Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

After enjoying some local BBQ, I was looking for a spot to get back into nature and log a few miles. I’m glad I found the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary. They offer about five loop trails with a good variety of terrain, including dirt paths, wooden boardwalks, and paved sections. All of the trails were easy to navigate but very scenic. I managed to log about 3–4 miles by connecting the different loops and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. There are plenty of educational stops throughout that explain the local ecosystems and the impressive restorative work being done in the sanctuary. Even though I wasn't there with children, it’s clearly a great family destination. They had festive Christmas decorations set up, and one of the loops featured several impressive, full-size dinosaur replicas. It’s a peaceful, well-maintained sanctuary that offers a great escape into the outdoors.

Went on a field trip with my homeschooling group. My 5 year old son and his friends had a great time running around outside. I bought tickets online and it was seamless checking in. The play area outside was the biggest hit. With multiple kids they all played like they were in a town or as neighbors in houses. It was cute to watch! Of course seeing the dinosaurs outside was a lot of fun too! Inside was great but when you are carrying a 3 month old and with a bunch of younger kids..everything was a blur and I didn’t get to look at much lol. We will be back!

It was amazing! I had a great time! The trails are so beautiful, and the museum is very kid friendly. The butterfly exhibit was gorgeous. Its a pretty easy trail to take if you're just getting into hiking/walking trails. There's a bit of up and down, but its very clearly marked. The employees were all very kind and well educated. I do hope they get a little friend for the racoon, though!

Even on the rainy day we chose to come to the museum, we had a great time! Our toddler loved seeing the dinosaurs and the animals that they have, and loved walking around the wooden village.

great park for kids to explore all kinds of fossils and native texas animals up close, I enjoyed the wood paved trails since no one was on it and it was extremely easy to walk. this is maybe a one and done type place

Lots of fun! Great museum space indoors and outdoors. Well- kept trails. Fun anamatronic dinosaurs are a bonus

I really had a great time going with the family. We've been there before when they had the dinosaur exhibit, and it was just as fun walking through the trails and getting to see the sculptures and animatronics. The trails let's you connect with nature. Parking was a bit busy and a little small, but we were able to find a spot fairly quickly.

It has everything for all age groups. If you want to bring kids, they can play in play area. There's a small zoo. A very long quiet trail for walk. A beautiful outdoor classroom and lake overview. We have just covered half of the park but loved it. It's not a one day adventure. Membership is a great way to explore it.

It has been fun watching The Heard develope over the years. I remember when it first opened decades ago. I visited and left feeling I'd just walked through a hot pasture. Which,it really was back then. Jump forward and civilization has grown right up to the doorstep. However,once you park and enter,another world opens up. They've done a great job of developing the place where you can go and see what north Texas was in its unspoiled condition, as well as participating in organized activities. Such things as flashlight night walks for all ages to the fund raiser I attended today. There's something for everyone especially if you're new to this area. If you haven't been and especially if you have kids...check it out !

great park for kids to explore all kinds of fossils and native texas animals up close, I enjoyed the wood paved trails since no one was on it and it was extremely easy to walk. this is maybe a one and done type place

We loved it here at Heard! $12 per ticket and free admission for kids under 3 y/o. We had an impromptu summer morning adventure here with our little ones and enjoyed ourselves. We would've loved to have seen more animals and maybe some misters throughout the walkways but we had fun given the great price! There are both indoor and outdoor options. Heard Museum has displays of all sorts of insects, owls, and marsupials, while also including some geology and fossils. Our two year old loved seeing the skunks the most LOL. We also enjoyed the butterfly exhibit but wish it was bigger. The nature trail offers both shorter distances and "longer", both with plenty of shade and rest stops. We had a little family picnic before getting our steps in. Overall it was a fun Saturday morning and I highly recommend you try it out!

