The Houston Museum of Natural Science is at Hermann Park in Houston, with permanent exhibits spanning four and a half floors. You can plan around its regular hours, choose admission for the halls or add separately ticketed attractions, and pair the visit with time in Hermann Park.
- Location: 5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030.
- Regular hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–5:00 pm; Friday–Sunday, 9:00 am–6:00 pm.
- Typical visit: HMNS says the average visit takes 2+ hours.
- Permanent exhibits: Adult admission is $25; child admission for ages 3–11 is $16, with free admission for children age 2 and under.
Museum Location and Main Exhibits
The Houston Museum of Natural Science is located at 5555 Hermann Park Drive, within the Hermann Park area of Houston. Its permanent collection spans four and a half floors, giving you room to build a visit around several subjects rather than a single gallery.
Permanent-exhibit highlights include the Morian Hall of Paleontology, Hall of Ancient Egypt, Wiess Energy Hall, and Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals. HMNS says an average visit takes 2+ hours, so allow at least that much time if you want to see more than one area.
Hermann Park is about an 11-minute drive from Raintree Inn and Suites, which offers two-star motel rooms. The museum and park can be planned together, with the order depending on how much time you set aside for the exhibits.
What are the Houston Museum of Natural Science hours and ticket options?
Regular museum hours are 9:00 am–5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 9:00 am–6:00 pm Friday through Sunday. Last entry is 4:30 pm on weekdays and 5:30 pm Friday through Sunday, so plan to arrive before those cutoffs.
General admission covers the permanent exhibits. The museum does not offer a single ticket covering every attraction, so check which additional areas you want to visit before choosing tickets.
Permanent exhibits
Adult general admission costs $25 for ages 12 and up; admission for children ages 3–11 costs $16, and children age 2 and under enter free. These tickets include the permanent exhibits. With a Permanent Exhibit Hall ticket, you may leave and re-enter the permanent exhibits during the day.
Cockrell Butterfly Center
Admission to the Cockrell Butterfly Center is separate from general admission. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for children ages 3–11; infants age 2 and under enter free.
Burke Baker Planetarium and Wortham Giant Screen Theatre
Each attraction requires a separate ticket. Admission to the Burke Baker Planetarium and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre is $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 3–11, with free admission for infants age 2 and under.
Planetarium tickets are for a specific show time, not all-day admission. HMNS is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and holiday hours may be extended; check the official site before you go for changes or early closures.
Special Exhibitions and Planetarium Visits
Some special exhibitions require a separate ticket, and their tickets also include access to the permanent exhibits. The museum names King Tut’s Tomb Discovery Experience, Death by Natural Causes, Audubon’s Birds of America, and Extreme Animals Alive among the separately ticketed exhibitions.
If you are adding a planetarium show, choose its time as part of your visit plan because the ticket is valid for that show rather than the whole day. Strollers that are not for disability use are not allowed in the planetarium, Giant Screen Theatre, Butterfly Center, or some special exhibitions; HMNS says storage is provided.
How do you get to the museum, and where can you park?
The museum has an attached parking garage, with a flat rate for the duration of a visit: $10 for members and $30 for non-members. Spaces cannot be reserved in advance. The garage has a maximum vehicle height of 6 feet 8 inches, so check your vehicle before driving in.
Pay for parking at the Box Office, Gift Shop, or a garage kiosk before leaving. Accessible spaces are available near elevators on every garage level, with a limited number of additional reserved spaces in front of the museum on Caroline Street and across Hermann Park Drive.
HMNS is part of Houston Metro’s METROLift system. For the wider city trip, getting around Houston from the hotel area is another part of planning your route.
The museum lends child-sized, adult-sized, and bariatric wheelchairs at no charge, on a first-come, first-served basis in exchange for an ID. If you are bringing a stroller, note the restrictions in some attractions and special exhibitions.
Combining the Museum with Hermann Park
Hermann Park is a natural pairing with the museum because the museum is located at the park. You could visit the exhibit halls first and then spend time outdoors, or start with the park and head inside afterward; leave enough time for the museum’s average visit of 2+ hours.
If you are adding the Houston Zoo, its ticket, hours and parking details can help you plan that part of the day.
The park also gives you another way to shape a day in the area. Its hours, parking and things to see can help you plan time beyond the museum.
FAQs
What are the regular hours at the Houston Museum of Natural Science?
The museum is open 9:00 am–5:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 9:00 am–6:00 pm Friday through Sunday. Last entry is 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, respectively.
Does general admission include the planetarium?
No. The planetarium, Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, and Cockrell Butterfly Center require separate tickets. Planetarium tickets are for a specific show time.
Can you leave and re-enter the permanent exhibits?
Yes. A Permanent Exhibit Hall ticket allows you to leave and re-enter the permanent exhibits during the day.
Is parking available at the museum?
Yes. The attached garage charges a flat rate for the duration of a visit, and spaces cannot be reserved in advance. Pay at the Box Office, Gift Shop, or a garage kiosk before leaving.