Founded in 1909 and in its current Hermann Park home since 1969, HMNS drew about 1.5 million visitors in 2024, which put it among the most visited museums in the country. The headliner is the Morian Hall of Paleontology, opened in 2012 with more than 60 large skeleton mounts. Look for Wyrex the Tyrannosaurus, the plesiosaurs, and the elephant-sized ground sloth the museum calls Slothzilla, then climb to the Morian Overlook on the second floor to see the whole herd from above. The Hall of Ancient Egypt, opened in 2013, recreates temple spaces around millennia-old artifacts. Separate tickets unlock the Cockrell Butterfly Center, a three-story glass rainforest with a 50-foot waterfall and about 1,500 butterflies, and the Burke Baker Planetarium, one of the first 8K fulldome theaters in the country. Note that the famous Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals is currently closed.
What to expect
- The museum garage is a flat $30 and can't be reserved; pay at a kiosk before leaving.
- Free Hermann Park lots nearby have a three-hour limit.
- Strollers are fine in the halls but stay outside the Butterfly Center and planetarium.
- No flash except in the Butterfly Center, and no tripods or selfie sticks.
- There are no lockers or bag storage, so carry what you bring.
What to do
- Walk the Morian Hall of Paleontology, then view it from the Morian Overlook upstairs
- Book a timed entry to the Cockrell Butterfly Center's three-story rainforest and 50-foot waterfall
- Catch a show in the Burke Baker Planetarium
- 1909Founded
- opened 2012, 60+ large mountsPaleontology hall
- opened 1994, ~1,500 butterfliesButterfly Center
- about 1.5 million2024 attendance