I went here with my family of 2763. On the indoor part of the museum there was many unique animals and shells. There was a window made of translucent rocks which was just beautiful. On the outdoor sector I was able to learn about certain plants and insects I had found. There was "spit" on the plants which was actually from the spittlebug. At one point along the Owl trail there was some sort of pickle smell which is actually the smell of decomposing wood. There was also red oak, climbing vines, funnel-web spiders, wild onion buds, forest tent caterpillars and stinkhorn fungus (which can cause foul odor). Other than some stinky plants it was very pretty and had many large trees.

Excellent conservation work and educational opportunities here. Have always enjoyed the heard, a true gem and a must visit for nature lovers and families!

OMG, bugs! Spray yourself.....good, and you may enjoy more. Exhibits were nice and we learned some of Texas!

Recently went on a trip to Dallas, and on our way back we wanted to try to squeeze one more thing in. We didn't really plan this ahead of time, so this was just something we literally found on-the-go on-route. It ended up being a pretty cool stop. They have a few different things going on, and one of the things that drew me in the most was the Magic Planet exhibit. It just looked cool from the website. And it was pretty interesting, though not exactly what I expected. I was thinking it'd be maybe more immersive and large, like a planetarium. It was more like a very large globe in a small room, and you could play around with it to see things like the earth, moon, other planets, and stuff like tectonic plates. You do have to have a worker there to do it for you though, and I wish we could have played around with it ourselves. I think I would have been more comfortable looking at everything it can do, but I do understand that with something like that they have to be careful opening it up for just anyone to use any time without supervision, so I get it. Another thing I was drawn to was that there's a butterfly garden. Those are always so fun! I was glad that there were a good amount of butterflies in there, not just a few. On the way to the butterfly house, we were able to see some animals outside. They had more unique things, though I can't remember what they were, but I think they were mostly native animals. Inside they had things like fossils, snakes, and more. We only had a short amount of time before we needed to get back on the road, so we didn't see everything, but we hit the main things I was excited about, and I'm glad we squeezed this unplanned thing in on a whim!!

A bit overpriced but still a good experience. The dinosaur trail took our family about 50 minutes to finish from beginning to end. We have a 2 and 3 year old so it might have taken a bit longer since they tend to wander off pretty often. I would definitely say that this place is great if your kids love dinosaurs but it wouldn't be a go-to place for us as a family. Our kids aren't super into dinosaurs but they still liked it. There is also a small playground kind of space for your kids to run around and play. It's like a village with small "buildings" that they can explore. It's a bit outdated but it is nice to have somewhere they can play before you leave. The parking lot is very small but was not full when we went. The staff was very friendly and the grounds were super clean.

Lemurs, and Racoons, and Dinosaurs, Oh my!!! My family and I had a great day at this museum and wildlife sanctuary. It offered lots of hands-on interactive activities to keep my son interested, and a lot of reading material to help us learn about everything we were seeing. My son absolutely loves dinosaurs, we were so happy to see that they have an awesome dinosaur trail where each dinosaur along the trail actually moves and make sounds. It was pretty fun to guess what dinosaur we would see next while walking the trail. If you have time, they also have a variety of other trails you can walk as well. The Lemurs were lots of fun to watch. I highly recommend checking it out for yourself. Great for all ages.

We took the little one here because she is into dinosaurs and she loved the experience. It's a really long drive for us but ultimately it was worth it. She was so excited before we went and afterwards. We bought tickets online in advance. I would suggest doing so, it makes things a bit easier. The dinosaur trail is maybe half mile (?) long and has about 10-12 life-sized dinosaurs of different types. They make noise which gives a realistic feel. Some of them move a bit. Our child was afraid (she's 3) even though she knows they are not real. One of the dinosaurs near the end (right before T-Rex) sprays water which of course the kids love. There is a settlement of old wood cabins after the dinosaurs. Not sure how it fits the theme or its relevance to dinosaurs but it's a place for kids to explore. We did not do the butterfly park--maybe next time. The souvenir store is pretty good and not outrageously priced as one often finds. My two complaints are first, once again, mask signs are everywhere but some people think they are special and don't wear. No one is around to enforce. The bigger problem is parking. Not just in terms of the number of spaces, but the narrowness of the parking lot. The parking lot was obviously built before the era of SUVs. If someone parks behind you, there is no way to pull out. We have a regular car and I was stuck until the guy next to us left and I could use his space to get my car out. If he had not left, we would still be there. It's a real problem. Overall, however, this is a lot of fun, not very expensive, and a quality experience for kids.

