Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
McKinney, Texas
The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is just a few miles away from the city, but feels isolated in the blackland prairie. This wildlife sanctuary located in McKinney is 289 acres to explore including hiking trails, ponds, outdoor wildlife sanctuary, native plant garden, seasonal butterfly house, pioneer village, museum exhibits, magic planet interactive globe, and fossils such as a large marine reptile mosasaur. The Heard Museum calendar is packed with events including camps, night hikes, nature walks, story time, treetop adventure ropes course and ziplining.
Butterfly House
Step into the butterfly house to find flowers with native Texas butterflies flying around your head. Learn about the butterfly life cycle and see cocoons. Enter and exit the butterfly house carefully to prevent the butterflies from escaping before their time. The butterfly house is seasonal running from early summer to early fall, so check their website for specific dates.
The animals that live at the Heard Museum are non-releasable and serve as animal ambassadors to encourage visitors to preserve ecosystems. See deer, lemurs, fox, raccoon, bobcat and more in the outdoor enclosures near the butterfly house.
Pioneer Village
Trails vary from open prairie and sunny to wooded and shaded trails. A great lap for school-age kids is to go to the pond to check out the waterfowl and turtles.
Trails vary from open prairie and sunny to wooded and shaded trails. A great lap for school-age kids is to go to the pond to check out the waterfowl and turtles. Watch for great blue herons and egrets nesting here.
The wooded walkway suspended over the marshy area allows visitors to get closer to the waters edge and view wildlife.
There are many trails with native wildflowers to identify. Bring a field guide or use iNaturalist app to identify and geotag location. Check out the iNaturalist tutorial here.
There are many trails to explore on this preserve, from ponds and creeks, woodlands and prairie, ancient hardwoods and wildlife abound. As a wildlife refuge, there are snakes and bugs that are an important part of the ecosystem. As much as poison ivy is attempted to be tamed, it’s still prevalent in Texas.
The indoor interactive exhibits allow visitors to experience hands-on activities on nature and view ecosystems, and a children’s fossil dig exhibit. There are extensive specimens on rocks, minerals, fossils, seashells and marine life.
Dinoaurs Live! Exhibit
Don’t miss the chance to experience walking through Jurassic time period at the Dinosaurs Live! seasonal animatronic dinosaur exhibit. See a giant 46 foot T-Rex and hear the dinosaurs roar as you walk the trails. This is a must see for junior paleontologists and the lifelike moving dinosaurs make this a very interactive experience. Check out our full review here.
Special needs:
All outdoor nature trails are not wheelchair accessible or stroller friendly. A jogging stroller with rugged wheels will be suitable for most trails. The indoor museum is wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Know before you go:
Closed on Mondays. Check website for hours or special events.
Trails require jogging stroller or baby carriers
Discounts:
Members of the Heard Museum receive free admission. The Heard Museum is a member of the ASTC Travel Passport Program. See astc.org for additional information on which museums are included. Science centers within 90 miles of where you membership or your residence are located are excluded.
How to get there:
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
1 Nature Place
McKinney, TX 75069
(972)562-5566
www.heardmuseum.org/
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