The Museum of Nature & Science is ending the summer with special events and exhibits over Labor Day weekend from September 3-5. Two popular traveling exhibits, Chinasaurs about rare Chinese dinosaurs and Charlie and Kiwi's Evolutionary Adventure about evolution, will have their last day on Labor Day. Free stage shows Fire & Ice and Electric Theater demonstrating science concepts will perform throughout the weekend. It will also be the last weekend for extended summer hours before returning to the regular schedule.
1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Jennifer Whitus,
Communications Manager
214-426-4629
jwhitus@natureandscience.org
Summer Ends with a Bang at MNS
Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3-5, Final Chances for Traveling
Exhibits and Summer Hours, Plus Free Stage Shows
DALLAS (August 30, 2011) – Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, and
the Museum of Nature & Science is ending it with a bang! And a few zaps! And a
couple of bittersweet farewells. During the Labor Day holiday weekend, on Sept. 3-5,
the Museum is offering last chances to see two summer exhibits, free performances of its
popular stage shows, and the final days for extended summer hours.
Labor Day – Monday, Sept. 5 – will see the extinction of the remarkable Chinasaurs
exhibit. Chinasaurs visitors are greeted by twenty life-sized dinosaur skeletons and five
life-like, moving animatronics – all representing rare, lesser-known animals discovered in
China. Chinasaurs creatures range in size from 42 feet long, to the mini-dinos who are
the size of a small dog. Fossils, egg casts, touchable skin impression kiosks and an eye-
popping video from Asia enhance the exotic Chinasaurs experience.
Another traveling exhibit, Charlie and Kiwi’s Evolutionary Adventure, also closes
on Labor Day. “Charlie and Kiwi” centers on a young boy, Charlie, his bird friend, Kiwi
and his great-great grandfather Charlie as they travel through time to investigate the
disappearance of the dinosaurs. Charlie and Kiwi is geared towards children ages three
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years and up, and caters to both English and Spanish speakers. Visitors get hands-on
lessons on animals’ abilities to adapt and survive over time.
After viewing a charming, animated story, children can mill through the colorful
kiosks and play games and engage in activities relating to Charlie’s discoveries. Live
budgie birds are part of the exciting display. “Charlie and Kiwi” is free for members and
included with regular admission for non-members.
Labor Day weekend will also see several performances of MNS’ incredibly popular
stage shows, Fire & Ice and Electric Theater. These shows will be performed at various
times during all three days of the holiday weekend, are free for members and included
with regular admission for non-members.
Electric Theater is a light show like no other – the interactive performance
demonstrates how batteries work, the power of electro-magnetism, the static electricity
that exists all around us and ends with a spectacular light show! Audiences will
experience such mechanical marvels as the Tesla coil, plasma ball and Van de Graaf
generator. Electric Theater shows are at 1 p.m. Sept. 3-5.
Fire & Ice exemplifies the power of temperature. Liquid Nitrogen, heating elements
(including the human body) and mysterious gases are the focus of several interactive
experiments. Audience volunteers will help freeze, burn and even (safely) blow up
various items to demonstrate how states of matter are affected by temperature. Fire &
Ice shows are at 3 p.m. Sept. 3-5.
Labor Day weekend also marks the final days of extended summer hours. Weekend
hours are Saturday and Monday 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday noon – 6 p.m. Beginning
Tuesday, Sept. 6 hours return to the “regular” Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and
Sunday noon – 5 p.m. schedule.
MNS general exhibit admission is $10 for adults 18-61; $9 for seniors 62+ and
students 12-17; $7 for children 2-11; children under 2 are free; MNS members of all ages
are admitted for free. Chinasaurs admission requires a surcharge in addition to the
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purchase of MNS general exhibit admission; Non-members are $5, MNS members are
$3. Children under 2 are free.
Museum visitors can get more bang for their buck with the purchase of the Double
Dino Deal which pairs Chinasaurs with the IMAX® film, Sea Rex: Journey to a
Prehistoric World.
Sea Rex takes place during a tour of a modern-day aquatic center. Soon the movie
whisks audiences back through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods to discover
creatures like the powerful Liopleurodon, the long-necked Elasmosaurus, the “eye-
lizard” Ophthalmosaurus, the ferocious Prognathodon and the massive Shonisaurus.
Sea Rex and all other IMAX® films require separate ticket purchases. Tickets for the
TI Founders’ IMAX® Theater are $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, and children
ages 2-11; children under 2 are free; Museum members receive a $1 discount on all
IMAX® tickets.
By pairing both the exhibit and film together, Museum-goers can save money as they
experience the full reach of MNS’ prehistoric adventures. The non-member cost for the
Double Dino Deal is $21 for adults 18-61, $17 for children 2-11 and $19 for both
students (12-17) and seniors (62+). Members have access to even greater savings on the
Double Dino Deal, paying only $9 for adults and $8 for children, students and seniors.
While it lasts, MNS is also offering a Chinasaurs membership special. Join, upgrade
or renew a Family or Family Plus membership during Chinasaurs, and receive free
dinosaur visors (while supplies last), free passes to Chinasaurs, and exclusive offers for
dinosaur-themed birthday parties. Offers vary based on level of membership. But, like
all members, those who join during Chinasaurs will enjoy free admission to the museum
general exhibits, guest passes to the IMAX® and Planetarium shows, access to special
member-only events and discounts on traveling exhibits.
Museum-goers can save time and avoid lines by buying advance tickets online at
cont.
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natureandscience.org. Further information is available by calling 214-428-5555 or
visiting the Museum online at www.natureandscience.org.
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About the Museum of Nature & Science
The Museum of Nature & Science – the result of a unique merger in 2006 between the
Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place and the Dallas Children's Museum
– is an AAM- accredited non-profit educational organization located in Dallas's Fair
Park. In support of its mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the museum
delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor experiences through its education,
exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers,
families and life-long learners. The facility also includes the TI Founders IMAX®
Theater and a cutting-edge digital planetarium. The Museum of Nature & Science is
supported in part by funds from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Texas
Commission on the Arts and HP. The Museum of Nature & Science also is building a
new $185-million museum on a 4.7-acre site in Victory Park to complement the Fair Park
facilities. To learn more about the Museum of Nature & Science, please visit
natureandscience.org.