Science for the Win

Fort Worth museum reopens with new exhibits after 14 months of setbacks

The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will reopen to the public on June 25.

Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will open its doors once again on Friday, June 25 after a series of setbacks have kept it closed for much of the past 14 months.

Like everything else, the museum closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It had plans to open in July 2020 that were pushed back a month due a high number of COVID-19 cases. Even then, the museum was only open on Saturdays and Sundays until another spike forced the complete closure of public hours for the museum in December 2020. And the brutal winter storm in February 2021 caused water damage from broken pipes, keeping them closed longer than anticipated.

According to a release, upon reopening, the museum will unveil several new and reimagined experiences that they have been working on throughout the closure.

In June, they will launch the Current Science Studio, a brand-new 2,500 square-foot exhibit sponsored by a $255,000 grant from Facebook. The new exhibit space will be anchored by Science On a Sphere, a giant global display system suspended from the ceiling developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Additionally, the museum will reopen the Children’s Museum, Noble Planetarium, Cattle Raisers Museum, DinoLabs, DinoDig, and the Heritage Gallery. The Omni Theater will remain closed indefinitely due to the water damage.

There will be a reopening preview for members of the museum on June 19 and 20 prior to the public reopening on June 25. The museum will then be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am-5 pm, and on Sundays from 12-5 pm. Weekdays will be reserved for the museum’s Little Scholars Program.

The museum will continue to observe current public health and safety guidelines, including a mask requirement for all visitors, regardless of vaccination status.

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Holiday fun

Streets closed, parking + more 411 on Fort Worth Parade of Lights 2024

GM Financial Parade of Lights Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of Parade of Lights

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It'll begin to look a lot like Christmas in Fort Worth when the 42nd annual GM Financial Parade of Lights parades through downtown the evening of Sunday, November 24.

Getting caught in stalled traffic and squabbling over parking spots, however, are major bah humbugs. Here's a guide to all the road closures (they start at 6 am!), parking, public transportation options, the parade route, and more good info to know before you head downtown. All information is provided by the parade organizers, and more can be found on their website.

What, when & where: Themed “Holiday Wishes," the parade will feature floats, vintage cars, horse-drawn carriages, marching bands, and carolers along the 1.59-mile route through downtown Fort Worth. Carrying on the long-standing tradition, the largest illuminated parade in the state of Texas will conclude with a special appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus on the specially designed, LED-lit, grand finale float. The parade officially kicks off at 6 pm Sunday, November 24.

Street closures: They start at 6 am Sunday. Repeat: 6 am, a full 12 hours before the parade starts. They include portions of Weatherford Street, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Streets, Taylor, Lamar, Burnett, Cherry and Florence Streets. Spur 280 from Interstate 35 will close at 4 p.m. Belknap, Henderson, and North Main Streets will remain open to traffic during the parade. For a full list of street closures and times, check out this chart.

Parking: For attendees planning to drive and self-park downtown, organizers recommend entering downtown from the same direction they plan to sit or view the parade from, due to the many streets that will be closed and un-crossable. Several free and paid lots and garages will be accessible for parking on parade day. Parking next to bagged meters is not allowed. Head to www.fortworthparking.com/downtown to review all downtown parking options.

Public transportation: Skip the driving headaches and board the train. Trinity Metro’s 27-mile commuter rail line, TEXRail, will operate its Sunday trains before and after the parade, taking attendees to and from Fort Worth Central Station, two blocks from the parade. Park-and-ride options are available at North Side Station (2829 Decatur Ave.) and Fort Worth T&P Station (221 W. Lancaster Ave.). Parking will be free at most TEXRail stations and riders can save 50% on the GoPass app using promo code POL24A. NOTE: The Trinity Railway Express will NOT operate on parade day. Visit https://ridetrinitymetro.org/texrail-schedule for schedules and more information.

TexRail Leave the car at home and ride the TEXRail. Courtesy photo

The parade route: The parade and opening ceremonies start at 6 pm at Weatherford and Throckmorton streets. This year it will proceed east along Weatherford Street, and turn south on Commerce Street all the way to 9th Street. At 9th Street, the parade will proceed west to Houston Street, and then turn north on Houston Street all the way to 2nd Street. At 2nd Street, the parade will proceed west to Throckmorton Street, then turn south and conclude at 3rd and Throckmorton Streets. To view the complete parade route and map, go here. Not sure where to watch? People line up on all portions of the route.

Paid viewing: There is paid, reserved seating along the route, and as of press time, there were still seats available. “Street Seats” guarantee a prime viewing spot. They start at $15 for children and $17.50 for adults and are available for purchase online online.

Root, root, root for the grand marshals: Members of the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers will serve as the parade’s grand marshals. Outfielder and 2023 Rangers postseason standout- Evan Carter, along with Texas Rangers mascot, Captain, and the 2023 World Series Trophy will ride atop the Grand Marshal float.

Reasons to arrive early: Due to road closures and traffic delays, attendees are encouraged to arrive downtown early to eat, shop, and more. Family-friendly happenings downtown on Sunday include:

Free tours of the Tarrant County Courthouse: From 2:30-4:45 pm, the Tarrant County Courthouse will offer free tours. The famous pink-granite courthouse was built in 1895 and took over two years to build.
Family Day at Sid Richardson Museum: Families are encouraged to visit the Sid Richardson Museum for free creative fun, live screen printing, and giveaways.
Note that the Sundance Square Christmas tree lighting will NOT be taking place in conjunction with the Parade of Lights this year.
Many other big local holiday events will be worth checking out before or after the parade. Check out this list of Christmas light events, for example.

Watch it live: For those unable to attend in person, a live TV broadcast of the parade will air on KTXA-TV / TXA-21 and online at CBSDFW.com at 6 pm, with a second TV broadcast airing on KTXA-TV / TXA-21 on Christmas Eve at 8 pm. In addition, the parade will broadcast via Facebook Live on the Parade of Lights’ Facebook event page.

Get social: The official hashtag for the 2024 GM Financial Parade of Lights is #ParadeOfLights2024. Follow along for updates on the Parade of Lights via these social media pages:

Online: www.FortWorthParadeOfLights.org
On Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ParadeofLightsFW
On Instagram: www.instagram.com/paradeoflightsfw/

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