Celestial Themed Saturday

Perot Museum of Nature and Science is featuring a Celestial Themed Saturday, Nature’s Feathered Flirts, Giant Gems, 3D Adventures and more this Columbus Day weekend, Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Oct 8-10).

Make your discoveries at the Perot Museum this Columbus Day weekend (Oct. 8-10) with the opening weekend of Birds of Paradise, 3D films, Discovery Days, Giant Gems of the Smithsonian and more.

On Saturday, enjoy hours of cosmic coolness at Discovery Days: Celestial. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., launch rockets, learn about craters, star gazing and even life on other planets, create your own alien to take home, partake in constellation crafts, enjoy celestial stories with the Dallas Children’s Theater and much more. Fun for the whole family, Discovery Days held on the second Saturday of the month and are free with Museum general admission.

Take an exotic journey through a virtual rainforest to see Birds of Paradise, the groundbreaking exhibition by National Geographic and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology that explores the beautifully strange birds found only in New Guinea and now photographed for the first time. Art show, science exhibition, and natural history display in one, visitors will experience the spectacular plumage, shape-shifting and dazzling dance moves of all 39 species of these stunning, yet elusive birds. The exhibition requires a surcharge and opens Oct. 8.

Bling, bling and more bling! Feast your eyes on some serious eye candy in Giant Gems of the Smithsonian, featuring 29 mineral masterpieces, many weighing over 1,000-plus karats! The beautiful gems include an “American Golden” topaz that tips the scales at almost 23,000 karats (more than 10 pounds), a blue topaz “football” of nearly 7,000 karats, a kunzite Tiffany necklace, a Mogul emerald diamond necklace and more. This show marks the first time such an extensive collection of Smithsonian gems, some never displayed in any museum, will be on exhibit outside the famed Washington museum complex. Giant Gems of the Smithsonian is free with Museum general admission.

Without having to get up from your seat, amaze your brain with soaring adventures through space and the skies at The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience in Asteroid: Mission Extreme 3D, narrated by Sigourney Weaver, Earthflight 3D, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Flying Monsters 3D, which closes Oct. 14.

For more info and to purchase your tickets in advance, go to perotmuseum.org.

** Museum general admission ticket prices are $19 for adults (18-64), $13 for seniors (65+), $12 for youth (2-17), and free for children under 2. Museum general admission is always free for members. Admission to the theater is $6 for a short film (20 minutes) and $8 for a long film (40 minutes) for adults, seniors, and youth. For members, admission to the theater is $5 (short film) and $6 (long film). All children under 2 are free. Birds of Paradise requires a surcharge for a total admission cost of $27 for adults (18-64), $19 for youth (2-17), $20 for seniors (65+), and free for children under 2. Member tickets are $6 for adults (18-64) and $5 for youth (2-17) and seniors (65+).