Trip Planner 2016-17 Trip Planner For Student Travel | Page 20

U.S. Midwest CHOOSE CHICAGO CHICAGO The Museum of Science and Industry DALLAS Perot Museum of Nature and Science Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, one of the largest science attractions in the world at more than 400,000 square feet, is home to a number of hands-on exhibits. Through its interactive experiences and innovative programs, the museum helps spark scientific inquiry and creativity among students. The attraction’s Center for the Advancement of Science Education focuses on curriculum-based activities in the fields of science, technology, medicine and engineering. Experiences awaiting school groups include visits to the Science Storms exhibit and its 40-foot tornado; design sessions at the Wanger Family Fab Lab, where guests get to dream up and make models using cutting-edge software and equipment; and tours of a captured U-505 World War II submarine and the working coal mine. The recently debuted Brick by Brick exhibit features more than a dozen giant LEGO constructions, including replicas of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Coliseum in Rome and the International Space Station. Students also can design their own creations as part of Brick by Brick’s interactive learning section. The innovative Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents a world of science, math and technology concepts to students. The attraction, which opened in December 2012 in Dallas, has 11 permanent exhibit halls spread across five floors. Students can enjoy displays featuring state-of-the-art video and 3-D computer animation, see life-like simulations and interactive kiosks that explain a range of scientific concepts, and take part in learning-based games and hands-on activities. The museum’s educational wing houses six learning labs, an area for traveling exhibits and a children’s museum with an outdoor play space. Another popular area is the Life Then and Now Hall, where dinosaur skeletons and rare fossils are on display. The building itself has a story to tell, as it was built using a large amount of recycled and reclaimed materials that were sourced locally. It includes a number of sustainable and eco-friendly features such as solar-powered water heating, energy-efficient lighting and an extensive rainwater collection system. To learn more, contact Arnaldo Altoran of Choose Chicago at [email protected], or visit choosechicago.com. To learn more, contact Meg Gould of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau at [email protected], or go to visitdallas.com. TOP EDUCATIONAL ATTRACTIONS The Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Architecture Foundation TOP EDUCATIONAL ATTRACTIONS The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the Dallas Arts District, the George W. Bush Presidential Library TOP RECREATIONAL ATTRACTIONS Navy Pier (new Ferris wheel coming in June), Lincoln Park Zoo and North Avenue Beach TOP RECREATIONAL ATTRACTIONS The Texas Horse Park, Southfork Ranch, AT&T Stadium, Reunion Tower GeO-Deck TOP LOCAL FESTIVAL Taste of Chicago (June and July) TOP LOCAL FESTIVAL State Fair of Texas (Sept. 30–Oct. 23, 2016) 18 trip planner DALLAS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU I Want to Go There |