Even if you are not a big fan of museums, there are a few impressive museums in Dallas that you should not miss.
Our list of the best museums in Dallas focuses on science, history, and art with exhibits that are good for kids as well as adults.
Sixth Floor Museum At Dealey Plaza
In the former Texas School Book Depository, this building is the site where President John F Kennedy was assassinated. It was from this spot that Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK. This is one of the best museums in Dallas for history buffs.
This is an excellent museum with exhibits detailing the legacy of JFK. Exhibits include photos, films, and historical documents that chronicle the life and the assassination of JFK.
The Sixth Floor Museum also chronicles the details surrounding Lee Harvey Oswald and his actions on the day of the assassination.
The museum is open Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Plan to spend about 90 minutes going through the exhibits.
Nasher Sculpture Center
The Nasher Sculpture Center provides indoor rotating exhibitions and an outdoor sculpture garden of modern and contemporary art. Artists represented here include works by Matisse, Picasso, and Giacometti. This is one of the best art museums in Dallas.
Exhibits are from the Nasher family collection and special exhibitions on loan from other museums and private collections.
In addition to the galleries, there is a cafe, store, auditorium, and education facilities.
The museum is open Wednesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Plan to spend 1-2 hours going through the exhibits.
Perot Museum Of Nature And Science
In 2006, three Dallas museums merged to create the Museum of Nature & Science. These three were: the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place, and the Dallas Children’s Museum.
In May 2008, the family of Margot and Ross Perot provided a $50 million gift to the museum, which, when combined with other contributions, gave the foundation the funds to break ground on a new center.
The facility is located at Victory Park and is named after the Perot family to honor their generous donation.
Some of the incredible exhibition halls at the Perot Museum include:
- Children’s Hall
- Life Now and Then Hall
- Lydia Hill Gems and Minerals Hall
- Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall
- Dynamic Earth Hall
- Expanding Universe Hall
- Engineering and Innovation Hall
- Discovering Life Hall
- Being Human Hall
- Tom Hunt Energy Hall
- Rose Hall of Birds
Plus, the Hoglund Foundation theater with brilliant 2D and 3D films in 4K digital projection with incredible immersive surround sound.
Interactive exhibits include a Tyrannosaurus Rex race, a simulated earthquake, a journey through the universe, robot competitions and a test to see what it means to “be human,” and more.
The Perot Museum is one of the best museums in Dallas for families.
The museum is open Wednesday – Monday from 10 am to 5 pm, closed on Tuesdays.
Plan to spend about 2 hours going through the exhibits.
Modern Art Museum Of Fort Worth
Visit the oldest art museum in Texas and one of the oldest museums in the western United States. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth was chartered in 1892 as the Fort Worth Public Library and Art Gallery and has evolved significantly from there.
This museum is located in Fort Worth, about 40 minutes from downtown Dallas.
This is a large museum with 53,000 square feet of exhibit space. Modern art on exhibit here is from the 1940s to the present day. This incredible museum rivals the iconic Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
There is also an excellent cafe on site.
The museum is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Plan to spend about 1-2 hours going through the exhibits
Frontiers Of Flight Museum
Another one of the museums in Dallas that’s excellent for the whole family. The Frontiers of Flight Museum is located next to the Dallas Love Field airport, 15 minutes from downtown Dallas.
It was founded in 1988 and has an impressive air and space collection.
Exhibits on display here include:
- Aircraft
- Spacecraft
- Missiles
- Flight trainers
- Powerplants
- Model shop
- Donated artifacts
In all, there are over 35,00 exhibits, including 30 aircraft, 4 spacecraft, and 5 missiles.
The museum is open Monday – Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm
Plan to spend 1-2 hours going through the exhibits.
The Perfect Plan For History Buffs
Why not leave the driving to us? Our JFK Assassination and Museum Tour is the perfect history lover’s tour.
You’ll experience a tour of Dallas’s downtown area with the help of our knowledgeable local guide, including photo stops.
You’ll see the Lee Harvey Oswald Rooming House museum, the Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark district, the Texas Theatre, the Dallas Municipal Building, and the Sixth Floor Museum.
Call or go online today for more information and to book your next great tour!
