Nolan Zunk, The University of Texas at Austin
The tyrannosaur is a new addition to Texas Science & Natural History Museum. Scientists and artists used the maxilla (upper jaw bone) discovered by UT researchers in Big Bend National Park and other bones from a closely related tyrannosaur to reconstruct the skeleton, the only one of its kind in Central Texas.
Current Exhibits
Texas Titans
Walk beneath the 33-foot wingspan of a pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus northropi, the largest flying creature to ever live.
Texas Transformation
Explore Texas’ shifting environmental identity over 600 million years of life through stunning imagery, newly exhibited fossils, and a paleogeographic time-lapse animation.
Paleontology Gallery
See fossils of plants and animals that once inhabited the lands and waters of Texas.
Geology Gallery
Discover treasures from the geological collections, including meteorites and other fascinating specimens.
Texas Wildlife Gallery
See diverse animals and ecoregions of Texas and marvel at the beauty of insect coloration.
Future Exhibits
Discovery Center (coming in 2024)
Get up close and personal with real fossils and engage in scientific thinking in a hands-on educational learning space.
Science Frontiers
Learn about the advanced research happening at UT Austin and explore the role of cutting-edge science impacting life in the natural world.
Memorial Gallery
This future exhibit will share the history of Texas Memorial Museum, from its founding during the Texas Centennial and completion of the Art Deco building in 1937, to the contributions of University and statewide communities over the years.
Daneida Castillo places 650 butterflies in an art installation at the newly refurbished Texas Science & Natural History Museum
We’re blown away by this beautiful new artwork—featuring hundreds of colorful, shimmering butterflies—that graces the entrance to the Texas Science & Natural History Museum. It’s the creation of multidisciplinary artist Daneida Castillo, who received her BFA from the College of Fine Arts at UT Austin in December 2022.
When Daneida saw a call for entries to create a compelling work of art for the Museum using 650 butterflies donated to The University of Texas Insect Collection, she immediately imagined a tree. “I imagined it flying over the landscape,” says Daneida, “representing life and our dependence on pollinators to preserve it.”
Her interest in animals and love of biology is present in all of her artworks, and she was especially pleased to be able to incorporate the themes of life and biodiversity in this work, called “Decimation Proclamation." We can’t wait for you to see this beautiful, fluid work of art when you visit the Museum!