Texas Natural Science & History Museum’s newly reimagined “Epic Encounters” paleontology exhibit puts visitors inches away from some of the most famous fossils ever found on Lone Star soil.
After a top-to-bottom redesign in 2025, this immersive showcase combines interactive elements, games, digital displays, and beautifully designed fossil habitats (with period-accurate flora and fauna projections).
The result? A fun-filled way to learn about Texas natural history for kids and adults alike.
💡 A few stats that’ll blow you away
- 77% of the Museum’s fossils were uncovered right here in Texas
- 93% of fossils on display are the real thing: Not replicas (which we learned is extremely rare)
Epic Encounters isn’t the only eye-catching exhibit, either.
Two Texas Titans greeted us in the gorgeous main hall (including the toothy grin of a full tyrannosaur skeleton), while the nearby Texas Transformation Gallery sent us on a 600-million-year journey through the state’s ecological evolution.
Bonus: We got to touch a slice of meteorite older than the Earth itself.
➡️ Can’t-miss highlights
- 30-foot mosasaur found in Austin’s Onion Creek
- Texas-themed “Choose your own adventure” game
- Hands-on learning at the Discovery Center
Stop by on the fourth Sunday of each month for free admission, or start planning your visit this way.