Staff inside at admission is very much a 5 star experience, they all were very friendly and helpful. They engaged my 6 year old wonderfully when talking with him about dinosaurs while i took care of filling out a form while doing our benefits. We came up to use our reciprocal membership benefits from Ft Worth ... that gets us admission here a few other local museums & a number of others across the country. With that said we are coming from 45 minutes to an hour away to visit here. So it's not going to be a regular stop for us but nice for it to be included. I was really glad we ended up timing our first visit with the dinosaur exhibit being here. The dinosaurs are pretty much set a long a .5 Mile hiking trail ... technically on two of the longer trails that just makes a loop from and back to the main building. Most either came for going on hikes on trails or for the dinosaurs. My 6 year old was pretty much done after checking out the dinosaurs & this little village thing, which isn't bad but also not the most up kept little play area. So we only ended up spending about an hour there. We almost missed the indoor exhibits entirely because it's tucked behind the admission table. My husband missed it entirely cause he already headed out the door to the car when my kid and I noticed it & checked the areas out. I think if we had come during another time, without the dinosaurs, we would have been very disappointed because a majority of this is what amounts to hiking trails. Which we have a lot of nice ones, closer to home that are free. Wonderful for folks that live near by, especially with what looks like a ton of new housing being built up around this place. There are some animals they have here, but we didn't walk down the animal trail. Though from a distance I could tell that my kid would have questioned the outside cages they are kept it ... a number of animals seemed to either be moved inside due to weather or permanently. Some made sense and the indoor areas seemed ok ... like the snakes & tortoise... the Lemurs I kinda wish had more of what the ones at Ft Worth Zoo have, like a more natural environment to what they have in the wild. I did note they have some experiences but they all had to be booked in advance and are somewhat weather permitting. I'm sure in part due to making sure they don't over/under staff on any given day. I would love to see this place have slightly better accommodations for the animals they keep there, as well something during other parts of the year to incentivize kids to be willing to go out on the trails if that is going to be their main draw.

Our 3-year-old is obsessed with dinosaurs, so we managed to schedule a Saturday to take him on the dinosaur trail before the annual exhibit is gone. I must be honest; I was unsure of what to expect. While I knew the exhibit was along a walking trail outdoors, I did not expect the extensive museum displays of plants, animals, and birds native to the area. Nor was I expecting the little animal zoo. Shortly after the indoor exhibits and the dinosaur walk, our son became restless, and we needed to leave. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and are looking forward to visiting again soon!

Beautiful nature areas and trails, bring your camera ! We love the raised walkways through the trees and preserve areas These pics are all from one walk around the Wood Duck Trail.

Such A cool outdoor experience!! Their dinosaur exhibit will be there until February. When you get there you will walk through the lobby to get tickets. Inside they have a huge museum with snakes and spiders and other fossils. On the outside they have walking trails where you see the Dino's. If you have infants/young children I highly recommend baby wearing or a stroller with strong wheels it's on gravel and some parts are small stairs

As a fun date night tonight, I planned for my husband and I to attend and hike at the "Owl Prowl." This was so much fun. We learned at the presentation that owls ears are on two different levels on the sides of thier heads. We got to meet Poe and Pudge two Eastern Screech Owls. Our night hike took us around and to the back of the preserve. Greg was our tour guide and he was beyond awesome, funny, and educational. We heard a few calls of owls and even heard one hit a few tree branches as he flew away from us because well, we wouldn't have heard him otherwise because they are silent flyers. Membership comes with many perks we found out and totally is worth it for families. Highly recommended for all ages. If you have guided hike, ask for Greg, he rocks. We give him 10 out of 5, LOL.

