Houstonmetropolis of the south

Widely considered one of the best natural history/natural science museums in the United States, this museum counts the standards—impressive dinosaur skeletons, wildlife dioramas and displays of minerals and gems—among its collections. The exhibits of animals native to Texas and oil/gas exploration remind you you’re in Houston. The three-story, glass-walled Cockrell Butterfly Center offers one of the most impressive man-made habitats ever built for butterflies—its rainforest environment perfect for the migratory monarch and other tropical varieties. Special exhibits covering topics ranging from gemstone carvings to the Terra Cotta Warriors of China serve as the museum’s biggest draw, however, helping rank it as the third-most-visited museum in the United States outside of Smithsonian museums.