Dallas, TX
Children’s Gardens: Dallas Arboretum’s Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure
The Dallas Arboretum’s Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden is an extraordinarily fun nature and science gateway for children of all ages – from toddlers to middle schoolers to young-at-heart.
If American children score lower in the sciences than in any other academic area, this museum without walls is the type of destination that may be able to help alter that trend. The Gardens’ unique blend of innovative technology found in the 150 interactive exhibits entertain and educate visitors on concepts such as photosynthesis, pollination, the solar system, erosion and energy.
There are 17 indoor and outdoor galleries featuring native Texas wetlands, a 240-foot treetop skywalk, a Honey I Shrunk the Kids-inspired world about the importance of plants and its parts, and a 9,100-square-foot Exploration Center equipped with the OmniGlobe. One of 50 in the world, the OmniGlobe allows interactive animations to demonstrate real-time weather with an eight second delay, ecosystems, climate-related images, atmospheric changes and the solar system.
The garden also incorporates many sustainable features such as recycled materials, planted roofs to reduce heat, low-flow plumbing, solar panels and a cistern that collects rainwater for irrigation.
The culmination of nearly two decades of nationwide research and $62 million, the Dallas Arboretum is setting the gold standard for outdoor children’s facilities with this garden.
What’s Special
The 17 interactive galleries, including
• First Adventure – features include a caterpillar maze, a sandbox, giant acorns and insects, mushroom seats and tables, a potting shed, a tree house, a babbling brook and a plant petting zoo.
• The Incredible Edible Garden and The Orchard and Vineyard –helps children learn where food comes from.
• Kaleidoscope – Located in a horticulturally beautiful area focused on plant formation and structures, it includes two kaleidoscopes—one of which is 6 feet long— to show patterns and shapes, refraction and reflection. The rest of the gallery shows the world of patterns, shapes and structures in nature and integrates concepts of science, math, art and architecture.
• The Oasis – A rooftop display garden offers a lovely high spot in the center of the garden for visitors to relax and view the nearby learning galleries.
• The Texas Skywalk – An elevated walk that’s 240 feet long through the tree canopy in the heart of the children’s garden.
• Pure Energy – demonstrates how energy from the natural sources of wind, sun and water can be transformed into electricity, with an energy tower, shooting water pistols and sun blasters.
• Habitats – This 500-linear-foot trail through a woodland ecosystem, an adventure bridge, a 30-foot tree snag and a canopy walk above the habitat trail add excitement and challenge.
• The Walk on the Wild Side – This discovery trail includes switchbacks with tracks in the path along the way to help visitors guess which native animal or plant is hiding around the next turn.
• Exploration Center with OmniGlobe – This 9,100-square-foot building employs innovative exhibits and interactive technology to engage children in all aspects of life and earth science exploration. Features include a plant lab for experiments, smart tables, CSI Mysteries to solve, a soil lab and the signature feature, the OmniGlobe.
• Texas Native Wetlands–a 31,000- square-foot wetlands ecosystem experience with floating bridges, boardwalks through grass tunnels and a secluded wildlife blind where children can discover the adaptations of plants and animals living in a wetland environment.
• The Petroglyph Walk – Inspired by Native Americans, the Petroglyph Walk features large rocks with symbols and designs on them, depicting the messages used by ancient Americans to communicate.
Visiting
Located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX, 75218
Open daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day
For more Information please call 214-515-6500 or email info@dallasarboretum.org