Details

• Open Monday–Friday
• Teacher-led programs available for PK-8th Grade, up to 30 students per session
• $12 per student | 1:8 teacher/chaperone free
• $15 per additional chaperone
• Includes access to both the Main Garden and the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden.

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Habitats

Here you will see how plants and animals live and thrive together in a woodland ecosystem. Walk the woodland trails and you will see that habitats provide shelter, space, food and water to the plants and animals that live there. As you pass the signs for habitat needs, look around at all the models and exhibits that show how people, plants and animals interact and how they adapt to changing environments.

Explore Habitats

Living Cycles

1st-3rd Grade

This program explores the fascinating processes of growth and change in living organisms. Students compare the physical traits of adults and their offspring to understand how plants and animals develop over time. Through interactive exploration, they examine the essential role of pollinators in ecosystems. In the gallery, students observe decomposers in action and explore various methods of seed dispersal and pollination.

TEKS
Science and Engineering Practices: 1E, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C 
Recurring Themes and Concepts: 5A, 5F, 5G 
Science Content: 1.13A, 1.13B, 1.13C | 2.12C, 2.13A, 2.13B, 2.13D | 3.13A, 3.13B 

Little Sprouts

The Glade is home to our puppet theater that invites guests to enjoy fun songs, dramatic characters and educational tales inspired by happenings in nature. After the show the stories come to life in the plants, animals, and insects found throughout the garden.

Moody Oasis

While it’s a great place to sit and rest, this rooftop garden also provides several important functions. It insulates the building below which reduces our overall energy consumption and provides a vital habitat for pollinators. In fact, this garden is a certified Monarch Waystation and the entire Children’s Adventure Garden is a National Wildlife Federation certified Wildlife Habitat. Enjoy the panoramic view of White Rock Lake from Moody Oasis.

Explore Moody Oasis

Plants Are Alive

You know people are alive, but did you know that plants are alive and have parts that must work together to keep the plant healthy? Plants have different body parts just like you. Every part does something special to help the plant survive. Enter a world of giant plants to see how all the parts work. You may build a big flower puzzle, make your own growing plant pictures, or see how water moves through a healthy plant.

Texas Native Wetlands

3rd–8th Grade

In this hands-on program, students use scientific tools to test water samples and identify key indicator species to evaluate the health of our wetland habitat. Through field investigations in our outdoor island classroom, they explore the interactions between organisms and their environment that help maintain a balanced and thriving ecosystem.

Explore Wetlands

TEKS
Science and Engineering Practices: 1D, 1E, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C
Recurring Themes and Concepts: 5B, 5C, 5D, 5G 
Science Content:  3.12A, 3.13A, 3.13B, 4.11B, 5.12A, 5.12C, 5.13A, 6.12A, 7.11A, 7.12B, 8.12A, 8.12C

Earth Cycles

Learn about the forces that affect our ever-changing planet. Some of these changes are found all over Earth in regular and repeating patterns, while others can cause rapid change with great impact on human activities. Explore erosion, cave formation, earthquakes, the weather cycle, the interaction of our planet with the sun and moon and so much more in this astounding Earth science learning gallery.

Explore Earth Cycles

Kaleidoscope

2nd-6th Grade

Students will investigate shapes and patterns found in nature and connect mathematical concepts to the world around them through hands-on activities and gallery exploration. They will identify how structures and functions help plants and other organisms survive in their environment and explore how we use patterns and shapes as inspiration for our designed world.

Explore Kaleidoscope

TEKS
Science and Engineering Practices: 1E, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A 
Recurring Themes and Concepts: 5A, 5C, 5F 
Science Content: 2.13A, 2.13B | 3.13A | 4.13A | 5.13A 

Pure Energy

3rd-6th Grade
In this program students develop a new understanding of renewable energy sources and the transfer of energy. Students first discuss forms and sources of energy and work together to create a living circuit. Then, small teams explore the water, solar and wind islands to record data on these three sources of renewable energy

Explore Pure Energy

TEKS
Science and Engineering Practices: 1D, 1E, 1F, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C 
Recurring Themes and Concepts: 5B, 5E, 5G 
Science Content: 3.8A, 3.11B | 4.8A, 4.8C, 4.11A | 5.8A, 5.8B | 6.8B 

OmniGlobe

Located in the Exploration Center’s Globe Theatre, the five-foot-tall OmniGlobe provides an interactive model of the planets. Digital images projected onto the sphere provide a view of everything from the plants in our solar system to up-to-date weather events and population density here on Earth.

Explore OmniGlobe