Spring break is just around the corner for North Texas school districts.
While families search for something fun to do, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas is taking visitors on a fascinating journey to Mars through the highly-anticipated NASA exhibit “Mission Mars: Perseverance Rover.”
The exhibit, put together by NASA, features twin replicas of both NASA’s Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter and offers a glimpse into the cutting-edge technology being used to explore the Red Planet. As part of the Mars 2020 mission, the Perseverance rover is seeking signs of possible ancient microbial life and collecting samples of rock.
The unique experience at the Perot also includes authentic examples of the rover’s ongoing and latest explorations including video, images and sounds collected from the Martian surface.
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The exhibit opens to the public on Friday, March 8.
A second new hands-on experience kicking off at the Perot Museum provides the opportunity to explore and learn about how humans experience sound.
“Sound Trek: Journey of Sound” inspires participants to investigate how to define sounds, visualize how humans hear, examine the function of the ear and understand the intricacies of the hearing process.
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The experience is a collaborative effort between the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and Lucid Hearing to create a new interactive experiment in the Bio Lab focusing on hearing and hearing health.
Both “Mission Mars: Perseverance Rover” and “Sound Trek: Journey to Sound” are included with the price of a general admission ticket.
The new exhibits, which run through the fall, come just a month out from the total solar eclipse that is expected to pass over North Texas on April 8. NASA has also been working on recent flight tests ahead of an anticipated mission to send astronauts to the moon.
Chris Salvo, a Mars Sample Return System Manager for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said these moments are special teaching opportunities for kids.
"It's very gratifying to see an interest in this sort of thing, as someone who works in this field. And it’s what we’re about – it’s our mission at NASA to advance the state of technology in the nation. And to inspire the youth so they can advance that in the future and follow what their calling is and unlock the mysteries of the universe.”
In celebration of Spring Break, the Perot Museum Science is extending its hours. Beginning Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, March 17, the Museum will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
During Spring Break, museum guests will also receive a pair of eclipse glasses with admission, while supplies last.
