Growing up with science: Perot Museum is for all ages

By Elizabeth De Santiago
JournaliZm

At seven years old, I kicked my feet excitedly in the car.

As a kid, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science was a magical place for me.

I took a picture on the back of one of the giant plastic frogs near the entrance. 10 years later, I sit in the same spot.

I’m 17 now, and about two feet taller, but the magic has not faded. Even though I am not a young kid anymore, I still find myself fascinated by the exhibits at the Perot Museum. As visitors take the musical staircase down to the lower level, they will see the Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall. There, museum-goers can race a Tyrannosaurus rex, play a variety of sports in a simulation and learn about diet and exercise. This exhibit is suitable for people of all ages who are interested in sports and overall physical well-being.

Another exhibit that engages people of all ages is the Being Human Hall on the second floor.

This exhibit teaches visitors what makes them unique as a human. This exhibit offers a selfie station where you can make a wire replica of your face, a machine you can use to test your grip strength and even features displays of human body parts, including a real human brain.

I found it insightful to learn about how our bodies function as humans and what makes us unique.

A decade ago, my favorite exhibit was the Rose Hall of Birds exhibit on the upper level of the fourth floor. An interactive exhibit where visitors can create their own birds, at each kiosk, participants can choose the features they want their bird to have, while learning what biological advantages those features have.

As a teenager, I still loved this exhibit just as much as I did when I was a kid.

On the way out of the museum, visitors can stop by the gift shop where a variety of novelty goods are for sale. The museum sells everything from astronaut ice cream to crystals. Even though many Dallas natives, like myself, have fond memories of the Perot Museum as kids, the muse- um can still be an engaging environment for older audiences.

The museum often offers limited time experiences at the Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones Exhibition Hall on the ground floor so there is always something new to discover.

Elizabeth De Santiago is an intern for Texas Metro News. She is a junior at Coppell High School. Her passion for journalism began after writing for her school’s student newspaper. In her free time she enjoys skateboarding around her local park.