EXHIBITS
Paluxysaurus jonesi
This Early Cretaceous sauropod lived about 110 million to 115 million years ago. Paluxysaurus jonesi was estimated to stand about 12 feet high at the shoulder and weigh 20 tons. That’s about the weight of seven elephants! From nose to tail, the dinosaur measured about 60 feet long.
The skeleton on view is actually a combination of four different Paluxysaurus skeletons found in a similar area. Though 60 to 70 percent of a full skeleton was found, most of the bones are too fragile or deformed to be mounted, so casts were made using 3D modeling techniques!
Paluxysaurus jonesi’s name comes from the location of the dig site, a sandstone quarry on the Jones ranch in Hood County, Texas. This site was close to the town of Paluxy on the Paluxy River.
It took 16 years for students, faculty, staff, and volunteers from Southern Methodist University, the Museum, and other organizations to uncover, clean, and mount the pieces on view. The sandstone matrix surrounding Paluxysaurus was difficult to remove specimens from, so some parts of the skeletons are still embedded in blocks of quarry rock and stored in the Museum’s collection.
After paleontologists confirmed these bones belonged to a new species of dinosaur, the Texas State Legislature passed a bill making Paluxysaurus jonesi the official State Dinosaur of Texas in 2009! During the Museum’s 75th anniversary, Paluxysaurus jonesi was moved from the Dino Labs exhibit to a prominent position in Museum’s atrium.
Fun Facts
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One Paluxysaurus jonesi femur bone fossil weighs approximately 200 pounds.
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It took six weeks to move Paluxysaurus jonesi from one end of the Museum to the other during the 75th anniversary. Watch the time lapse of the installation!
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Check out House Bill 16, approved on June 19, 2009, that made Paluxysaurus jonesi the Texas State Dinosaur!
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Most of the specimens on display in the Museum are from Texas. You could say everything is bigger in Texas, even the dinosaurs!
Paluxysaurus jonesi is getting a "baselift" this November! We are excited to reimagine the space around our favorite state dinosaur over the next few weeks. We are grateful to our guests and members for patience regarding the installation of new content and scenery.
Innovation Studios
In Innovation Studios, you can invent, doodle, design, explore and imagine! Whether you're young or just young-at-heart, there's no better way to discover the world than with your hands. In the Studios, you set your own agenda and chart your own path. The possibilities are endless—what will you chose?
- Take charge of your own art in Doodler Studio
- Explore light and sound in Designer Studio
- Discover something new and exciting in Imaginer Studio
- Build and play in Inventor Studio
Energy Blast
Energy Blast tells the dynamic story of energy resources in North Texas through a unique combination of science and history. Physics, technology, and innovative thinking spring to life as you are asked to explore geophysical formations, calculate drilling depths and directions and experiment with new resources.
- Explore a model drilling site for natural gas
- Get the latest info on how Texas is generating power
- Uncover the energy pioneers who put Texas on the map
9/11 Tribute
At the center of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s 9/11 Tribute Exhibit is N-101, a full-façade panel that supported three floors (101-103) two stories above the center of the impact zone of the North Tower. The beam is comprised of three steel columns, bolted together, three stories tall and is the largest World Trade Center artifact in Texas.
Officially known as "WTC 1, Column 133, floors 100-103 NIST Steel # N-101, Impact Steel", it is one of the few recovered pieces traced to an exact location within the tower by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Children's Museum Exhibit
The Children’s Museum gallery targets the Museum’s youngest guests – age birth to 8 – and those who care for them. The purpose is to encourage opportunities for children to play, knowing that at this age level, children are learning through play.
- Shop at the kid-size grocery store
- Become a doctor, nurse, or EMT
- Design your own building or train system
- Explore ideas of friendship, cooperation, and community
- Restroom, parent resource room, and nursing room available
DinoLabs + DinoDig®
Learn about dinosaurs that roamed in your own backyard millions of years ago and bring them to life using creativity and imagination! In DinoLabs you’ll discover dinosaur skeletons native to North Texas and cutting-edge technology that brings the experience to life! Explore DinoDig® and see what you discover in a replica field site.
- Imagine dinosaur camouflage with DinoGlow™
- Discover the difference between a bone and a fossil
- Come face-to-face with fighting dinosaurs
- Dig for fossils in our mock field site
Noble Planetarium + Gallery
It's a big universe out there, but we've got the highlights. Find out what it was like to go to the Moon. Explore the tools astronomers use to study the cosmos today and decide for yourself where we should explore next.
- Discover how scientists collect and study meteorites
- Check out objects that visited the Moon
- See yourself in infrared light
- See the Museum's first planetarium equipment
Leonard's Department Store
Grab a taste of Fort Worth history with a new display dedicated to Leonard's Department Store! Leonard's Department Store, founded by Marvin and Obadiah Leonard in 1918, transformed the shopping experience in the city and became an iconic establishment. The store was more than just a department store, offering unique promotions, the first escalator south of the Mason Dixon line, and the world's only privately owned and operated subway.
Make sure to stop by this permanent display, as artifacts from the recently acquired collection will rotate throughout the year!
Learn More about the History of Leonard's
Plains Gallery
The Plains Gallery currently focuses on the American bison and their presence within American history. The gallery explores the species from its near extinction in the nineteenth century to current conservation efforts. The exhibit features artifacts from both our science and history collections.
SPECIAL EXHIBITS
Wild Kratts®: Creature Power®!
September 21, 2024 - January 5, 2025
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is about to get wild! Designed for families with children ages 3-9, Wild Kratts®: Creature Power®! is a collaboration between the Minnesota Children's Museum and the Kratt Brothers Company.
Visitors will embark on a globetrotting expedition through four diverse habitats: the lush rainforest, the icy Antarctic, the scorching Australian outback, and even their own backyard! The exhibit will unveil the amazing abilities of incredible creatures, transforming visitors into wildlife explorers. Through engaging activities, visitors will develop vital STEM skills while learning how to move like a jaguar, swing like a spider monkey, and so much more!