Houston Museums Impress Again

My Friday evening spent at the Houston Museum of Natural Science was a lot of fun!  I was once again extremely impressed by the quality of museums that Houston has to offer (see my experience with the art museum here).  I've said it before, after growing up in close proximity to the awesome city of Chicago, I'm a bit snobbish when it comes to museums - Chicago's are just plain awesome!  But Houston continues to prove that they can stand their own ground culturally and I love it!  Of the exhibits open on Friday, one of the best was the Hall of Paleontology.  They had so many fossils and dinosaurs, and probably the most iterations of the t-rex that I have ever seen in one place.  I kept thinking how awesome my dad would find it (added to the list of places to take the 'rents on their next trip here, along with Rudy's...)

My other favorite exhibit was the gemstone carvings of Harold Van Pelt.  They were impossibly beautiful and fantastic.  What looked like thin glass vases were really expertly carved quartz boulders.  The skull pictured above is actually life sized.  The colors and quality of the gemstones were simply gorgeous.  Such a unique and interesting selection of art! 

(both pictures taken by me)