Went on a very hot day so we did part of the outdoors, then the indoors, then the rest of the outdoors. The animatronic dinosaurs are very well done. The trees and such are pretty even though it's been a drought summer. Definitely showing its age. The people working were great!

This place has an amazing dinosaur live trail. The dinosaurs actually move and make sounds. Not only can you walk through dinosaurs but there are other trails that lead to a huge tree. It's very beautiful.

This place discriminates against people with disabilities and their Service Dogs. They would not let me access into their museum, because of my Service Dog. The manager asked me if I live in McKinney and I asked her what does that matter. I called the manager and she went on the defensive right away. She constantly repeated her questions as if to catch me out in a lie. I however, did call her out on her lies. She told me that her staff are trained in the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and yet she told me that her staff need to be trained in the ADA. She said that they have their rules and they don't allow dogs!! My SD isn't classed as a dog, but as a medical device. She barely gave me an apology, she spent over a minute rambling on about their rules and I kept on informing her that federal law and my rights come before their rules. She asked me if my SD had any patches on her and said that she had a small patch, even though I am not legally required to have it. If this is how veterans are treated (I read that this happened to another veteran this year. This woman is all about protecting her staff and not the rights of the public. DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY HERE AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A SERVICE DOG!!

Fiancé and I came here with 2 friends and their 6 month old baby. The Dinosaur trail exhibit was very impressive, with almost every dinosaur being animatronic. The animal exhibit was a little lackluster, as a lot of the animals were tucked away due to the cold. The Butterfly exhibit was closed, and so we decided to take the Sycamore Trail. It was about 0.8 miles long, and took us about 45 minutes to walk through. It wasn't the most stroller-friendly, and we had to lift the stroller a few times to bypass large puddles of water along the trail. Otherwise it was a nice experience and the tickets were low priced for what was offered.

The museum has quite a few animals in VERY small enclosures. I communicated my concern to the check-in desk after our visit and followed up with a phone call to the manager of animal services. I have not yet heard back. Specifically, the snakes need more space for their individual habitats. One of the rattlesnakes was in a glass container so small that it could not uncoil and had a raw spot near its nostril from trying to push its way out of the glass. I imagine that it is a tough life for any animal in a zoo but the least we can do is give them a little space to stretch out and hide when they need it. I understand the desire to have animals available for education and appreciate that this museum has taken the time to curate some amazing nature trails. It is a BIG park! I am hopeful that they will take the welfare of all of their enclosed animals a bit more seriously moving forward.

Some nice, secluded hiking trails. There are very limited animals and reptiles to see. It is time they start putting some money back into the place, as it is showing its age.

We stopped in here with my niece and nephew specifically for the walking dinosaur exhibit. My nephew is 3 and a dino nut and he LOVED it. It not a far walk for kiddos (maybe 1/2 a mile) and just enough dinos to keep them entertained. There is a neat, wood pioneer village and some live animals as well. We enjoyed seeing the lemurs, foxes, bob cat, deer, and raccoons too. There are turtles, snakes, and owls inside as well. It's well set up and the kids enjoyed themselves so we're happy!

We went during the dinosaur exhibit and my son absolutely loved the "dinosaur loop" we did it 3 times. We really enjoyed our time at the Heard and can't wait to go back to see more.

