenous peoples of the Americas and explore energy development.

Houston CityPASS includes:

General Admission — Entry includes all permanent exhibits.

A triceratops is one of the many ancient skeletons on display.

Highlights

  1. 01.

    Embark on a "prehistoric safari" that also includes the grand saga of human evolution — from tree-climbing australopithecines to courageous mammoth-hunters.

  2. 02.

    View some of the rarest and most stunning crystallized mineral specimens in the world, such as The Alma Queen, a brilliant red rhodochrosite that is one of the most famous specimens in mineralogy.

  3. 03.

    Explore all of Africa without leaving Houston, with over 120 specimens of African wildlife on display, plus engaging interactives and films exploring African wildlife ecology and conservation.

Roam the Serengeti, walk with dinosaurs and discover the world’s mineral wonders and more at the museum.

Visit Houston Museum of Natural Science with CityPASS®

CityPASS tickets offer a great way to see Houston Museum of Natural Science while saving you time and money.

Houston CityPASS

Advice for Visitors

Tips

Best Time to Visit

From September through April, the museum is less crowded in the afternoon; during the summer and holiday periods, the museum is less crowded before noon. Tuesday evenings are free and can be busy.

To get the full experience, allow about four hours for your visit. If you're short on time, don't miss the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals, the Hall of Ancient Egypt, and the Morian Hall of Paleontology.

Allow a few hours to explore the permanent Exhibit Hall; there are four floors with many amazing exhibits.

General admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis from 5-8pm on Tuesdays. Last entry at 7:30pm. Subject to change for holidays, special exhibitions and other events.

Learn more on the CityPASS Blog about what you'll experience at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Attraction Features

Amenities

Dining: Periodic Table and Elements Grill

Gift Shops: Museum Gift Shop

Accessibility

The Museum's goal is to be accessible to all visitors. We are excited to offer specialized resources to support experiences for visitors with disabilities and their peers and families. Get more information on accessibility and resources.

Parking/Transportation

Get information on parking, transportation and directions.

Offers & Upgrades

10% off Museum Store Purchase

Get 10% your purchase in the Museum Store.

3D Wortham Giant Screen Theater

Cost for CityPASS guests: all ages 3+, $10. Does not include holotheater shows. (Theater is busiest from 9-11am.)

Cockrell Butterfly Center

Includes access to the Brown Hall of Entomology. Cost for CityPASS guests: all ages 3+, $12.

Burke Baker Planetarium Show

Cost for CityPASS guests: all ages 3+, $9.

Special Exhibitions

Check the current roster of rotating special exhibitions, which cover topics of interest from A-Z. Prices vary; purchase tickets at the main box office or near the entry to each exhibition.

Contact Information & Hours

  • Houston Museum of Natural Science
  • 5555 Hermann Park Drive
  • Houston, TX 77030

Museum hours vary seasonally. Please visit the museum's hours page to see current hours as well as the most up-to-date information on partial or full closures.

Closed Nov. 5, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Closed the first Saturday in March for annual gala.

Read reviews from CityPASS® travelers.

Houston CityPASS
CityPASS was a vacation life saver!!
My husband and I purchased two passes and it was THE BEST investment ever. Our weekend getaway was jam packed with exciting things to do. We didn't have to worry about carrying enough money or standing in long lines.
Great experience
It was easy to buy online, easy to use and was so worth it. We took the family to Houston to hit up all the museums, zoo, and aquarium; the works. We had an amazing time and had no issues using our CityPASS. We bought it online and printed the confirmation. Easy.
AWESOME!!
The CityPASS was the best thing I have ever purchased for one of our vacations! It gave us so many things to do and at a very affordable price for a family of 5! I will purchase a CityPASS every time we go on vacation from now on!
The BEST option for having fun around Houston
This is really the best option you´ve got. I had family visiting for a week and we decided to give it a try...it was totally worth it! The options available are on point, plus you get amazing discounts and coupons...all of this for a considerably lower price than you would if you paid for each option individually. So go for it!
Best Bang For Your Buck.
CityPASS ROCKS! I am a single parent to 3 awesome kiddos. This year I had family visit from CA and needed to show them the great state of Texas, but on a budget. I found the Houston CityPASS while doing a search and was I excited.
Houston CityPASS is rated 4.5 out of 5 by 4262.
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Amazing We have been to two places so far loved then both with our CityPASS
Date published: 2026-02-05
Rated 4 out of 5 by from Great! Compramos el CityPASS en nuestra visita a Houston en Diciembre 2025 y nos pareció muy buena opción. Se ahorra bastante en las entradas. Está limitado a ciertas actividades en algunos de los destinos, pero aún así creemos que vale la pena, en algunos destinos te preguntan si quieres hacer un upgrade, claro, con costo adicional. En nuestro caso llevamos niños de 11 y 13 años y en Kemah para los juegos estuvo genial, aunque por las fechas había filas pero pasamos días muy agradables. Nosotros visitamos: NASA, Kemah Boardway, Aquarium Dowtown y Zoo. Tuvimos otras actividades que nos impidieron usar uno de los destinos que aún podíamos visitar, nos quedamos con ganas del Musel de Historia, pero esperamos en la siguiente visita asistir.
Date published: 2026-01-12
Rated 5 out of 5 by from AMAZING It's a wonderful way to take advantage of museums and various activities to discover some of the most highly recommended sights in Houston.
Date published: 2026-01-12
Rated 1 out of 5 by from Don’t buy it. I don’t recommend. The Museum of Natural History and the aquarium require an additional fee to access some of their most interesting attractions. Whereas everything is included when purchasing the regular pass individually. The aquarium is a waste of time. Go to the Zoo to see better aquariums and sea life.
Date published: 2026-01-12
Rated 4 out of 5 by from Good Value Great value - I would NOT recommend the Downtown Aquarium at all. You will get much better value with the other sites. Note that the Houston Zoo does NOT require reservations!!!!!
Date published: 2026-01-09
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All images courtesy of Houston Museum of Natural Science