Located in the heart of Houston's Museum District, the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) is one of the most visited museums in the country, and a fun, educational trip for kids. This world-class museum consists of five floors of permanent halls full of awe-inspiring exhibits and a steady rotation of traveling special exhibits. Discover the tropical rainforest, reach back in time to when dinosaurs walked the Earth, blast forward to learn about the future of renewable energy, and explore space in the Burke Baker Planetarium. Plus, the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre was Houston’s first IMAX theatre offering 3D images, and the Cockrell Butterfly Center is a stunning, living exhibit that showcases hundreds of live butterflies in a naturalistic rainforest setting.

There is so much to see and do at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Take kids on an active learning adventure by visiting exhibits that are more likely to keep children's attention. Here, we’ve curated a few of the best things to do at Houston’s Museum of Natural Science with kids to help you plan your visit. 

You can also save with the top attractions in Houston with Go City - Houston card. By purchasing this ticket, you receive admission to several Houston attractions at half the regular price: Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Houston Zoo or the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Kemah Boardwalk or the Children’s Museum Houston.

The long-awaited indoor family-fun spot opened its doors this summer to cheers and applause! Palace Social sits on the site of a former bowling hangout in Bellaire, TX, not too far from Houston’s medical center. After the classic bowling alley was torn down, rumors that a new development would take its place swept the neighborhood. Bowling fans have been looking forward to the grand opening for years, and it was worth the wait.

The recently unveiled venue not only brings bowling back to the area, but adds a ton of fun new attractions like a video game arcade, virtual technology experiences, sports simulators, restaurant, two bars, a dessert bar, and more. It's also a great inside activity for when your kids outgrow Houston's indoor play spaces.

After a year of playing board games at home with the kids, how about taking them out to play a life-sized one this summer instead? Houstonopoly, a limited-time pop-up event in the Rice Village, is a tribute to the classic game of Monopoly with a local twist. Filled with Houston references, this attraction allows families to walk around a giant Monopoly board and admire displays representing Bayou City landmarks.

Roll the dice, work your way around the colorful squares, and take plenty of pictures while visiting iconic Houston sights in an air-conditioned room. Given that Houston temperatures can soar in the summer, consider adding Houstonopoly to your list of indoor places to enjoy when it’s just too hot to play outside.