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Houston Museum of Natural Science

Houston Museum of Natural Science is a museum in Texas, at a recorded elevation of 15 m. Oak Hill stands 29 m to the west, 22 miles off. The nearest named place is Sam Houston Monument, a historic site 0.1 miles away. Texas Independence Trail passes 2.8 miles off. 2 named summits stand within 25 miles.

The story

The Houston Museum of Natural Science (abbreviated as HMNS) is a natural history museum located on the northern border of Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States. The museum was established in 1909 by the Houston Museum and Scientific Society, an organization whose goals were to provide a free institution for the people of Houston focusing on education and science. The museum complex consists of a central facility with four floors of natural science halls and exhibits, the Burke Baker Planetarium, the Cockrell Butterfly Center, and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre (formerly known as the Wortham IMAX Theatre). In 2024, the museum received 1,547,000 visitors, making it the eleventh most-visited museum in the United States and the third most-visited science museum in the U.S. HMNS is the most visited museum in the country outside of the New York City or Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas. Much of the museum's popularity is attributed to its large number of special or guest exhibits.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Dates from 1909.

Wikidata Q610401, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Elevation
15 m

What to expect

Fee
Yes
Step-free access
Yes

Official site

How to reach it

Coordinates29.72189, -95.38997

Named places within 25 miles

Historic sites
Artworks
Gardens
Parks
Attractions: 37
Picnic sites: 12
  • Lake Picnic Area: 0.3 mi
  • CenterPoint Energy Seating Areas: 2.8 mi
  • JP Morgan Chase Bench Area: 2.8 mi
  • Beverly and Staman Ogilvie Seating Area: 2.8 mi
  • Sarofim Picnic Lawn: 2.8 mi
Springs: 2
  • Riordan's Spring: 4.2 mi
  • Beauchamp Spring: 4.2 mi
Peaks: 2
  • Oak Hill: 22.1 mi
  • Blackwell Peninsula: 22.3 mi
Beaches: 1
  • Cinco Ranch Beach Club: 22.4 mi

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Houston Museum of Natural Science. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Oak HillW 260°29 m22.1 mi
Blackwell PeninsulaE 91°3 m22.3 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:2619:0219:33
June solstice06:2219:5120:26
September equinox07:1118:4819:20
December solstice07:1316:5117:27

Local time (America/Chicago).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Oct–May.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F545864707783858681726256
Precip in4.02.73.85.25.17.94.53.44.55.43.44.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Houston-port, 7 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOfficial site

OpenStreetMap element way/217678285

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