DALLAS (May 9, 2013) – Get a last-chance, behind-the-scenes look at all that went into bringing the Perot Museum of Nature and Science to life – from concept and construction to fruition – at the Building the Building temporary exhibit before it closes Sunday, May 12.
From paleontologists rebuilding prehistoric animals to workers bending steel and pouring concrete, the exhibit explores the building’s history and provides a window into the construction process, encompassing everything from concept to blueprints and prototypes to fabrications.
The exhibit features building models, architectural renderings, exhibit prototypes, videos and even decades-old artifacts that were discovered buried deep underground. The exhibit addresses a variety of questions, from “how many people did it take to build the Perot Museum” to “what is the ‘skin’ of the building made of and how did they make it” to “is the Museum a ‘green building’?”
Housed in the Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones Exhibition Hall on the Museum’s Lower Level, Building the Building has answered these questions and more with stories of the more than 2,500 people it took to create the building and exhibits. The exhibit includes interviews with Museum leaders, 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne, exhibit designers, landscape designer Coy Talley, Balfour Beatty construction team members, local educators from school districts and universities, and many more. There’s also an interactive area where visitors can use sticky notes to post their comments about the Museum and to suggest collections they’d like to see at the Museum.
“We designed this exhibit to pay tribute to the over 2,500 people who worked so hard to help build the Perot Museum on schedule and on budget,” said Nicole G. Small, Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer. “Also, we’ve always said our building is our 13th exhibit hall because it illustrates so many scientific principles – from engineering, physics and architecture, to soil science, acoustics and ecology – so we wanted our visitors to share in those learnings as well.”
To see a time-lapse video of the Museum as it was built from the ground up, go to perotmuseum.org/explore-the-museum/traveling-exhibits/building-the-building.html.
The Building the Building exhibit is free with a general admission ticket.
HOURS. Regular museum hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays from noon-5 p.m. Please check perotmuseum.org for special holidays, extended hours and unexpected closings.
TICKET PRICES. General admission to the exhibit halls is $15 for adults (18-64), $12 for students (12-17) and seniors (65+), and $10 for children (2-11). Admission to the theater is $5 (short film) and $8 (long film) for adults, students, seniors and children. Combo admission to the exhibit halls and theater is $20 for adults (18-64), $17 for students (12-17) and seniors (65+), $15 for children (2-11), and $6 for members of all ages. For members, general exhibit hall admission is always free, and admission to the theater is $5 (short film) and $6 (long film).
PAID PARKING. General parking and handicap parking is available in the main Museum Parking lot, a pay-to-exit lot located under Woodall Rodgers Freeway across from the Museum. Limited additional handicap and hybrid/electric vehicle parking is available in the Special Permit lot, located directly west of the Museum. Pricing is $6 per car when paid on-site (at box office, lobby kiosk or upon exiting the lot) and $3 for museum members (on-site at box office or lobby kiosk).
MEMBERSHIP. Charter Memberships (personal and gift) are $45 for students, $65 for individuals, $80 for dual memberships, $100 for Family, $160 for Family Plus, and $200 for Family Plus Platinum. Patron level memberships also are available for $250 and up. For details, call 214-756-5751 or go to perotmuseum.org.
Member-only hours! From 8:30-10 a.m. every Saturday and 10 a.m. – noon every Sunday, members can enjoy exclusive pre-general public access to the Perot Museum. Plus, check perotmuseum.org for special member late nights.
The Perot Museum is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit perotmuseum.org or call 214-428-5555.
About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in Dallas, Texas, with campuses in Victory Park and Fair Park. In support of its mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The $185 million Victory Park museum, designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, opened to the public December 1, 2012. The Perot Museum is named in honor of Margot and Ross Perot, the result of a $50 million gift made by their five adult children. To learn more about the Perot Museum, please visit perotmuseum.org.