We are new residents of Texas and have wanted to check everything out that we can. We have two girls, 6 and 2, so we love to find family friendly activities that we can all enjoy. Especially during COVID getting out in the fresh air is so important. In truth we were going to check this place out sooner but decided against it based on the polarizing reviews here. I honestly don't get the negative reviews. Where else are you going to go in Texas where you can actually hike with elevation changes and feel like at times you are in the middle of a rainforest, then a bayou, then a wide open prarie? It is stunningly beautiful. The trails are very well maintained and they are actually actively replacing the wood planks that you walk on. The only concern I had was with my 2 year old, I constantly was afraid she would be doofey and fall into the water or plants below the planks as there is nothing preventing that, even over the swampy wetlands area. Fortunately that did not happen but is something to keep in mind with kids. We also saw so much native wildlife on the trails, cardinals, turtles, fish, butterflies, dragonflies, and even a rattlesnake (he was in the water in the wetland area and far from the trail). We also appreciated that there are several areas to stop, rest, eat a snack etc. We did almost all the trails except for one that was muddy from the rain and both my girls were able to keep up, even uphill. Most of the trails are shaded and should be doable even in the warmer months. We were really bummed to find out that the dinosaurs are not always out, that was one reason I wanted to come, but we look forward to coming back. Also, the inside museum exhibits are dated and could use some work. All in all though this was an incredible family day. We enjoyed the trails, the animals outside, the beautiful butterfly area, and it is very well maintained. Staff was also very friendly and welcoming. We are excited to come back again and encourage anyone who may be discouraged by the negative reviews to give it a shot themselves to see if they might see what we did, a gem!

The whole family absolutely loves this place. There's so much to do there - for all ages too. I really cannot recommend it enough. We've had a family membership for going on 3 years now and plan to keep renewing indefinitely. Such a gem! Check it out!

We came a few times while they had the animatronic dinosaurs along the hiking (walking) trail and we all LOVED the experience! The kids were fascinated by the moving dinos and I thought they did a really good job of spacing them and just making it a fun, interactive experience. Aside from that temporary exhibit, there is a colonial village that the kids can explore and play in, there are a few outdoor live animal exhibits, but not many, and there is a medium/small museum inside that includes a fossil dig, some live animals, and other activities that I'd say are mostly geared toward children. We got in with our Perot passes, so I don't remember how much admission is, but I don't remember it being extreme. If they have the dinosaurs again in the future and you can come see those, it's definitely worth the admission.

This was not an ideal place for a K-5 field trip in summer! The indoor parts had to be very quiet and that's hard for that age especially in a group and excited! The trails were very nice ! The butterfly exhibit was exquisite ! This would fun for a family trip.

Avoid in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. We came here on a Saturday and it was so crowded that we left early and very disappointed. Adults and children were not wearing their masks. To make it worse workers were not enforcing any mask wearing at all. There was a large group on a field trip there that day as well which added to the pandemonium. Apart from the lack of masking, there was a huge lack of effort on the museum in terms of their ability to help with social distancing and keeping people physically distanced.

Get a membership. Nice variety of everything. Small place but plenty to do. Lots of learning and exhibits.

My son and I go to the Heard Museum at least once a week and it is a 25-minute drive. We love everything about this place. The trails are interesting, not too taxing for little ones. The animals are clearly well-cared for and it is helpful to have signage explaining the reasons why they were rescued and/or brought to the Heard. Finally, the staff is first rate. Last week, we took them donuts. They are kind enough to remember us by face and always give helpful tips/pointers. We have loved the Dinos Live exhibit (through Feb. 15, 2021) and look forward to the Butterfly exhibit, in the late Spring. What a treasure and WELL worth a very small amount for a yearly membership.

We've been here twice now when the dinosaur exhibit is up. That part is wonderful and I highly recommend. The part I hate and think they should get rid of, is the animal exhibit. It's sad and pathetic. Each animal we passed had their backs to the crowds and in a corner. They look so depressed and it because they were captured and caged in ridiculously small, poorly maintained enclosures. I felt so sad for them and sorry my kids had to see that. I had to give a lesson on why humans suck to my 5 year old. Literally, this part serves no purpose and the place would be much better without! LET THE ANIMALS GO!

