a seismique blast

Spacey new 'intergalactic playground' museum touches down in Texas

Seismique, a new tech/science museum, promises "lots and lots of aliens."

Image courtesy of Seismique

An innovative new “intergalactic playground” — with a focus on science and space — is touching down in Texas. Seismique, a technology-fueled experiential art museum, will debut on the west side of Houston (aka "Space City") this fall.

The tech mecca will feature more than 40 unique “galaxies” (rooms) totaling 40,000 square feet inhabited by extra-terrestrial beings — brought to life by artificial intelligence, immersive experiences, gamification, and “dazzling displays of light, color, and sound,” according to a release.

The concept is the brainchild of Steve Kopelman, principal of Escape the Room — the largest escape room company in the United States. “Having worked here for the last six years on Escape the Room, I know firsthand that Houstonians are incredibly curious and culturally engaged,” Kopelman says.

“Many people don’t realize that Houston is also home to one of the largest working artist communities in the country and overflowing with an astonishing pool of talent, accordingly. From the outset we knew Houston would be the first city for Seismique to launch and certainly hope that our technology-fueled experiential museum will be a welcomed addition to an already-thriving cultural landscape.”

In effort to support the artistic community, Seismique has reserved a quarter of its 40 rooms for local artists to create their own unique vessels of intergalactic expression through various art forms.

Seismique will also offer educational workshops for students looking for technology-driven learning opportunities in disciplines related to S.T.E.A.M. (Science/ Technology/ Engineering/ Arts/ Mathematics) and will offer multiple private event spaces for meetings, events, and live performances of all kinds.

“Seismique will transport locals and visitors alike to an entirely new and unforeseen universe of creative inspiration and artistic manifestation,” Kopelman adds. “The galaxies are designed to stimulate imagination, heighten curiosity, inspire wonder, and — most importantly — deliver an extreme dose of fun.”

And perhaps most fun for science fans: The museum promises “lots and lots of aliens.”

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Seismique; 2306 South Highway 6, Houston; For information, visit the official site or call 832-819-5910.

technology museums science

Home for the Weekend

Dallas-Fort Worth pitmasters fire up for Hill Country BBQ festival

Hurtado Barbecue/Facebook

Hurtado Barbecue will be firing up the grills at the Brownwood festival.

The small Hill Country town of Brownwood is going big for its 2026 Feels Like Home Festival, a barbecue and country music event scheduled for Saturday, October 3. A first wave of 10 participating pitmasters has been revealed, including a few familiar names from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The local restaurants represented will be The Original Roy Hutchins Barbecue in Trophy Club, Hurtado Barbecue of Fort Worth and Arlington, and Olmos BBQ of Fort Worth.

The first wave of pitmasters at the Feels Like Home Festival are:

Bosque River Taphouse (Stephenville, TX)
Brantley Creek Barbecue (Odessa, TX)
Hill City Chop House (Tolar, TX)
Hurtado Barbecue (Fort Worth and Arlington, TX)
Olmos BBQ (Fort Worth, TX)
Pody's BBQ (Pecos, TX)
Rossler's Blue Cord Barbecue (Harker Heights, TX)
Schoepf's BBQ (Belton, TX)
The Original Roy Hutchins Barbecue (Trophy Club, TX)
Victorian's Barbecue (Mart, TX)

Brownwood is located between Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and Abilene, about a three-hour drive from Dallas. Texas Monthly recently detailed some unique ways to spend the weekend there, a place that's "still obsessed with trains."

“Barbecue has been part of the Feels Like Home experience since day one, and we have always believed it deserves the same level of care and attention that we put into the music lineup,” said festival director Steve Clayton in a statement. “This is about making Feels Like Home more than just another concert or music festival. We want people to come to Brownwood and spend the day discovering incredible country music, eating barbecue from pitmasters they may have driven hours across Texas to try, and enjoying the kind of authentic hometown hospitality that makes this community so special.”

Blue Cord Barbecue Pitmasters at Feels Like Home have plenty of space to spread out.Photo by Levi Thompson

This year, the third for the festival, organizers have updated the barbecue portion of the experience to allow more time for attendees to try everything.

On the musical side, attendees can expect live performances from:

Gary Allan
Scotty McCreery
Mark Chesnutt
Jack Ingram
Caroline Hale

The period between noon and 4 pm will be open for complimentary sampling on the Grass Lawn, which is adjacent to the main stage and more accessible than the previous location. Fans will be able to watch from the barbecue area, so it won't be a tough choice between getting barbecue and enjoying the show. They can also move back and forth between the stage and the barbecue area.

Past attendees haven't just made the drive for a meal. Other activities include mechanical bull riding and axe throwing, and other small interactive elements will offer variety throughout the day.

Feels Like Home will be held at the Brownwood Event Center. Tickets (starting at $82, before a $45 unlimited barbecue add-on) are available at feelslikehomefest.com.

barbecue festivals music festival pitmasters hill country brownwood