Unique Attractions at the Houston Museum of Natural Science

First exhibited in 1851 at the World’s Fair in Paris, the Foucault Pendulum (named after Jean Bernard Leon Foucault, the French physicist who invented it) is a visual demonstration of the Earth’s rotation.

The Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife showcases the remarkably diverse biomes of our beloved Lone Star State. Dioramas highlighting Piney Woods, Oak Motte, Coastal Prairie and Wetland are included as nearby regions, whereas South Texas Dry Forest, Guadalupe Mountains, and High Plains are further afield in other parts of the state. There are also kiosks focusing on extinct and vanishing species, invasive species in our state, and aberrantly colored individual animals.

In total over 425 specimens representing approximately 250 species are on display. Emphasis for this exhibit is placed on rare, endangered and extinct species. Over 50 species, more than 20% of those on display, are classified under some level of threat. The dioramas emphasize what our state’s wildlife looked like prior to extensive human colonization.