I wouldn't drive out of my way for this place. I'm not sure what else is in the area--maybe it's the only option--but if you're looking for scenic places to go for a walk and enjoy nature in DFW, there are better (or at least similar) alternatives that don't require to drive halfway to Arkansas and aren't as expensive. For example, the nature centers in Plano, White Rock Lake, or and of the parks set up along the Trinity, like River Legacy in Arlington. That said, this place is A-OK. You can do some hiking (or walking) on some marked trails. They have a mini-zoo with monkeys and raccoons in cages. And a building with some exhibits, I think.

My husband and I have been wanting to visit the museum with our kiddos for a while, and so glad we finally came! We showed up on a Sunday afternoon around 1:30pm. We were instantly greeted & the front desk lady was so friendly & took her time with us. We went through the indoor exhibit first which we enjoyed so much. They had lots to look at & had very informative signs posted all over about all the native animals! We could have spent hours reading & learning. We could have stayed so much longer if it wasn't for the little one we didn't even get to see it all! My kids loveddddd The interactive Dinosaurs! You must go see! (They even have dino picture opportunities!!) We learned about fossils & were very intrigued by the stones & crystals they offer in the shop! The butterfly house was wonderful & prob my favorite. This was the perfect amount of indoor & outdoor activity. The trails were super comfortable & we never felt lost or bored. And to end, the gift-shop was very affordable & had just enough, to give you enough options for anyone. We are so pleased & plan on coming back another time soon. What we did see was great. ! Def recommend!

A great place to take the kids and a wife that likes long nature walks. One trail has dinosaur exhibits and even one sprays water. One trail is way to long for me and perfect for the lady goes over a pond.

The inside is small with a few activities. The animal exhibits are small, dirty, and sad. We hiked a trail, which was fun. We are hikers, but definitely take your water and sunblock. The butterfly and animal zoo area, again, small and sad. It was something to do, but not sure I'll go back.

Website does not state that you must go indoors to access trails. They are not enforcing face masks either. Very disappointing as it is presented as an outdoor activity. Shannon provided poor customer service.

I'm struggling to give them a bad rating only because I think that what they represent is important - knowledge of history and interactivity in learning for children. The problem is that the entire experience seems like a half-hearted effort with the most minimal expense of resources and imagination. Although the dinosaur displays are pretty cool looking, they are far and few between (and between the displays is a sparse collection of weeds). The "zoo" is a very sad existence and waste of time and space. When we went, they had a single animal (deer) in a sea of cages. Everything was filthy and dreary. The highlight of the place, if you're a kid, is the play area. It's a great little western town display that is well shaded for the kids to play, but doesn't offer anywhere to sit if you're a parent letting your kids play. The result is parents standing around the structure hovering around the limited play area, talking up space that should be reserved for the kids to run around. The gift shop is nothing more than a collection of what appears to be Chinese made products that offer no real educational, collectible, or play value. Very disappointing. I love buying gift shop items at museums and I couldn't beg my son enough to want something because it all looked so boring. Hopefully, they will someday put some effort into making this place the draw it should be. But until then, I would pass.

My son loves this place. It is a hidden jewel. We came here and just drove through parking lot and saw some cool plants and flowers. I suggest you check this place out.

The shears Museum is a great one or two time place to go. The staff is great but I do wish they had more animals but it's a sanctuary not a zoo so it makes sense. Love the season of dinosaurs but would be cool to have more than just t-Rex's. Overall, it's def worth a look around a few times a year!!

Awesome place to visit. Had my sons birthday there last weekend and everyone had an amazing time. Very friendly and professional staff. Thanh you.

Nice place to get outside and walk. Large oaks in the creek bottom. Maybe a duck or deer down by the swamp. A treasure for Collin County.

This place is a cool place for little kids. It could really use some love from the owners though. More lighting. New lighting in exhibits and just an over all modern spruce up would go a very long way. . The Little cabins are cool and the kids love them. I love the nature trails. The animal cages and viewing area was disappointing and I have never really seen more than a few of the animals that they say are there. Idk where they seem to hid. But it's pretty unimpressive. This place is really far away for me as well. So I wish it were more updated and modernized. They have BEAUTIFUL trees in the nature walk area. Some of the biggest and most majestic trees I've ever seen in Texas are here. For me that's the treat to the entire visit.

