The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has announced a partnership with National Geographic, one that positions the museum to bring in a host of elements that will enhance its already acclaimed status.
The partnership, initially set at five years, is one of only a few Nat Geo has with museums in the United States. It is the only one in Texas.
The partnership has already yielded one significant change: The Hoglund Foundation Theater, the state-of-the-art 3-D theater at the Perot, has been rebranded as "a National Geographic Experience." The name change comes complete with a sign bearing Nat Geo's signature bright yellow at the entrance.
Starting May 24, the theater will be showing Pandas: The Journey Home, a 40-minute original National Geographic documentary that tracks the efforts of Chinese scientists to boost the number of pandas in the wild.
More aspects of the partnership include other regional movie premieres, special access to Nat Geo's film library, a speakers series, visits from Nat Geo experts and special traveling exhibits created by Nat Geo. In addition there will be photography workshops, travel opportunities, and special benefits and discounts for Perot Museum members.
The museum also will be showing two non-Nat Geo films this summer. The first is Flight of the Butterflies 3D, which follows the annual migration of monarch butterflies. Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia, is a look back at when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, which has been at the museum since early April.
That second film is a nice combo with the Perot's current traveling exhibit, "The World's Largest Dinosaurs," both of which will be at the museum through September 1. Anyone wanting to see both can save a little money by bundling the tickets together, with tickets ranging from $19-$25, including museum admission.
Tickets for Pandas are $6 for members and $8 for non-members, while the other two shorter films are $5 for both members and non-members. Admission to the museum is not necessary to view the films; tickets can always be purchased separately.
Pandas: The Journey Home is the first of many benefits the Perot Museum gets from its new partnership with National Geographic.
