Museum Expansion Project

Calling it a “living educational tool featuring architecture inspired by nature and science,” 2005 Pritzker Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and leaders from the Museum of Nature & Science today unveiled the schematic designs and building model for the Perot Museum of Nature & Science at Victory Park. 

Because the Museum’s mission is to “inspire minds through nature and science,” the museum design fully embraces both the natural world, such as biology and geology, and the technology and engineering sciences of the manmade world.

The overall building mass is conceived as a large cube floating over the site’s landscaped plinth (or base).  An acre of rolling roofscape comprised of rock and native drought-resistant grasses reflects Texas’ indigenous landscape and demonstrates a living system that will evolve naturally over time.

The architect of the Perot Museum of Nature & Science at Victory Park is Thom Mayne, 2005 Pritzker Prize Laureate and his architectural firm, Morphosis.  The landscape architect is Coy Talley of Dallas-based Talley Associates. Balfour Beatty is the general contractor.

4.7-acre site at the northwest corner of Woodall Rodgers Freeway and Field Street in Victory Park just north of downtown Dallas.

Groundbreaking on the approximately $185-million project will be held Fall 2009. The Museum is expected to open by early 2013.

180,000 square feet, standing 170 feet high and approximately 14 stories high

The facility’s interior will include five floors of public space housing 10 exhibition galleries, including a children’s museum and outdoor playspace/courtyard; an expansive glass-enclosed lobby and adjacent outdoor terrace with a downtown view; state of the art exhibition gallery designated to host world-class traveling exhibitions; education wing; large-format, multi-media digital cinema with seating for 300; flexible-space auditorium; public café; retail store; visible exhibit workshops; and offices.

Approximately 80 percent of the building is devoted for public usage.

$185 million, which will fund the site acquisition, exhibition planning and design, construction of the new building, education programs and an endowment.

To date, the Museum has almost $125 million in capital committed towards its current goal of $185 million, which will fund the site acquisition, exhibition planning and design, construction of the new building, education programs and an endowment.

The site features landscaping that depicts an abstract cross-section of Texas, from an East Texas-inspired forest of large native canopy trees to the plains of the Texas Panhandle.  The roof deck terrace features native flora of the Texas prairies. Tucked within the landscaping is a large urban plaza – complete with cafe tables, seating and a water feature – which will be used for gatherings and public events.

The Museum will accommodate foot and automobile traffic coming from Victory Park and the American Airlines Center, West End, Dallas Arts District, Central Business District and Uptown. The building’s main entrance is on the plaza side facing west towards Victory Park and the anticipated future second alignment for DART.  Also planned is a major event/education entrance on Field Street, to better serve large school buses and tourist groups.  A grand staircase is also located on the southeast corner of the site allowing foot traffic from the Woodall Deck Park and Arts District to connect to the Museum.  Parking will be available around the building and in nearby lots under the Woodall Rodgers overpass.

Nicole G. Small is president and CEO of the Dallas Museum of Nature & Science. Frank-Paul King is chairman of the Museum of Nature & Science Board of Trustees, and Forrest Hoglund chairs the Leadership Committee (raising money for the building campaign).

The exhibit designers are Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Paul Bernhard Exhibit Design & Consulting, Austin; and the Science Museum of Minnesota.

The architect is 2005 Pritzker Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm, Morphosis.  Talley Associates is the landscape architect.  Balfour Beatty Construction is the general contractor.  The project team also includes Good, Fulton & Farrell, who will serve as both local architect and sustainability consultant and handle the City of Dallas coordination, zoning matters and Fair Park studies.  Datum and John A Martin and Associates (JAMA) have been tapped as the structural engineers; BuroHappold will handle mechanical, electrical and plumbing; and URS (formerly Dallas-based LopezGarcia Group) will provide civil engineering services.  Completing the team are Hillwood Development Company as development manager, Terracon to handle Geotech, and DeShazo Tang to handle traffic design and management.