I came here a few years ago to see the dinosaurs and paid full admission price. I thought it was wildly overpriced unless you came during the dinosaur exhibit. Essentially, it is a hiking/walking trail with a couple of indoor exhibits and (for part of the year) the dinosaur exhibits. I also lived about 40 minutes away, so there was no urgency to ever go back. Fast forward a few years... I live about 15 minutes away, and Heard honors a reciprocal agreement for free admission to Perot Family Plus members. Now we come whenever the weather is nice and want to spend a few minutes walking around and seeing the exhibits and dinosaurs. Parking is free, and the snacks in the gift shop are not a complete price gouge. Those are both pluses.

My wife and I really enjoyed our recent visit to this really cool, tucked away gem of place in McKinney, Texas. This was a place she visited frequently during her childhood, so a return here was definitely a trip down memory lane. We stared by paying our $11 adult admission fee, and then wondered around the interior exhibits. The highlight for us was the Lemurs in the back of the museum, very lively and surprisingly active. We also spent some time checking out the cool reptile displays, with many of the local venomous and non venomous varieties on display. We then went outside and did the Owl Loop hike, which was about 3/4 of a mile. A very nice walk in the winter, chilly, but not terribly cold. The oddest part of our visit, for us anyhow, probably great for kids, were the animatronic dinosuars scattered throughout the park. Their moaning and roaring calls could be heard as we wandered about the trails, which for us was a bit comical, but also slightly weird. Not a big deal, and with the popularity of dinosaurs amongst the kiddos, certainly understandable. We departed after a trip through the well stocked gift shop, and have to say we really enjoyed visiting here and checking things out. If you have children under the age of 10, I would highly recommend stopping here and spending a couple of hours checking things out.

This museum is requiring masks for the parents of hearing impaired children. Even after explaining that lip reading is critical, they will turn you away. They are refusing to follow Gov. Abbott's mask policy. If you post a polite, simple question on their Facebook page to ask what their current policy is, they will delete your question and block you.

Very fun place far a day trip. It was not crowded and after a few hurdles, was able to navigate the nature trails with a stroller easily, it is a nature trail so do not expect paved trails. The museum had some interesting exhibits and activities that sparked little imaginations. Staff was friendly and helpful. The Dina sours are fun and convinced my daughter they were real for a while.

Unfortunately due to the weather most of the animals were not available to be seen. The lemurs were so cool to see, their environment was just a tad bit sad. Kids would love the electric dinosaurs!! Lastly, the snake exhibit was pretty awesome.

My 3 1/2 year-old and I were "first-timers" to the Heard Museum. Because the museum opened at 1 pm, there was a small crowd waiting outside for the doors to open. Once they did, gaining entrance was INCREDIBLY disorganized. There was no line, but, rather, a mob of confused people creeping to the doors and the Heard staff at the door gave no direction other than to call for those who were museum or Perot members. The cashiers were less than informative and unfriendly, which surprised me for a place that encourages education. Once we got through that unpleasantry, me and the little one had fun. The Dinosaur Live exhibit was beautiful, the little Pioneer town was a hit, and it was super peaceful on the trails. Note: If you take a toddler and want to use a stroller (especially to walk the trails), follow the museum website's instruction to use a jogging stroller. Otherwise, good luck! Admission is reasonably priced and no fee for parking. Overall, it was a nice visit, but the service is enough to keep me from returning.

We went the weekend after Thanksgiving. The indoor exhibits of the seashells were beautiful. They had a few living animals and reptiles indoors. The outdoor trails are not wheelchair or baby stroller friendly. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. The butterfly exhibit was closed for the season and some of the outdoor creatures were not there due to the season. Overall it was a great experience and we plan to return for the trail of lights.