Behind the big screen

Favorite Pixar movie stars get red-carpet treatment in new Perot Museum exhibit

Buzz Lightyear, Bunny, Ducky, Woody, and Bo Peep in Toy Story 4

Buzz Lightyear and the gang are coming to Dallas.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Buzz Lightyear, Dory, Mike and Sulley, Edna Mode, and Wall-E are leaping off the big screen and into the science lab this spring. A new exhibition called "The Science Behind Pixar" will make its Texas debut at Dallas' Perot Museum of Nature and Science on April 25.

According to a release, the exhibit will look inside the Pixar process, exploring the science and technology behind some of the most beloved animated films and their characters.

Visitors will be able to get hands-on with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts used by Pixar artists and computer scientists who help bring award-winning films to the big screen.

"With more than 50 interactive elements, the exhibition takes visitors through eight of the steps of the filmmaking process, giving an unparalleled view of the production pipeline and concepts used at Pixar every day," the museum says in the release. "Participate in fun and engaging activities, listen to firsthand accounts from members of the studios’ production teams, and come face-to-face with re-creations of Pixar’s most beloved characters."

The exhibition was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston, in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. This will be its first stop in Texas.

Before it opens, though, Perot Museum visitors can get one last look at the world-exclusive "Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind exhibition," which closes on March 22. The exhibit features fossils of two recently unearthed species — named top discoveries of the last decade by National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazine — which will return to their permanent home in South Africa when their run in Dallas ends.

"We are thrilled to host two extraordinary exhibitions back-to-back this spring at the Perot Museum,” says Linda Silver, Eugene McDermott CEO of the Perot Museum, in the release. “Here’s your last — and possibly only — chance to see incredible ancient hominin fossils in our Origins exhibition. And it’s no surprise that The Science Behind Pixar exhibition is generating buzz and excitement as we prepare to welcome the adored animated characters that have become cultural icons to millions of people.”

General admission is $20 for adults, $13 for youth, and $18 for seniors. "Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind" requires a surcharge of $8-$10. "The Science Behind Pixar requires a surcharge of $10-$12."

For more information about the exhibitions and other spring happenings, visit the museum's website.

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setting the bar high

Playful Dallas neighbor tops America's best parks list for 2026

Plano Parks and Recreation/Facebook

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Plano and its stellar parks have set a new record in 2026 as the 13th best park system in the country — and the No. 1 best in Texas, according to the just-released ParkScore Index.

Every year, land conservation nonprofit Trust for Public Land rates the park systems in the 100 largest American cities with regard to their accessibility, equity, acreage, investment, and amenities.

Plano's No. 13 ParkScore ranking is a new all-time high for the Dallas suburb; it appeared 17th nationally in 2025, ranked 16th for the two years before that, and was 15th in 2021 and 2022.

The majority of Plano residents (85 percent) live within a 10-minute walk of a park, compared to the 76 percent national median. About 10.5 percent of land within the city limits is dedicated to parks. The city also spends far more to maintain its park system — about $228 per resident — than the national median $198 per resident.

Plano Park - Arbor HIlls Nature Preserve Dallas suburb sets new record for best parks in the U.S. Plano Parks and Recreation/Facebook

The city's hard work is paying off: in March, Plano Parks and Recreation reopened Glen Meadows Park after extensive renovations, which included a new pavilion, updated playground, more seating, and new trails.

Another Dallas-area neighbor that deserves high praise is Irving, which Trust for Public Land said was the nation's biggest gainer this year. Irving's park system jumped 28 places, from No. 99 last year to No. 71.

"Irving’s rise was driven by increased investment from the 'Let’s Play Irving' initiative, which funded several important projects scheduled for completion in 2026 and 2027," a release said.

Dallas proper ranked 38th this year after previously ranking 34th in 2025.

"Over the past 10 years, Dallas has connected an impressive 330,000 residents to a park, trail or greenspace within a 10-minute walk of their home, and the city is poised to make further progress next month, when it opens the Bushmills Neighborhood Green as part of the Dallas Greening Initiative," the report said.

Elsewhere across the Metroplex, Frisco jumped seven spots and now ranks 30th, and Arlington moved up one spot as No. 45. Garland ranked 64th (up from No. 67) and Fort Worth soared to No. 58 (up form from No. 72).

Molly Morgan, the Texas State Director and Associate Vice President of Trust for Public Land, said in the release that Texas' high-scoring performance in the annual index has proved that it is making park accessibility a statewide priority.

"Cities across the Lone Star State are making serious investments, opening new parks, partnering with school
districts, and closing gaps that have existed for decades," Morgan said. "They’re showing what’s possible when
Texas gets serious about parks."

Morgan added that there's still more work to be done to increase park accessibility to the 9 million Texans that don't have a park within a 10-minute walk of their homes.

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